I would love to see scientists follow Strunk and White and write well, but
young scientists should be warned that if their writing is too good their
papers may be rejected. Too many editors and reviewers feel that scientific
text should feel scientific, namely flat and dull. Some features, such as
passive voice, have been discussed on this list, but anything that is too
lively may not make it through.
I would of course love to be proven wrong. Last week I submitted a paper to
a conference that contains a lot of first person usage and even some humour,
and if it gets accepted I suppose that I shall have to recant.
Bill Silvert
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Stallings" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: quinta-feira, 4 de Março de 2010 14:46
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Suggestions of books on scientific writing?
It's not for scientific writing per se, but I commonly refer to The
Elements of Style (Strunk and White).
On 3/3/2010 4:02 PM, Lyne Morissette wrote:
Dear ECOLOGers,
I was wondering if any of you would have some suggestion on books or
texts providing tips on how
to improve scientific writing. I have read George Gopen’s book (The sense
of structure, writing from
the reader's perspective; 2004, Pearson Longman editors) and recommend
it, but I would like to
know if there are any other good references out there.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Lyne Morissette, PhD.
Ecosystems& marine mammals
Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski
