Mixing
How to improve scientific writing skills?
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP
up vote
17
down vote
favorite
What do you do to write better proposal, grants, and papers?
Do you think reading books about how to write scientific content is a good way to improve it?
publications writing writing-style science
asked yesterday
0x90
6141515
add a comment |Â
up vote
17
down vote
favorite
What do you do to write better proposal, grants, and papers?
Do you think reading books about how to write scientific content is a good way to improve it?
publications writing writing-style science
asked yesterday
0x90
6141515
5
Read relevant, well-written material (and lots of it) to improve your vocabulary and the recognition of “good†structure.
– Solar Mike
yesterday
1
For a bit of help with common phrases have a look at phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk. It is not much, but sometimes it can help you to build a nicer sentence.
– allo
19 hours ago
4
"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better." — Samuel Beckett
– JeffE
10 hours ago
@SolarMike: But how would OP know what's well-written, as opposed to merely being passably-written?
– einpoklum
9 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
17
down vote
favorite
up vote
17
down vote
favorite
What do you do to write better proposal, grants, and papers?
Do you think reading books about how to write scientific content is a good way to improve it?
publications writing writing-style science
asked yesterday
0x90
6141515
What do you do to write better proposal, grants, and papers?
Do you think reading books about how to write scientific content is a good way to improve it?
publications writing writing-style science
publications writing writing-style science
asked yesterday
0x90
6141515
asked yesterday
0x90
6141515
edited 8 mins ago
asked yesterday
0x90
6141515
asked yesterday
0x90
6141515
asked yesterday
0x90
6141515
6141515
5
Read relevant, well-written material (and lots of it) to improve your vocabulary and the recognition of “good†structure.
– Solar Mike
yesterday
1
For a bit of help with common phrases have a look at phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk. It is not much, but sometimes it can help you to build a nicer sentence.
– allo
19 hours ago
4
"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better." — Samuel Beckett
– JeffE
10 hours ago
@SolarMike: But how would OP know what's well-written, as opposed to merely being passably-written?
– einpoklum
9 hours ago
add a comment |Â
5
Read relevant, well-written material (and lots of it) to improve your vocabulary and the recognition of “good†structure.
– Solar Mike
yesterday
1
For a bit of help with common phrases have a look at phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk. It is not much, but sometimes it can help you to build a nicer sentence.
– allo
19 hours ago
4
"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better." — Samuel Beckett
– JeffE
10 hours ago
@SolarMike: But how would OP know what's well-written, as opposed to merely being passably-written?
– einpoklum
9 hours ago
5
5
Read relevant, well-written material (and lots of it) to improve your vocabulary and the recognition of “good†structure.
– Solar Mike
yesterday
Read relevant, well-written material (and lots of it) to improve your vocabulary and the recognition of “good†structure.
– Solar Mike
yesterday
1
1
For a bit of help with common phrases have a look at phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk. It is not much, but sometimes it can help you to build a nicer sentence.
– allo
19 hours ago
For a bit of help with common phrases have a look at phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk. It is not much, but sometimes it can help you to build a nicer sentence.
– allo
19 hours ago
4
4
"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better." — Samuel Beckett
– JeffE
10 hours ago
"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better." — Samuel Beckett
– JeffE
10 hours ago
@SolarMike: But how would OP know what's well-written, as opposed to merely being passably-written?
– einpoklum
9 hours ago
@SolarMike: But how would OP know what's well-written, as opposed to merely being passably-written?
– einpoklum
9 hours ago
add a comment |Â
5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
up vote
17
down vote
The way to learn to write is, simply, to write.
But then get feedback on your writing and re-write in light of the feedback.
The Software Patterns community has a process called Writer's Workshops that are quite detailed. When you submit a paper to a patterns conference you are assigned a Shepherd who is an experienced pattern writer, usually with knowledge of your field. The shepherd works with you (the "sheep") to improve the paper over three or four iterations of feedback-rewrite.
After shepherding your paper may be accepted to the conference, though not for presentation in the traditional sense. The conference consists of a set of writer's workshops in which a few (8-10) authors each have their papers discussed by the other participants while they listen and take notes. The author has a very small part in the workshop other than to think about what others suggest about how the paper can be improved.
After the workshop the author can ask questions, but never gets to "defend" the work. The idea is that if others misunderstand you then it is your job, not theirs, to fix it.
