The Craft of Scientific Writing, 3rd Edition - Softcover

Alley, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0387947663 ISBN 13: 9780387947662

Publisher: Springer, 1998

Synopsis

Designed to help both professional and student scientists and engineers write clearly and effectively, this text approaches the subject in a fresh way. Using scores of examples from a wide variety of authors and disciplines, the author - himself a writer and physicist -- demonstrates the difference between strong and weak scientific writing, and how to convey ideas to the intended audience. In addition, he gives advice on how to start writing, and how to revise drafts, including many suggestions about approaching a wide variety of tasks - from laboratory reports to grant proposals, from internal communications to press releases - as well as a concise guide to appropriate style and usage.

About this title

From the Back Cover

The Craft of Scientific Writing is designed to help scientists and engineers - both professionals already active in the disciplines as well as students preparing to enter the professions - write about their work clearly and effectively. The author, who is both a writer and an applied physicist, approaches the subject in a fresh way. Using scores of examples from a wide variety of authors and disciplines (including such well-known figures as Einstein, Bohr, and Freud), the book demonstrates the difference between strong scientific writing and weak scientific writing. In essence, this book shows you how to bring your ideas across to your intended audience. In addition, it contains advice on how to start writing and how to revise your drafts. Written for use as a text in courses on scientific writing, the book includes many useful suggestions about approaching a wide variety of writing tasks - from laboratory reports to grant proposals, from internal communications to press releases - as well as a concise guide to style and usage appropriate for scientific writing. The book will also be useful for self-study and it will be an important reference for all scientists and engineers who need to write about their work. Topics covered include deciding where to begin - structure: organizing your documents; providing depth, transitions, and emphasis - language: being precise, clear, and concise; being forthright, familiar, and fluid - illustration: making the right choices; creating the best designs - handling special situations - and actually sitting down to write: drafting, revising, finishing.

About the Author

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.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0387947663
• ISBN 13: 9780387947662
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 3
• Number of pages: 282