Yes, most academic papers are boring. This is because they need to be very specific to explain their contribution to knowledge. There are only a few skilled writers who manage to write well enough to keep you interested, whilst also being precise enough to be academically competent. They are a rare find.

Thus the scientist must not only “do” science but must “write” science. Although good writing does not lead to the publication of bad science, bad writing can and often does prevent or delay the publication of good science.

Scientists should be encouraged to read and collect good writing and learn from it, to start working out what makes good writing good. Scientists do write a lot, but we do need to write differently more often, and with an open mind.

Of course, most books about science do not sell nearly as well as Hawking’s, and few scientists are destined to write popular books about their work. Many scientists simply have their hands full meeting the demands of a career and trying to sustain a personal life.

How do you get started in science writing?

1. Start local, start small.
2. Look for outlets specifically for scientists as writers.
3. Learn to pitch.
4. Have a social media presence.
5. Don’t give up.
6. Advice & guidance for life scientists.
7. Wellbeing for scientists.
8. Travel grants.

Is a Ph. D. a requirement for a successful science writing career? Definitely not, says Robert Irion, director of the prestigious science writing graduate program at the University of California-Santa Cruz.

The discipline imposed by scientific study, research and writing increases the depth of knowledge in the subject being investigated. This knowledge sharpens clinical skills and facilitates teaching of students and postgraduates.

Writing equips us with communication and thinking skills. Writing expresses who we are as people. Writing makes our thinking and learning visible and permanent. Writing fosters our ability to explain and refine our ideas to others and ourselves.

Being able to communicate the relevance and impact of their ideas and discoveries can enhance scientists’ ability to secure funding or find a job. It allows them to write better and more comprehensible research papers. It also allows them to be better teachers and mentors for next-generation scientists.

Effective communication is art plus science. It is an expression of sentiment and creation in the form of telling stories, but it also involves a systematic and rigorous evaluation of the stories that have been told.

The communication brings people together, closer to each other. The communication is an important management function closely associated with all other managerial functions. It bridges the gap between individuals and groups through flow of information and understanding between them.

There are several ways that scientists communicate our results, including written reports and scientific journal publications, and by giving presentations to our colleagues and the public. One popular venue for scientists to present to colleagues is at scientific conferences.

The communication process has five steps: idea formation, encoding, channel selection, decoding and feedback.

Noise