Introduction to Scientific____ Writing

IntroductiontoScientificWritingGeYafeiScientistsandengineersarecalledupontocommunicateinmanydifferentsituationsspecifictechnicalaudiencesnon-technicalaudiencesgeneraltechnicalaudiencesConferencesLecturesMeetingsPostersReportsArticlesProposalsWebPagesScientificwritingdiffersfromotherkindsofwritingSubjectMatterWritingConstraintsaudiencepurposeoccasionPurposeofWritingToinformTopersuadeWritingStyleBeginthewritingprocessbyanalyzingtheconstraintsPurposeAudienceOccasionFormatFormalityPoliticsandethicsProcessanddeadlineWhotheyareWhattheyknowWhytheywillreadHowtheywillreadToinformTopersuadeInscientificwriting,formatsvaryconsiderablytoservedifferentsituationsFormalReportsJournalArticlesPresentationSlidesThepurposeofscientificwritingistoimpartthoughtsorideasandtheirbasesandimplicationsinsuchamannerthatareadingaudience,withatleastamoderateknowledgeofscience,canunderstandthematerialpresentedwithinapaper.Also,thegoalofscientificwritingistoproduceamanuscriptwrittenfromtheperspectiveofstrength,ratherthanweakness.ScientificwritingmusttakeintoaccountthefollowingconsiderationsWhoistheaudienceorthereadertowhomthisisaddressed?Whatstyleofwrtiingismostappropriate?Howcanthisbewrittentoflowmostsmoothlythroughthetopicstobeincluded?Whatisthepurposeofwriting?Howcanthiswritingbebestorganizedtoaccomplishthatpurpose?Howcanitbebestpresented?ThreeaspectsofwritingaffectthewaythatreadersassessyourdocumentsContentStyleFormpaperAcademicwritinginEnglishclearlydefinedbyhavinganobviousaudience;aclearpurpose,eitheranexamquestiontoansweroraresearchprojecttoreporton.alsoclearlystructured.CharacteristicsofScientificWritingClearObjectiveAccurateConciseFormal/writtenstyleCharacteristicsofEST1.Contents:relatedtoscienceandtechnology2.Readers:alltypes,mostoften“learners”3.Writers:scientistsortechnicians,scienceortechnicalwriters,journalists4.Language:variouslevelsoftechnicaldifficultysometimes“jargon/specialtermsofanarea”5.Style:formal,detailed,descriptive,directandclear,explanatory,objective(subjective)6.Format:professionallookuseofvisuals/artificiallanguage.Stylisticfeatures–Theformalwrittenstyleusuallyfreefromemotivelanguage,connotations,sound-effectsandoriginalmetaphor–wideuseofnominalization–TheinformationalcommunicativestyleAccuracy,conciseness,objectivityandnoveltyusespecializedwordsandphrasestotransmitmessagesStressonthedescriptionofobjectivethings,onthejudgmentoffactsoronthereasoningoflogicalconceptsNotseektheeleganceofthestyleandmodificationtrytousewordsasconciseaspossibleFormalstyleusuallyfreefromemotivelanguage,connotations,sound-effectsandoriginalmetaphore.g.Heisstrong.(explicit/direct)c.fHeisalion.(metaphor)Heislikealion.(simile)DifferenceinexpressionbetweenChineseandEnglishChineseEnglishLeft-branching(pre-modified)Right-branching(post-modified)Lessuseofprons/noarticlesAbundantuseofpronouns,articlesShortsentencesLongsentencesnoconjunctions&logicconnectionUseconjunctionstoconnectrelativesentencesActivevoicePassivevoicemaininformationatendmaininformationatthebeginningMoreverbsMorenounsandprepositionsNull-subjectsentenceCompleteSVOstructureStyleConsiderationsSentencesshouldbeshort,clearandfragmentsorrun-onsentencesshouldbeavoided.Generallythepasttenseispreferred,whendiscussinganexperimentdoneinthepast.Firstpersonisrarelyused(Ididthis…)unlesstoldtodoso.Citationsshouldbeforqualitywork.Usestandardabbreviationsandalwaysgivethefulltextonthefirstusage.Don'tuseabbreviationssuchasdon't.Grammar,particularlytheagreementbetweennounsandverbsshouldbecarefullycheckedAcademicwritinginEnglishislinear:PreliminariesTitlepageMaintextIntroductionMainbodyConclusionEndmatterReferencesThepreliminariesandendmatterwilldependonthekindoftext.Themaintextwill,however,generallycontainanintroduction,amainbodyandaconclusion.Theactualformofthemainbodywilldependonthetypeofwriting.Introduction:Themainbodytheconclusionbackground,givingthereasonandexplaininghow(Thismustbecloselyconnectedtotheresearchquestion.data-orsomeargument,leadingtotheconclusion.referringbacktotheintroductionandshowingthatthepurposehasbeenfulfilled.LayoutofastandardjournalpaperTitleAuthor(s)AffiliationAbstractIntroductionMaterialsandmethodsResultsDiscussion/conclusionReferencesStyleisthewayyoucommunicatethecontenttotheaudienceStructurewordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordsLanguagestyleIllustrationFormatandmechanicsformattypographylayoutmechanicsgrammarusagepunctuationspellingJournalpaperformatTitleAuthorAffiliationAbstract(keywords)IntroductionDevelopmentConclusionAcknowledgementreferencesManyjournalarticlesfollowasetorganizationnamedIMRaDMaterialsandMethodsResultsDiscussionIntroductionWritingprocessWritingtheFirstDraftGettingintheMoodRevising,Revising,RevisingFinishingStructure:theStrategyofStyleBeginningEndingMiddleIfamancangrouphisideas,thenheisawriter.RobertLouisStevensonBeginningEndingMiddleTheorganizationofascientificdocumentcanbeviewedasabeginning,middle,andendingTitleSummar