Motivated by scientists' reputation for ineffective writing and convinced that writing skills are beneficial to science careers and the community at large, Duke University's Scientific Writing Resource aims to shrink "the gap between the public and academy," through improved writing skills. The resource, which is intended for graduate-level students, hones writing skills through three lessons: "Subjects/Actions," "Cohesion/Emphasis," and "Simplicity." Each lesson walks users through concepts and examples, concluding with a worksheet to test your knowledge. Lessons are intended to take less than an hour to complete and are designed for either classroom settings or individual learning. Those looking for additional content on effective writing will want to check out the Extras menu (on the left-hand side), which houses sections such as The Next Level (with bonus lessons on passive voice, dangling modifiers, and the ever-popular em-dash) and a checklist for "Revising Your Manuscript in 7 Steps" (under Smart Revising). The More Resources section links to several other books and articles that may be of interest. The site was created by Nathan Sheffield, a professor and researcher with "a passion for scientific writing."
Comments