The paper is then revised one more time and it is this version that makes it in to the proceedings. The whole idea is to improve the print version, not present a version prepared without help.
The patterns community is pretty close knit because of this working together to improve one-another's work.
This process was brought to the software development community by Richard P Gabriel who is both a geek (Lisp et al.) and a poet. The same process is used by poets, in fact and is quite old. RPG has written a book on the process: Writers' Workshops & the Work of Making Things
If you don't have the patterns community behind you, or if you aren't writing patterns, it is relatively easy to set up a local writers workshop and follow the process. You can do this for any sort of writing as long as you have some people with domain knowledge and some writing experience.
answered yesterday
Buffy
18.8k560103
add a comment |Â
up vote
10
down vote
There are many ways that one can improve their scientific writing skills. Because humans learn in diverse ways, I do not know if there is one be-all-end-all solution for how to improve one's writing skills.
Two main methods that I have used (and still use) are (1) attending grant writing workshops, and (2) reading other published papers in my field and emulating their overall style. I am someone who learns by seeing and copying.
Some items to note:
- Quality scientific writing is rarely achieved by complexity of word choice and sentence structure. In fact, sometimes the best scientific writing is achieved by relative simplicity and clarity. You are not trying to wow people with your prose and poetic presentation.
- Quality scientific writing often has just as much to do with how you present something as it does with what you say. Observing required formats for the venue you are trying to publish in is rather critical. I once worked with a collaborator who routinely ignored our target journals' "Instructions for Authors." This made it very hard to produce quality writing with him because I was repeatedly having to parse down what he was saying into actual defined sections. Much of his writing was well done from a pure "English" standpoint; he just had no concept of venue specific format.
- Quality scientific writing is an art that is never completely learned.
answered yesterday
Vladhagen
4,14211737
Regarding the "instruction to authors" of journals. Usually you write the paper without knowing which journal it's really going to. Isn't it right?
– 0x90
yesterday
2
I would add: apart from basics such as grammar and good writing practices, see Chicago Manual of Style, one needs clarity. The best writers in my opinion have the ability to simplify complex concept into something simple or at the very least, break it down into manageable chunks. They tend to distil tonnes of info into a few key ideas/concepts. So the problem is not really about writing, but how to think.
– Prof. Santa Claus
yesterday
1
@0x90 Yes and no. I usually had a specific journal in mind, then adapted as necessary. You don't write a 39 page paper when targeting a journal that usually publishes short papers. And most papers will have a general outline of Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusion.
– Vladhagen
yesterday
When emulating the style of published papers, you should take care only to emulate the good ones. There's a lot of bad writing in academic journals. One of my least favorite parts of my job is deprogramming postdocs who spent their graduate schooling soaking up bad habits from poorly written journal articles.
– RPL
17 hours ago
@0x90 - I always knew which journal the paper was going to be submitted to, and why I chose that one. And I worked very hard to write it very clearly (word by word, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph, then back and do it again). And I never had a paper rejected.
– Jon Custer
10 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
Two ideas for you:
A writing skills course
Many, if not most, universities offer scientific writing courses for graduate students. If you're a graduate student - take such a course. If you're a post-doc or even a tenure-tracker - don't be ashamed; go attend one (not for credit).
Language editing
Ask your advisor, if you're a grad student, or a colleague you're close to and whose writing skills you appreciate, to help you by performing a language-editing pass on what you're writing. If it's too much to ask or if you haven't someone to ask - try finding someone to do this for pay; it is not uncommon.
answered 22 hours ago
einpoklum
20.7k132118
Aren't there courses like that online?
– 0x90
22 hours ago
@0x90: Perhaps, but most univesities do not have these online.
– einpoklum
20 hours ago
Providing writing feedback to others isn't just a quid pro quo -- in reading other people's work critically you improve your own writing. This is particularly helpful as a postdoc looking over PhD students' work
– Chris H
15 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
A very specific answer:
There's an (originally) online course from Stanford called "Writing in the Sciences" that became very popular. While you might not agree with everything she teaches/suggests, I think it is a very good course.
