E-Book Overview
This exceptional book encompasses the entire range of writing skills that today’s experimental scientist may need to employ. Detailed chapters cover every type of science writing, from routine forms, such as laboratory notes, abstracts, and memoranda, to the more complex writing required in dissertations, journal articles, and grant proposals. Using numerous extended examples, the book offers students and professionals alike the thorough, practical advice they need to optimize the effectiveness of their written communications. Robert Goldbort discusses how best to approach various writing tasks as well as how to deal with the everyday complexities that may get in the way of ideal practice difficult collaborators, experiments gone wrong, funding rejections. He underscores the importance of an ethical approach to science and scientific communication and insists on the necessity of full disclosure. For working scientists, those seeking employment in the sciences, students taking on writing assignments or oral presentations, and professionals who hope to publish or acquire funding, this volume is an essential resource.
E-Book Content
WRITING FOR SCIENCE Writing FOR SCIENCE Robert Goldbort Yale University Press New Haven & London Copyright © 2006 by Yale University. All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, including illustrations, in any form (beyond that copying permitted by Sections 107 and 108 of the US Copyright Law and except by reviewers for the public press), without written permission from the publishers. Designed by Nancy Ovedovitz and set in Times Roman type by The Composing Room of Michigan, Inc. Printed in the United States of America by Vail-Ballou Press, Binghamton, New York. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Writing for science / Robert Goldbort, 1949– p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-300-11551-2 (cloth : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 0-300-11551-2 (cloth : alk. paper) ISBN-13: 978-0-300-11793-6 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 0-300-11793-0 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Technical writing. 2. Communication in science. I. Title. T11.G626 2006 808 .0665—dc22 2006012742 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 To Joanne and to our treasures Raechel, Jonathan, Julia, Sarah CO N T E N TS Preface, xi 1 SCIENTIFIC ENGLISH 1 Language as a Tool of Science, 1 Scientific English, 3 The Communication Range of The Legacy of Scientifically Plain English, 7 The Human Dimension of Scientific English, 11 in Action, 16 Objectivity and Precision, 18 Simplicity and Conciseness, 38 Punctuation, 51 Scientific English Clarity and Coherence, 31 Misused Words and Phrases, 43 Scientific English as a Dynamic Instrument, 52 2 LABORATORY NOTES 56 Purpose of Laboratory Notes, 56 Educational Settings, 57 Notes, 58 Legal and Ethical Responsibility in Laboratory Permanence of Notebooks and Notes, 60 Organization and Entries, 61 Reports, 76 Notebooks in the Workplace and Notebook Electronic Note Taking, 75 Laboratory From Laboratory Records to Other Communications, 79 Contents 3 WORKPLACE SCIENTIFIC WRITING: LETTERS, MEMORANDA, AND ABSTRACTS 81 The Roles of Workplace Scientific Writing, 81 Job Application Letters and Résumés, 83 Inquiry Letters, 90 Research Abstracts, 98 Technical Memor