Writing successfully in science / Maeve O'Connor ; with cartoons by Jenny Gretton

First published in 1991

Includes bibliographical references and index

Many scientists encounter difficulties in writing papers for publication, perhaps because they have never previously done so, are out of practice or are not confident in their ability to write English as a second language. Whatever their dicipline, nationality or level of successful experience, Writing Successfully in Science will ease the task of documenting work by gently guiding readers through the necessary steps to successful publication-from planning the initial framework of an article, preparing references and illustrative material and writing a first draft, to choosing suitable journals, writing to the editor and dealing with the proofs of the final draft. Althought the examples and orientation are mainly biological, the principles described apply to every branch of science. Practical tips for the first-time writer are combined with useful advise for more experienced contributors wishing to improve their technique. The text also covers the preparation of theses, short talks and posters, review articles, book reviews, grant proposals and curriculum vitae. Writing Successfully in Science pays particular attention to the needs of scientists whose first language is not English, explaining how to avoid the main pitfalls of English grammar and how to present work in a clear and logical fashion. Also included are details on the presentation of effective figures and tables, both in a traditional manner and with the aid of computer graphics packages. Postgraduate and postdoctoral research workers should find Writing Successfully in Science an invaluable guide to the preparation of scientific documents; it is also suitable for use in seminars on scientific writing