It's now all on YouTube.
answered 19 hours ago
elisa
8101612
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
Yes to books. I recommend Writing Science in Plain English by Anne E. Greene, which includes helpful exercises. Other books from the University of Chicago include The Chicago Guide to Communicating Science and The Chicago Guide to Writing about Numbers.
answered 4 hours ago
scenography
111
New contributor
scenography is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |Â
5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
17
down vote
The way to learn to write is, simply, to write.
But then get feedback on your writing and re-write in light of the feedback.
The Software Patterns community has a process called Writer's Workshops that are quite detailed. When you submit a paper to a patterns conference you are assigned a Shepherd who is an experienced pattern writer, usually with knowledge of your field. The shepherd works with you (the "sheep") to improve the paper over three or four iterations of feedback-rewrite.
After shepherding your paper may be accepted to the conference, though not for presentation in the traditional sense. The conference consists of a set of writer's workshops in which a few (8-10) authors each have their papers discussed by the other participants while they listen and take notes. The author has a very small part in the workshop other than to think about what others suggest about how the paper can be improved.
After the workshop the author can ask questions, but never gets to "defend" the work. The idea is that if others misunderstand you then it is your job, not theirs, to fix it.
The paper is then revised one more time and it is this version that makes it in to the proceedings. The whole idea is to improve the print version, not present a version prepared without help.
The patterns community is pretty close knit because of this working together to improve one-another's work.
This process was brought to the software development community by Richard P Gabriel who is both a geek (Lisp et al.) and a poet. The same process is used by poets, in fact and is quite old. RPG has written a book on the process: Writers' Workshops & the Work of Making Things
If you don't have the patterns community behind you, or if you aren't writing patterns, it is relatively easy to set up a local writers workshop and follow the process. You can do this for any sort of writing as long as you have some people with domain knowledge and some writing experience.
answered yesterday
Buffy
18.8k560103
add a comment |Â
up vote
17
down vote
The way to learn to write is, simply, to write.
But then get feedback on your writing and re-write in light of the feedback.
The Software Patterns community has a process called Writer's Workshops that are quite detailed. When you submit a paper to a patterns conference you are assigned a Shepherd who is an experienced pattern writer, usually with knowledge of your field. The shepherd works with you (the "sheep") to improve the paper over three or four iterations of feedback-rewrite.
After shepherding your paper may be accepted to the conference, though not for presentation in the traditional sense. The conference consists of a set of writer's workshops in which a few (8-10) authors each have their papers discussed by the other participants while they listen and take notes. The author has a very small part in the workshop other than to think about what others suggest about how the paper can be improved.
After the workshop the author can ask questions, but never gets to "defend" the work. The idea is that if others misunderstand you then it is your job, not theirs, to fix it.
The paper is then revised one more time and it is this version that makes it in to the proceedings. The whole idea is to improve the print version, not present a version prepared without help.
The patterns community is pretty close knit because of this working together to improve one-another's work.
This process was brought to the software development community by Richard P Gabriel who is both a geek (Lisp et al.) and a poet. The same process is used by poets, in fact and is quite old. RPG has written a book on the process: Writers' Workshops & the Work of Making Things
If you don't have the patterns community behind you, or if you aren't writing patterns, it is relatively easy to set up a local writers workshop and follow the process. You can do this for any sort of writing as long as you have some people with domain knowledge and some writing experience.
answered yesterday
Buffy
18.8k560103
add a comment |Â
up vote
17
down vote
up vote
17
down vote
The way to learn to write is, simply, to write.
But then get feedback on your writing and re-write in light of the feedback.
The Software Patterns community has a process called Writer's Workshops that are quite detailed. When you submit a paper to a patterns conference you are assigned a Shepherd who is an experienced pattern writer, usually with knowledge of your field. The shepherd works with you (the "sheep") to improve the paper over three or four iterations of feedback-rewrite.
After shepherding your paper may be accepted to the conference, though not for presentation in the traditional sense. The conference consists of a set of writer's workshops in which a few (8-10) authors each have their papers discussed by the other participants while they listen and take notes. The author has a very small part in the workshop other than to think about what others suggest about how the paper can be improved.
After the workshop the author can ask questions, but never gets to "defend" the work. The idea is that if others misunderstand you then it is your job, not theirs, to fix it.
The paper is then revised one more time and it is this version that makes it in to the proceedings. The whole idea is to improve the print version, not present a version prepared without help.
The patterns community is pretty close knit because of this working together to improve one-another's work.
