Writing in the Sciences: Exploring Conventions of Scientific Discourse

by Ann M. Penrose, Steven B. Katz

This rhetorical, multi-disciplinary guide discusses the major genres of science writing including research reports, grant proposals, conference presentations, and a variety of forms of public communication. Writing in the Sciences combines a descriptive approach—helping students to recognize distinctive features of common genres in their fields—with a rhetorical focus—helping them to analyze how, why, and for whom texts are created by scientists. Multiple samples from real research cases illustrate a range of scientific disciplines and audiences for scientific research along with the corresponding differences in focus, arrangement, style, and other rhetorical dimensions. Comparisons among disciplines provide the opportunity for students to identify common conventions in science and investigate variation across fields. Individuals who need to write in the sciences.

Genres: Science, Textbooks

321 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1997

Reviews

[Scott Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much of a career in science revolves around writing challenges. A scientist has to communicate with their colleagues through journals. They have to communicate with funding agencies through requests for proposals. Not to be forgotten, they have to communicate with the wider public. Thus, scientific writing becomes a key element of the game. Likewise, understanding the forms and conventions of scientific writing can give one a professional leg up towards enhanced status in the scientific community. This book takes aim at that sweet spot in trying to introduce students to the practices of technical communication.

This book seeks, first, to bring the field to life. It emphasizes that scientific writing is a fundamentally social venture meant to collaborate with colleagues. A writer has to persuade an audience and learn from others’ writings. To complete the introduction, the authors explore technological and ethical dimensions of writing.

Then the authors explore various conventions of writing, including reports, reviews, conference presentations, proposals, and public communication. These modes facilitate disseminating scientific findings for posterity. It’s hard to imagine a career in science without mastering these writing forms.

Finally, to transform principles into action, the authors offer historical surveys of five recent series of writings about how science has evolved in an area. These case studies offer stories, told through a collection of published writings, of how discourse has transformed over years and even decades. These stories combine different forms of writing to construct a complex tapestry, often from proposal to scholarly solution to public dissemination. Not only do they introduce this book’s readers to interesting subjects, but they also show how writing forms from different authors complement each other to shed light on a concern.

This book’s intended audience clearly consists of late undergraduates and graduate students who are developing a career as a scientist. It offers little guidance to those more inclined towards business and financial impacts, but rather focuses on those for whom writing will provide the main productive medium. Although the “publish or perish” mantra can be misleading, a scientist who does not know how to communicate is a fighter with no weapons. Writing is the only way to survive and thrive as a scientific leader, and to educate trainees, Penrose and Katz offer a thoroughly researched and carefully thought-through investigation into technical writing.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, but it certainly could have been better. I expected more from this. As a person who has taken medical classes, etc. this was pretty basic. It was an insult to me. Now I understand that the times are changing and this might be beneficial, but I barely had to read any of this to know how to do what it was saying.

Conclusion

Your choice if you buy it or read it for that matter. It's helpful, but it's very basic.