Scientific method word cloud. © [Marek] / Adobe Stock

This blog is a brief reflection about what I have learned over the years about scientific writing and its implicit and explicit conventions. It is aimed primarily at new technical writers and university students studying technical and scientific communication. I will first introduce and define scientific writing. Then, I will address some potential challenges and offer some tips.

Scientific Writing

The format, structure, content, and style of a scientific paper is readily recognized by college students, academicians, and scientists. According to Sheffield (2013), “scientific writing is technical writing by a scientist, with an audience of peers–other scientists. Science writing is writing about science for the popular media. The audience is much more general–anyone with an interest in science” (para. 1). Although similar in concept, there is a difference between the two.

As you may have already learned, scientific reports are controlled by scientific convention and tradition. Like the typical academic research paper, the format of a scientific report usually has four critical parts: introduction, methods, results, and discussion (IMRAD) (Penrose & Katz, 2010). This format is a systematic way of organizing and expanding scientific knowledge. If your style fits a deliberate and detailed approach to problem solving and communication, scientific writing may be an excellent fit for you.

Distinctive Features

I appreciate the “distinctive features of the language in which the arguments are expressed” (Penrose & Katz, 2010, p. 113). For example, certain tentative verbs (e.g., show, indicate, suggest) are commonly used in scientific discourse. Adverbs and adverbial phrases (e.g., possibly, very likely, as far as the evidence suggests) and modal auxiliary verbs (e.g., might, may, could, can) are also important for researchers to limit or qualify a claim. By studying scientific communication, you will gain a deeper respect for the content, style, linguistic devises, and the overall empirical process.

Potential Challenges and Tips

Balancing persuasion with objectivity in your scientific reports is an acquired skill. While writing research reports, for example, you may struggle in the beginning to write with a persuasive tone. Perhaps you may be accustomed to thinking that scientific reports must always remain neutral. If this is the case, you can overcome this obstacle with practice. Penrose and Katz (2010) explained the concept this way:

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. (p. 18)

Researchers often attempt to persuade their audience through their data and analysis in lab or scientific reports. By writing various technical and scientific reports in class or in the workplace, you will learn when you need to be persuasive. And, as you join the research community, you will learn, like me, that persuasion is vital to scientific communication.

Closing Remarks

Altogether, I have learned that although scientific discovery is essential for advancement, effective communication of those findings is arguably even more critical. By following convention and by using responsible linguistic devices, you are showing your understanding of the interpretative nature of scientific knowledge. Thus, clear communication that respects the scientific method and engages its audience is crucial for good science. Without it, science cannot flourish.

References

Penrose, A., & Katz, S. (2010). Writing in the sciences: Exploring conventions of scientific discourse. (3rd ed.). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.

Sheffield, N. (2013). Duke University: Graduate school scientific writing resource. Retrieved from https://cgi.duke.edu/web/sciwriting/index.php?action=science_writing