This process was brought to the software development community by Richard P Gabriel who is both a geek (Lisp et al.) and a poet. The same process is used by poets, in fact and is quite old. RPG has written a book on the process: Writers' Workshops & the Work of Making Things
If you don't have the patterns community behind you, or if you aren't writing patterns, it is relatively easy to set up a local writers workshop and follow the process. You can do this for any sort of writing as long as you have some people with domain knowledge and some writing experience.
answered yesterday
Buffy
18.8k560103
The way to learn to write is, simply, to write.
But then get feedback on your writing and re-write in light of the feedback.
The Software Patterns community has a process called Writer's Workshops that are quite detailed. When you submit a paper to a patterns conference you are assigned a Shepherd who is an experienced pattern writer, usually with knowledge of your field. The shepherd works with you (the "sheep") to improve the paper over three or four iterations of feedback-rewrite.
After shepherding your paper may be accepted to the conference, though not for presentation in the traditional sense. The conference consists of a set of writer's workshops in which a few (8-10) authors each have their papers discussed by the other participants while they listen and take notes. The author has a very small part in the workshop other than to think about what others suggest about how the paper can be improved.
After the workshop the author can ask questions, but never gets to "defend" the work. The idea is that if others misunderstand you then it is your job, not theirs, to fix it.
The paper is then revised one more time and it is this version that makes it in to the proceedings. The whole idea is to improve the print version, not present a version prepared without help.
The patterns community is pretty close knit because of this working together to improve one-another's work.
This process was brought to the software development community by Richard P Gabriel who is both a geek (Lisp et al.) and a poet. The same process is used by poets, in fact and is quite old. RPG has written a book on the process: Writers' Workshops & the Work of Making Things
If you don't have the patterns community behind you, or if you aren't writing patterns, it is relatively easy to set up a local writers workshop and follow the process. You can do this for any sort of writing as long as you have some people with domain knowledge and some writing experience.
answered yesterday
Buffy
18.8k560103
answered yesterday
Buffy
18.8k560103
answered yesterday
Buffy
18.8k560103
answered yesterday
Buffy
18.8k560103
18.8k560103
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
10
down vote
There are many ways that one can improve their scientific writing skills. Because humans learn in diverse ways, I do not know if there is one be-all-end-all solution for how to improve one's writing skills.
Two main methods that I have used (and still use) are (1) attending grant writing workshops, and (2) reading other published papers in my field and emulating their overall style. I am someone who learns by seeing and copying.
Some items to note:
- Quality scientific writing is rarely achieved by complexity of word choice and sentence structure. In fact, sometimes the best scientific writing is achieved by relative simplicity and clarity. You are not trying to wow people with your prose and poetic presentation.
- Quality scientific writing often has just as much to do with how you present something as it does with what you say. Observing required formats for the venue you are trying to publish in is rather critical. I once worked with a collaborator who routinely ignored our target journals' "Instructions for Authors." This made it very hard to produce quality writing with him because I was repeatedly having to parse down what he was saying into actual defined sections. Much of his writing was well done from a pure "English" standpoint; he just had no concept of venue specific format.
- Quality scientific writing is an art that is never completely learned.
answered yesterday
Vladhagen
4,14211737
Regarding the "instruction to authors" of journals. Usually you write the paper without knowing which journal it's really going to. Isn't it right?
– 0x90
yesterday
2
I would add: apart from basics such as grammar and good writing practices, see Chicago Manual of Style, one needs clarity. The best writers in my opinion have the ability to simplify complex concept into something simple or at the very least, break it down into manageable chunks. They tend to distil tonnes of info into a few key ideas/concepts. So the problem is not really about writing, but how to think.
– Prof. Santa Claus
yesterday
1
@0x90 Yes and no. I usually had a specific journal in mind, then adapted as necessary. You don't write a 39 page paper when targeting a journal that usually publishes short papers. And most papers will have a general outline of Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusion.
– Vladhagen
yesterday
When emulating the style of published papers, you should take care only to emulate the good ones. There's a lot of bad writing in academic journals. One of my least favorite parts of my job is deprogramming postdocs who spent their graduate schooling soaking up bad habits from poorly written journal articles.
– RPL
17 hours ago
@0x90 - I always knew which journal the paper was going to be submitted to, and why I chose that one. And I worked very hard to write it very clearly (word by word, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph, then back and do it again). And I never had a paper rejected.
