parenthesis or commas for extra information in academic writing?

Question

Which style is more preferable for providing extra information in academic writing? Parenthesis or comma? The two below examples are one sentence expressing the two styles.

Also, is there a better way to rephrase this sentence?

1. "Using dataset A, the Tarim Basin displays a density of ~ 3.33 and high buoyancy, similar to those of the typical basins, while its density using dataset B changes to ~ 3.44, similar to that of the non-typical basins"
2. "Using dataset A, the Tarim Basin displays a density of ~ 3.33 and high buoyancy (similar to those of the typical basins), while its density using dataset B changes to ~ 3.44 (similar to that of the non-typical basins)"

Answer 1

For academic writing, I would check to see if there is an applicable style guide - your college or university may have their own guide.

Generally speaking though, commas are more formal than dashes or parentheses. Parenthetical information is often defined as useful or interesting but also disposable and could be omitted. A written piece with lots of brackets doesn't look as professional because it gives the appearance of lots of superfluous afterthoughts. Parenthetical information between commas is generally seen as being more relevant. Bracketed information is often abbreviated, while information in parenthetical commas should maintain the grammar of the sentence and be 'readable'.