Scientific Writing for Undergraduate Researchers: OBJECTIVE 1: OVERVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC WRITING

Scientific writing (also referred to as Academic writing) is a technical form of writing designed to communicate scientific information to other scientists. The four main types of academic writing are descriptive, analytical, persuasive and critical. Each of these types of writing has specific language features and purposes.

The main objective of both medical and scientific writing is to record data. Without a written record of the findings and observations of researchers, no proof exists that any research was conducted by them, and valuable information obtained after a lot of effort may be lost.

Scientific writing is not just writing about science; it is the technical writing that scientists do to communicate their research to others. Scientific writing is predicated on the rigors of scientific inquiry, so it must reflect the same precision as that demanded in the research process.

Depending on the specific scientific genre. e.g., a journal article, a scientific poster, or a research proposal, etc. some aspects of the writing may change, such as its purpose, audience, or organization. Many aspects of scientific writing vary little across these writing genres.

More to Learn . . .

• What is Scientific Writing? [video]

• Scientific Writing vs. Formal Writing [blog]

SOME EXAMPLES OF SCIENTIFIC WRITING

• Abstracts
• Literature Reviews
• Primary Research Articles
• Presentations
• Posters
• Letters
• Grants

Scientific writing has certain features that help set it apart from other technical documents and styles of writing. These features typically include:

A. PRECISION

Scientific writing relies on unequivocal accuracy, as the mission of a scientific document is to provide relevant and factual information to the scientific community. Precision in scientific literature can take the form of the following writing elements: 

• Objectivity – a scientific paper takes an objective viewpoint toward the subject, meaning that it doesn’t offer the author’s opinion. Instead, the author focuses on presenting and analyzing facts. 

• Thoroughness – scientific writers offer as many details in their publications as are necessary for their readers to thoroughly understand the subject.

• Exact Language – a scientific paper minimizes the use of figurative or imaginative language. Scientific writers use words and phrases that convey their literal meaning. 

B. CLARITY

Scientific writers typically write for their peers, but even scientists expect clarity in the writing. The writer clarifies the meaning of any uncommon terms and summarizes the results of the writing in a way that anyone can understand. Writers explain any experimentation and its results, using the metric system for measurements to ensure consistency and readability for a worldwide audience. Clarity also helps the writer establish a trusted voice within the scientific community.

C. PEER REVIEWS

Some scientific documents contain peer-reviewed changes or information directly within the document. Colleagues in the same industry often review one another's work to verify the results of experiments, confirm hypotheses or hold one another accountable for honesty and clarity. Typically, a writer includes any peer requests or findings in revised versions of the document to uphold their commitment to honesty and integrity in the face of new information.

D. PRIMARY AUDIENCE

A scientific document is almost always for a specific audience. Good scientific writing includes information that applies to the audience and is easy to understand. For example, if a pharmaceutical scientist is creating a scientific document for a drug in the approval stage, the primary audience is the drug evaluation board. However, colleagues may also read the document for peer review and consumers may view it for personal interest. This requires a good balance of scientific terms and common language to ensure readability.

E. FORMAL LANGUAGE

Keeping language formal in scientific writing helps maintain professionalism on behalf of the writer. Using common language can help appeal to a larger audience, but be mindful of the words and phrases you use in your writing. You can use synonyms for simple words and avoid things such as slang or idioms. Formal language also includes proper punctuation and grammar, so check your work before you submit it.

F. ORGANIZATION

Scientific papers follow a clear organizational structure. Here’s the standard organizational system for a scientific paper: 

• Introduction – the introductory section provides the audience with the background information they need to know to understand the purpose and findings of your scientific inquiry. An introduction also gives you an opportunity to explain the unique value of your study and findings.

• Materials and Methods - this section explains how you conducted your study or experiment. A section on your materials and methods offers enough details that someone else could potentially recreate your experiment.
• Results – the results section provides an objective explanation of what you discovered during your study or experiment. In this section, scientific authors summarize all the relevant qualitative and quantitative from their various charts, graphs or other data findings.

• Discussion – the discussion section gives you a chance to interpret the potential implications of your study or experiment. If someone might draw multiple theories from your results, discuss all of these possible interpretations and give an outline for potential future studies. 

• Conclusion - In your conclusion, reiterate the main points of your paper and explain the significance of your studies or experiment. 

G. AWARENESS OF EXISTING SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE

Most scientific authors express their awareness of the existing body of scientific literature and knowledge pertinent to their studies.  A scientific author references the existing studies or experiments related to their findings and explains how their research connects to, revises or builds upon previous knowledge. 

BEFORE YOU GO . . . What have you learned? QUIZ #1

SCIENCE WRITING STYLE

Scientific writing has a distinctive style: the writer needs to be clear, succinct, precise and logical. In scientific writing it is also essential to consider your audience.

THREE C’s OF SCIENTIFIC WRITING

Clear, Concise, and Conversational

Each time you publish an academic paper, you're presenting new information or a new perspective. ...

How you convey that information is crucial . . . Before you draft your next paper, consider the three C's: Make sure your writing is clear, concise, and conversational.

HALLMARKS OF SCIENTIFIC WRITING

• Its primary audience is other scientists. Because of its intended audience, student-oriented or general-audience details, definitions, and explanations — which are often necessary in lab manuals or reports — are not terribly useful. Explaining general-knowledge concepts or how routine procedures were performed actually tends to obstruct clarity, make the writing wordy, and detract from its professional tone.

• It is concise and precise. A goal of scientific writing is to communicate scientific information clearly and concisely. Flowery, ambiguous, wordy, and redundant language run counter to the purpose of the writing.

• It must be set within the context of other published work. Because science builds on and corrects itself over time, scientific writing must be situated in and reference the findings of previous work. This context serves variously as motivation for new work being proposed or the paper being written, as points of departure or congruence for new findings and interpretations, and as evidence of the authors’ knowledge and expertise in the field.

More to Learn . . .

• The Ultimate Guide to Scientific Writing [blog]