– Jon Custer
10 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
10
down vote
There are many ways that one can improve their scientific writing skills. Because humans learn in diverse ways, I do not know if there is one be-all-end-all solution for how to improve one's writing skills.
Two main methods that I have used (and still use) are (1) attending grant writing workshops, and (2) reading other published papers in my field and emulating their overall style. I am someone who learns by seeing and copying.
Some items to note:
- Quality scientific writing is rarely achieved by complexity of word choice and sentence structure. In fact, sometimes the best scientific writing is achieved by relative simplicity and clarity. You are not trying to wow people with your prose and poetic presentation.
- Quality scientific writing often has just as much to do with how you present something as it does with what you say. Observing required formats for the venue you are trying to publish in is rather critical. I once worked with a collaborator who routinely ignored our target journals' "Instructions for Authors." This made it very hard to produce quality writing with him because I was repeatedly having to parse down what he was saying into actual defined sections. Much of his writing was well done from a pure "English" standpoint; he just had no concept of venue specific format.
- Quality scientific writing is an art that is never completely learned.
answered yesterday
Vladhagen
4,14211737
Regarding the "instruction to authors" of journals. Usually you write the paper without knowing which journal it's really going to. Isn't it right?
– 0x90
yesterday
2
I would add: apart from basics such as grammar and good writing practices, see Chicago Manual of Style, one needs clarity. The best writers in my opinion have the ability to simplify complex concept into something simple or at the very least, break it down into manageable chunks. They tend to distil tonnes of info into a few key ideas/concepts. So the problem is not really about writing, but how to think.
– Prof. Santa Claus
yesterday
1
@0x90 Yes and no. I usually had a specific journal in mind, then adapted as necessary. You don't write a 39 page paper when targeting a journal that usually publishes short papers. And most papers will have a general outline of Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusion.
– Vladhagen
yesterday
When emulating the style of published papers, you should take care only to emulate the good ones. There's a lot of bad writing in academic journals. One of my least favorite parts of my job is deprogramming postdocs who spent their graduate schooling soaking up bad habits from poorly written journal articles.
– RPL
17 hours ago
@0x90 - I always knew which journal the paper was going to be submitted to, and why I chose that one. And I worked very hard to write it very clearly (word by word, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph, then back and do it again). And I never had a paper rejected.
– Jon Custer
10 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
10
down vote
up vote
10
down vote
There are many ways that one can improve their scientific writing skills. Because humans learn in diverse ways, I do not know if there is one be-all-end-all solution for how to improve one's writing skills.
Two main methods that I have used (and still use) are (1) attending grant writing workshops, and (2) reading other published papers in my field and emulating their overall style. I am someone who learns by seeing and copying.
Some items to note:
- Quality scientific writing is rarely achieved by complexity of word choice and sentence structure. In fact, sometimes the best scientific writing is achieved by relative simplicity and clarity. You are not trying to wow people with your prose and poetic presentation.
- Quality scientific writing often has just as much to do with how you present something as it does with what you say. Observing required formats for the venue you are trying to publish in is rather critical. I once worked with a collaborator who routinely ignored our target journals' "Instructions for Authors." This made it very hard to produce quality writing with him because I was repeatedly having to parse down what he was saying into actual defined sections. Much of his writing was well done from a pure "English" standpoint; he just had no concept of venue specific format.
- Quality scientific writing is an art that is never completely learned.
answered yesterday
Vladhagen
4,14211737
There are many ways that one can improve their scientific writing skills. Because humans learn in diverse ways, I do not know if there is one be-all-end-all solution for how to improve one's writing skills.
Two main methods that I have used (and still use) are (1) attending grant writing workshops, and (2) reading other published papers in my field and emulating their overall style. I am someone who learns by seeing and copying.
Some items to note:
- Quality scientific writing is rarely achieved by complexity of word choice and sentence structure. In fact, sometimes the best scientific writing is achieved by relative simplicity and clarity. You are not trying to wow people with your prose and poetic presentation.
- Quality scientific writing often has just as much to do with how you present something as it does with what you say. Observing required formats for the venue you are trying to publish in is rather critical. I once worked with a collaborator who routinely ignored our target journals' "Instructions for Authors." This made it very hard to produce quality writing with him because I was repeatedly having to parse down what he was saying into actual defined sections. Much of his writing was well done from a pure "English" standpoint; he just had no concept of venue specific format.
