Question title is enough. Can I use alas in formal writing , especially in scientific writing?
I do not remember seeing it a lot in scientific articles but dictionary references does not say anything about it informal.
Learn English – Alas, is it informal or formal? Can it be used in formal writing
formality
Best Answer
It's neither formal nor informal. It's a word.
As to its usage, it is a fairly old-fashioned sounding word. The usage has been in steady decline since the 19th century (according to the graph in the Google definition).
As a general rule, you can use this word in scientific writing, but I don't know that you would want to. Scientific writing doesn't lend itself to the emotional handwringing that alas conveys.
vs
The first introduces a strange sense of emotion to the analysis. The second reports the facts in an appropriately sterile manner.
I think the big picture is that emotional assessments play little role in proper scientific writing. Even in the conclusion, I think the word unfortunately would be more appropriate.