Dr Helena Ward: Why scientists write!

Helena writes as an academic with a strong publication list. See her home page.

I found this quote a couple of years ago and I think it neatly summarises the importance of communication skills for scientists: “Science exists because scientists are writers and speakers” (Montgomery, 2003, The Chicago Guide to Communicating Science, University of Chicago Press, Chicago).

Science is not only about doing science, the practical aspects of research and experimentation, but also the communication of the process, the results and perhaps most importantly the failures. Scientists create and share knowledge and so need to develop the skills to reach the various audiences who will read their work. This can be a challenge as the use of specialised, technical language can act as a barrier to clear, concise communication.

One of the most important considerations is the audience: who is going to read your work?
There are a number of forms of scientific writing and the style and format you use will vary, depending on who is going to read the final product.

Practical Reports, which summarise scientific experiments, often have the general format of Introduction, Method, Results and Discussion. This provides a framework which follows the various stages of the scientific method and also reflects the format required by many scientific journals. Such reports are usually written in the “passive” voice, e.g. the bacteria were centrifuged, rather than the “active” voice, e.g. I centrifuged the bacteria.

Technical reports, which may require specific recommendations on future actions, may be intended for a scientific audience, such as a company. In some cases reports will be read by a variety of interested parties, including Government, research scientists and the public. This means you will need to carefully consider the type of language you use.

• Do you need to provide a list of scientific definitions and abbreviations?
• Can you use examples to clearly explain certain concepts?
• How will you use diagrams, tables, etc to illustrate your work?
  

Whatever type of scientific writing you do, first consider your audience and then the best way to get your message across. By developing your scientific writing skills, you will be able to communicate your scientific knowledge and take part in the wider scientific community.

I’ll finish with another quote about science, which I think summarises the challenge of scientific research. “Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.” (Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, 1962).

Helen Ward

Senior Lecturer: Academic Development