- Quality scientific writing is an art that is never completely learned.
answered yesterday
Vladhagen
4,14211737
edited yesterday
answered yesterday
Vladhagen
4,14211737
answered yesterday
Vladhagen
4,14211737
answered yesterday
Vladhagen
4,14211737
4,14211737
Regarding the "instruction to authors" of journals. Usually you write the paper without knowing which journal it's really going to. Isn't it right?
– 0x90
yesterday
2
I would add: apart from basics such as grammar and good writing practices, see Chicago Manual of Style, one needs clarity. The best writers in my opinion have the ability to simplify complex concept into something simple or at the very least, break it down into manageable chunks. They tend to distil tonnes of info into a few key ideas/concepts. So the problem is not really about writing, but how to think.
– Prof. Santa Claus
yesterday
1
@0x90 Yes and no. I usually had a specific journal in mind, then adapted as necessary. You don't write a 39 page paper when targeting a journal that usually publishes short papers. And most papers will have a general outline of Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusion.
– Vladhagen
yesterday
When emulating the style of published papers, you should take care only to emulate the good ones. There's a lot of bad writing in academic journals. One of my least favorite parts of my job is deprogramming postdocs who spent their graduate schooling soaking up bad habits from poorly written journal articles.
– RPL
17 hours ago
@0x90 - I always knew which journal the paper was going to be submitted to, and why I chose that one. And I worked very hard to write it very clearly (word by word, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph, then back and do it again). And I never had a paper rejected.
– Jon Custer
10 hours ago
add a comment |Â
Regarding the "instruction to authors" of journals. Usually you write the paper without knowing which journal it's really going to. Isn't it right?
– 0x90
yesterday
2
I would add: apart from basics such as grammar and good writing practices, see Chicago Manual of Style, one needs clarity. The best writers in my opinion have the ability to simplify complex concept into something simple or at the very least, break it down into manageable chunks. They tend to distil tonnes of info into a few key ideas/concepts. So the problem is not really about writing, but how to think.
– Prof. Santa Claus
yesterday
1
@0x90 Yes and no. I usually had a specific journal in mind, then adapted as necessary. You don't write a 39 page paper when targeting a journal that usually publishes short papers. And most papers will have a general outline of Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusion.
– Vladhagen
yesterday
When emulating the style of published papers, you should take care only to emulate the good ones. There's a lot of bad writing in academic journals. One of my least favorite parts of my job is deprogramming postdocs who spent their graduate schooling soaking up bad habits from poorly written journal articles.
– RPL
17 hours ago
@0x90 - I always knew which journal the paper was going to be submitted to, and why I chose that one. And I worked very hard to write it very clearly (word by word, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph, then back and do it again). And I never had a paper rejected.
– Jon Custer
10 hours ago
Regarding the "instruction to authors" of journals. Usually you write the paper without knowing which journal it's really going to. Isn't it right?
– 0x90
yesterday
Regarding the "instruction to authors" of journals. Usually you write the paper without knowing which journal it's really going to. Isn't it right?
– 0x90
yesterday
2
2
I would add: apart from basics such as grammar and good writing practices, see Chicago Manual of Style, one needs clarity. The best writers in my opinion have the ability to simplify complex concept into something simple or at the very least, break it down into manageable chunks. They tend to distil tonnes of info into a few key ideas/concepts. So the problem is not really about writing, but how to think.
– Prof. Santa Claus
yesterday
I would add: apart from basics such as grammar and good writing practices, see Chicago Manual of Style, one needs clarity. The best writers in my opinion have the ability to simplify complex concept into something simple or at the very least, break it down into manageable chunks. They tend to distil tonnes of info into a few key ideas/concepts. So the problem is not really about writing, but how to think.
– Prof. Santa Claus
yesterday
1
1
@0x90 Yes and no. I usually had a specific journal in mind, then adapted as necessary. You don't write a 39 page paper when targeting a journal that usually publishes short papers. And most papers will have a general outline of Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusion.
– Vladhagen
yesterday
@0x90 Yes and no. I usually had a specific journal in mind, then adapted as necessary. You don't write a 39 page paper when targeting a journal that usually publishes short papers. And most papers will have a general outline of Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusion.
