Scientific Writing

1. Scientific Writing C344

2. 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

3. Shaping Knowledge • Story of Helicobactor pylori and the work of Warren and Marshall • Eventually won Nobel, but not initially accepted—Why?

4. 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

5. 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

6. Individual Scientists and the Group

7. 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?

8. Persuasion • 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

9. “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

10. 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!

11. 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

12. 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

13. Extended Argument • The research question is important. • Methods are acceptable and properly done. • The interpretations are sound. • The work is a contribution to the field.

14. IMRAD • 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

15. Sections Have Purpose • Framing sections • Introduction, Discussion • Generalizations, present tense • Describing sections • Methods, Results • Particulars, past tense

16. Lab This Week • Previous context—name reactions (Biginelli) • Current study—learn/review skills • Persuasion—characterization data