Writing in the Sciences

Unit 3: Introduction to Writing across the Disciplines

• Identify various writings in the sciences
• Describe typical writings in each discipline

Writing in the Sciences

• Scientific writing is a technical form of writing communicating scientific information to other scientists in a document, book, or presentation
• It requires extensive research and precise wording
• It can include grant requests, peer reviews, and summarized findings
• Science writing reports scientific observations and results governed by specific conventions and often referred to as technical or scientific writing

Features of a Good Scientific Text

• Objectivity focuses on facts, avoiding personal views or opinions
• Uses the third-person point of view to maintain objectivity
• Jargon is technical terminology or characteristic idioms specific to a special activity or group
• Jargon is commonly used because readers are experts in the field
• Hypothesis is an unproven idea or theory
• It is supported by concrete evidence or experiments to test its viability
• It is the core aim of scientific texts to prove or disprove
• Research involves collecting quantitative information and it is essential in writing scientific papers
• Case studies are careful, intensive studies of a specific subject or variable
• They identify what leads to success or failure
• A case study's subject may include epidemics, phenomena, groups of people, or time-sensitive events
• It documents all observations and conclusions about the subject
• A laboratory report formally documents an experiment
• It includes the objectives, methods, and results
• It aims to prove or disprove hypotheses and follows a chronological pattern
• Field reports are commonly done in social sciences
• They aim to analyze behavior patterns based on specific theories
• They are descriptive, providing detailed accounts of the researcher's observations

Writing in Business

• Business writing is a formal communication style in professional settings for documents like reports, emails, memos, and proposals
• It aims to convey information clearly and concisely
• It follows specific formats, has a professional tone, and focuses on efficiently conveying information to achieve specific business objectives or goals
• Business writing enables a reader to know or do something and it flows up, down, laterally, internally, and externally to customers

Characteristics of Good Writing

• Free of grammar and punctuation errors
• Clearly conveys the purpose of writing
• Clearly develops thoughts and arguments
• Conforms to the writing conventions of the discipline
• Matches the required level of formality

Purposes of Business Writing

• To incite action, with the writer sharing information so that readers will act or not act in a certain way
• To elicit responses to improve business operations

Characteristics of Business Writing

• Has a strict format
• It requires being knowledgeable of the appropriate format to demonstrate professionalism
• Following the correct format helps achieve the purpose of the business text
• It is objective, but can use any point of view that is appropriate
• It is formal, and avoids figurative language or idiomatic expressions

Common Writing Examples in Business

• Memorandums are commonly known as memos
• They communicate messages to concerned people or departments
• They can persuade readers to take action, such as attending meetings or changing a current procedure
• Resumes are short documents showcasing a person's educational and professional background
• Essential resume components:
  • Work history
  • educational history
  • Achievements, formal trainings attended, and organizations
  • Contact information
  • Character references
• Letters of request request permission for an action to be done or accomplished.
• They explicitly state the request’s purpose
• Circular letters are sent to a large number of readers at a time
• Cover letters explain the contents of an accompanying document
• Minutes of the meeting record what was discussed or what happened at a meeting