– Vladhagen
yesterday
When emulating the style of published papers, you should take care only to emulate the good ones. There's a lot of bad writing in academic journals. One of my least favorite parts of my job is deprogramming postdocs who spent their graduate schooling soaking up bad habits from poorly written journal articles.
– RPL
17 hours ago
When emulating the style of published papers, you should take care only to emulate the good ones. There's a lot of bad writing in academic journals. One of my least favorite parts of my job is deprogramming postdocs who spent their graduate schooling soaking up bad habits from poorly written journal articles.
– RPL
17 hours ago
@0x90 - I always knew which journal the paper was going to be submitted to, and why I chose that one. And I worked very hard to write it very clearly (word by word, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph, then back and do it again). And I never had a paper rejected.
– Jon Custer
10 hours ago
@0x90 - I always knew which journal the paper was going to be submitted to, and why I chose that one. And I worked very hard to write it very clearly (word by word, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph, then back and do it again). And I never had a paper rejected.
– Jon Custer
10 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
Two ideas for you:
A writing skills course
Many, if not most, universities offer scientific writing courses for graduate students. If you're a graduate student - take such a course. If you're a post-doc or even a tenure-tracker - don't be ashamed; go attend one (not for credit).
Language editing
Ask your advisor, if you're a grad student, or a colleague you're close to and whose writing skills you appreciate, to help you by performing a language-editing pass on what you're writing. If it's too much to ask or if you haven't someone to ask - try finding someone to do this for pay; it is not uncommon.
answered 22 hours ago
einpoklum
20.7k132118
Aren't there courses like that online?
– 0x90
22 hours ago
@0x90: Perhaps, but most univesities do not have these online.
– einpoklum
20 hours ago
Providing writing feedback to others isn't just a quid pro quo -- in reading other people's work critically you improve your own writing. This is particularly helpful as a postdoc looking over PhD students' work
– Chris H
15 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
Two ideas for you:
A writing skills course
Many, if not most, universities offer scientific writing courses for graduate students. If you're a graduate student - take such a course. If you're a post-doc or even a tenure-tracker - don't be ashamed; go attend one (not for credit).
Language editing
Ask your advisor, if you're a grad student, or a colleague you're close to and whose writing skills you appreciate, to help you by performing a language-editing pass on what you're writing. If it's too much to ask or if you haven't someone to ask - try finding someone to do this for pay; it is not uncommon.
answered 22 hours ago
einpoklum
20.7k132118
Aren't there courses like that online?
– 0x90
22 hours ago
@0x90: Perhaps, but most univesities do not have these online.
– einpoklum
20 hours ago
Providing writing feedback to others isn't just a quid pro quo -- in reading other people's work critically you improve your own writing. This is particularly helpful as a postdoc looking over PhD students' work
– Chris H
15 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
up vote
5
down vote
Two ideas for you:
A writing skills course
Many, if not most, universities offer scientific writing courses for graduate students. If you're a graduate student - take such a course. If you're a post-doc or even a tenure-tracker - don't be ashamed; go attend one (not for credit).
Language editing
Ask your advisor, if you're a grad student, or a colleague you're close to and whose writing skills you appreciate, to help you by performing a language-editing pass on what you're writing. If it's too much to ask or if you haven't someone to ask - try finding someone to do this for pay; it is not uncommon.
answered 22 hours ago
einpoklum
20.7k132118
Two ideas for you:
A writing skills course
Many, if not most, universities offer scientific writing courses for graduate students. If you're a graduate student - take such a course. If you're a post-doc or even a tenure-tracker - don't be ashamed; go attend one (not for credit).
Language editing
Ask your advisor, if you're a grad student, or a colleague you're close to and whose writing skills you appreciate, to help you by performing a language-editing pass on what you're writing. If it's too much to ask or if you haven't someone to ask - try finding someone to do this for pay; it is not uncommon.
answered 22 hours ago
einpoklum
20.7k132118
answered 22 hours ago
einpoklum
20.7k132118
answered 22 hours ago
einpoklum
20.7k132118
answered 22 hours ago
einpoklum
20.7k132118
20.7k132118
Aren't there courses like that online?
– 0x90
22 hours ago
@0x90: Perhaps, but most univesities do not have these online.
