Scientific Writing
C344
Communication in Science
• Communication: Central
to science?
• Without communication,
“science would become a
private, redundant, and
ultimately futile
endeavor”
• “Sharing ideas is essential
to the evolution of every
scientific field.”
Writing in the Sciences, Penrose and Katz
Shaping Knowledge
• Story of Helicobactor
pylori and the work of
Warren and Marshall
• Eventually won Nobel,
but not initially
accepted—Why?
Science as a Social Endeavor
• Myth of objectivism
• Scientists form a community
that form, validate, and
interpret knowledge
• The Paradigm both gives
structure which allows for
gaining knowledge while
also constraining the gain of
knowledge
List particular benefits
and pitfalls of living in a
paradigm
Pros and Cons
• Corrects individual
errors and
misperceptions
• Allows for greater
collaboration
• Community can
communicate with
common background
assumptions
• Rewards achievement
• Only allows some areas
of research are seen as
“valuable”
• Creates blindspots in
most community
members through
common education
• Produces a common
predisposition toward
set of expectations
Individual Scientists and the Group
Importance of Writing
• Journals define the state of knowledge within
a field
– Peer review is quality control
• Recognition of achievement is marked by
publication, not experiment
• Funding is based on writing
• Guides future research
• Means of persuasion—what is the truth?
Persuasion
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Logic and extended argumentation
“Facts do not speak for themselves.”
Are persuasion and objectivity antithetical?
Persuasion is created by
– Logical argument
– Presentation and style
Writing in the Sciences, Penrose and Katz
• “To be persuasive, scientists must make the
claims of their research believable in the
context of the previous research and the
existing paradigm of the field; and they must
present these arguments in professional
forums and styles that are acceptable in the
scientific community.”
– Writing in the Sciences, p 18
Persuasion and Socialization
• Socialization:
– Learning subject matter of field
• Content knowledge: principles, concepts, terminology
– How to reason and communicate as a member
• Procedural knowledge: how to solve problems, test
hypothesis, know basic methods, communication
• In this course, you will be taught both, and will
be assessed primarily in how you
communicate!
Types of Communication
• Choose type of communication to fit purpose
– Formal report (article, paper, report)
– Quick report (letter, note)
– Literature review
– Proposals
– Oral presentations
– Posters
Formal Reports
• Not only factual and explanatory, but
interpretive and persuasive!
• “Scientists publish descriptions of their
research not simply to tell others what they've
done, but also to persuade readers that the
work is valid and useful.”
Writing in the Sciences, Penrose and Katz
Extended Argument
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•
•
•
The research question is important.
Methods are acceptable and properly done.
The interpretations are sound.
The work is a contribution to the field.
IMRAD
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Introduction—state of field before research
Methods—study is described
Results—study is described
Discussion—state of field after research
In organic chemistry, the format is different,
but the same parts: Introduction, Results and
Discussion, Conclusions, Experimental
Sections Have Purpose
• Framing sections
– Introduction, Discussion
– Generalizations, present tense
• Describing sections
– Methods, Results
– Particulars, past tense
Lab This Week
• Previous context—name reactions (Biginelli)
• Current study—learn/review skills
• Persuasion—characterization data