The Craft of Scientific Writing

Description

Written by Michael Alley who has degrees in applied physics, engineering, and fiction writing, this book provides a unique perspective on scientific writing. Perhaps what most distinguishes this book are the scores of examples that Alley uses to illustrate important principles. Alley has taught scientific writing on four continents, in sixteen countries, and at more than 150 companies, laboratories, universities, and agencies. This advice in this book benefits from that experience. If you are looking for a recipe on how to communicate your scientific work, look elsewhere. This book captures many of he nuances that distinguish the best best scientific writing. Preface Acknowledgments Contents Introduction Bookmarks from [email protected] 1 Analyzing the Audience, Purpose, and Occasion Analyze who your audience is, why they are reading, and what they know Analyze how much persuasion your document requires Account for the document’s occasion: the form, formality, and politics References Bookmarks from [email protected] 2 Balancing Precision with Clarity Choose the right word Avoid needless complexity Balance precision and clarity in illustrations References Bookmarks from [email protected] 3 Avoiding Ambiguity Avoid words with multiple interpretations Consider the ordering of words, especially the word only Be selective with it and avoid the standalone this Insert commas after introductory phrases and clauses References Bookmarks from [email protected] 4 Sustaining Energy Select energetic verbs Rely on concrete nouns Be concise References Bookmarks from [email protected] 5 Connecting Your Ideas Begin each new sentence in a way that connects with the one before Integrate equations into paragraphs Connect illustrations with the text References Bookmarks from [email protected] 6 Beginning with the Familiar Select a first sentence that not only orients, but also takes a significant step Map sections in which readers could become lost If you cannot avoid an unfamiliar term, then define it Anchor illustrations in the familiar References Bookmarks from [email protected] 7 Organizing the Content for the Audience A title specifies the scope of the work The introduction prepares readers for the middle The middle presents the work in a logical and persuasive fashion The conclusion summarizes the middle and provides a future perspective References Bookmarks from [email protected] 8 Providing Proper Emphasis Emphasize details with wording Emphasize details with repetition Emphasize details with placement Move larger blocks of secondary information into appendices References Bookmarks from [email protected] 9 Adapting Your Style to Emails, Instructions, and Proposals An effective email is a balance between I and you Instructions rely on numbered lists A proposal is an argument for how to solve a problem References Bookmarks from [email protected] 10 Using Your Writing Time Efficiently Preparation puts you into a position to succeed For long documents, draft at least one page a day Revising allows writers who struggle to create documents that excel Finishing focuses on correcting, not on improving References Bookmarks from bbm_978-1-4419-8288-9%2F1.pdf Conclusion Grammar:Recognizing Whata Sentence Isand Is Not Punctuation: HelpingReaders NavigateYour Sentences Usage: AvoidingEgregious Errors Format: DressingDocumentsfor Success Glossary Index