– einpoklum
20 hours ago
Providing writing feedback to others isn't just a quid pro quo -- in reading other people's work critically you improve your own writing. This is particularly helpful as a postdoc looking over PhD students' work
– Chris H
15 hours ago
add a comment |Â
Aren't there courses like that online?
– 0x90
22 hours ago
@0x90: Perhaps, but most univesities do not have these online.
– einpoklum
20 hours ago
Providing writing feedback to others isn't just a quid pro quo -- in reading other people's work critically you improve your own writing. This is particularly helpful as a postdoc looking over PhD students' work
– Chris H
15 hours ago
Aren't there courses like that online?
– 0x90
22 hours ago
Aren't there courses like that online?
– 0x90
22 hours ago
@0x90: Perhaps, but most univesities do not have these online.
– einpoklum
20 hours ago
@0x90: Perhaps, but most univesities do not have these online.
– einpoklum
20 hours ago
Providing writing feedback to others isn't just a quid pro quo -- in reading other people's work critically you improve your own writing. This is particularly helpful as a postdoc looking over PhD students' work
– Chris H
15 hours ago
Providing writing feedback to others isn't just a quid pro quo -- in reading other people's work critically you improve your own writing. This is particularly helpful as a postdoc looking over PhD students' work
– Chris H
15 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
A very specific answer:
There's an (originally) online course from Stanford called "Writing in the Sciences" that became very popular. While you might not agree with everything she teaches/suggests, I think it is a very good course.
It's now all on YouTube.
answered 19 hours ago
elisa
8101612
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
A very specific answer:
There's an (originally) online course from Stanford called "Writing in the Sciences" that became very popular. While you might not agree with everything she teaches/suggests, I think it is a very good course.
It's now all on YouTube.
answered 19 hours ago
elisa
8101612
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
up vote
5
down vote
A very specific answer:
There's an (originally) online course from Stanford called "Writing in the Sciences" that became very popular. While you might not agree with everything she teaches/suggests, I think it is a very good course.
It's now all on YouTube.
answered 19 hours ago
elisa
8101612
A very specific answer:
There's an (originally) online course from Stanford called "Writing in the Sciences" that became very popular. While you might not agree with everything she teaches/suggests, I think it is a very good course.
It's now all on YouTube.
answered 19 hours ago
elisa
8101612
answered 19 hours ago
elisa
8101612
answered 19 hours ago
elisa
8101612
answered 19 hours ago
elisa
8101612
8101612
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
Yes to books. I recommend Writing Science in Plain English by Anne E. Greene, which includes helpful exercises. Other books from the University of Chicago include The Chicago Guide to Communicating Science and The Chicago Guide to Writing about Numbers.
answered 4 hours ago
scenography
111
New contributor
scenography is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
Yes to books. I recommend Writing Science in Plain English by Anne E. Greene, which includes helpful exercises. Other books from the University of Chicago include The Chicago Guide to Communicating Science and The Chicago Guide to Writing about Numbers.
answered 4 hours ago
scenography
111
New contributor
scenography is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
Yes to books. I recommend Writing Science in Plain English by Anne E. Greene, which includes helpful exercises. Other books from the University of Chicago include The Chicago Guide to Communicating Science and The Chicago Guide to Writing about Numbers.
answered 4 hours ago
scenography
111
New contributor
scenography is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Yes to books. I recommend Writing Science in Plain English by Anne E. Greene, which includes helpful exercises. Other books from the University of Chicago include The Chicago Guide to Communicating Science and The Chicago Guide to Writing about Numbers.
answered 4 hours ago
scenography
111
New contributor
scenography is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 4 hours ago
scenography
111
New contributor
scenography is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 4 hours ago
scenography
111
answered 4 hours ago
scenography
111
111
New contributor
scenography is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
scenography is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
scenography is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2facademia.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f117413%2fhow-to-improve-scientific-writing-skills%23new-answer', 'question_page');
);
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
5
Read relevant, well-written material (and lots of it) to improve your vocabulary and the recognition of “good†structure.
– Solar Mike
yesterday
1
For a bit of help with common phrases have a look at phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk. It is not much, but sometimes it can help you to build a nicer sentence.
– allo
19 hours ago
4
"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better." — Samuel Beckett
– JeffE
10 hours ago
@SolarMike: But how would OP know what's well-written, as opposed to merely being passably-written?
– einpoklum
9 hours ago