The Craft of Scientific Writing
Summary
The feel-good place to buy books
The Craft of Scientific Writing by Michael Alley
We are all apprentices 01 a craft where no one ever becomes a master. -Emest Hemingway In October 1984, the weak writing in a scientific report made national news. The report, which outlined safety procedures during a nuclear attack, advised industrial workers to don heavy clothes and immerse themselves in a large body of water. The logic behind this advice was sound: Water is a good absorber of heat, neutrons, and gamma rays. Unfortunately, the way the advice was worded was unclear. Was everyone supposed to be com- up for air? Be- pletely submerged? Was it safe to come sides being unclear, the writing conveyed the wrong im- pression to the public. The report came across as saying go jump in a lake-not the impression you want to give someone spending thousands of dollars to fund your re- search. Chances are that Dan Rather will not quote sentences from your documents on national television, no matter how weak the writing iso Still, your writing is important. On a personal level, your writing is the principal way in which people learn about your work. When you commu- nicate weIl, you receive credit for that work. When you do not communicate weIl or are too slow to communi- cate, the credit often go es to someone else. On a larger level, your writing and the writing of other scientists and vii viii Foreword engineers influenees publie poliey about scienee and en- gineering.
“Alley gives thorough explanations and color-coded examples about what constitutes a problem and how to fix it, and visual indicators help readers discern the severity of issues being critical, distracting, or cosmeticThe Craft of Scientific Writing is a book that can be valuable to practicing writers who want to work toward more effective, clear scientific writing for a variety of audiences.” (Diane Martinez, Technical Communication, Vol. 65 (4), November, 2018)
“The author discusses the many challenges and distinctions in scientific writing, and the effects that good or bad writing can have on one’s career. … Using real-world writing examples and a host of graphics and figures, the author effectively demonstrates what works, what doesn’t, and why. … This easy-to-digest guide will be useful for engineers, scientists, and anyone interested in writing for a science-minded audience, or about science-related topics.” (S. Markgren, Choice, Vol. 56 (03), November, 2018)
“The author discusses the many challenges and distinctions in scientific writing, and the effects that good or bad writing can have on one’s career. … Using real-world writing examples and a host of graphics and figures, the author effectively demonstrates what works, what doesn’t, and why. … This easy-to-digest guide will be useful for engineers, scientists, and anyone interested in writing for a science-minded audience, or about science-related topics.” (S. Markgren, Choice, Vol. 56 (03), November, 2018)
Holding a master of science in electrical engineering and a masters in fine arts in writing, Michael Alley is an associate professor of Engineering Communication at Pennsylvania State University. He is the author of three popular textbooks: The Craft of Scientific Presentations (2013), The Craft of Editing (2000), and The Craft of Scientific Writing (2017). He has taught scientific writing and presentations to engineers and scientists on four continents, in sixteen countries, and for more than 150 companies, universities, organizations, and agencies.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781441982872 |
| ISBN 10 | 1441982876 |
| Title | The Craft of Scientific Writing |
| Author | Michael Alley |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Springer-Verlag New York Inc. |
| Year published | 2018-04-06 |
| Number of pages | 298 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |