Is it correct to avoid starting sentences with subordinating conjunctions in technical writing?

Question

I work on a team where everyone has decided that it is incorrect to start a sentence with a subordinating conjunction period. For example they will change the sentence: *Based on the system-wide risk assessment, the societal risk for the Lateral is low.* to *The societal risk for the Lateral is low based on the system-wide risk assessment.* They believe that in technical writing (oil and gas) it is incorrect to start a sentence with words like 'if', 'during' 'due to' etc. Is this correct, or preferred?

Answer 1

*The societal risk for the Lateral is low based on the system-wide risk assessment.* (Personally, I usually say 'based upon' even though 'based on' is acceptable usage). Technical writing can be very academic for higher-level learners such as Mensa devotees or it can be geared to the reading and understanding of vocabulary of all the populations of readers (on the reading level of 8th or 9th grade). Great writing includes subordinate, coordinate, and independent clause usages. Variety of sentence structure is meant to help the reader stay interested in the subject even if they don't know anything about it. Therefore, I agree with Erik G.'s expert answer (above).

Answer 2

This sounds like a debate of personal preference. However, if your team believes it is incorrect to begin a sentence with a subordinating conjunction because it is technical writing, they are incorrect. In fact, I would argue that sentences beginning with subordinating conjunctions makes more sense in technical writing because much of technical writing addresses issues that involve directions, proper order of events, scientific evidence and other content that required some form of data collection.

The main reason people believe this myth is because many people write these types of sentences incorrectly. Remember that a subordinating conjunction simply links a main clause with a subordinate one, and a subordinate clause is simply a clause that cannot stand on its own. As long as the main and subordinate clauses have a logical progression of thought, they are perfectly acceptable.