Scientific papers made easy : how to write with clarity and impact in the life sciences
- Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2023
- 192 p. ; ill., 25 cm
Includes bibliographical references.
This novel book's fundamental principle is simple - the reader must come first. The purpose of a scientific paper is to pass on knowledge, and so impactful writing must focus on attracting, holding, and illuminating readers. The authors demonstrate how just a few simple pointers can significantly improve both writing quality and impact. They tackle each component of a paper in turn, providing a simple framework that makes clear what needs to be included (and what doesn't!), and in what order. They also provide advice for writing up different types of science, from laboratory experiments to theoretical modelling. The focus throughout is on the need to use simple, jargon-free English, and to assume that the reader has little or no prior knowledge. In summary, the book is about writing better scientific papers that are more likely to be read and have impact.