Category Archives: science writing

Authoration

Posted on 3 March 2014 by Henry Gee

Not having written any books lately about teenage vampires, schoolboy wizards, sadomasochism, cookery or gardening, the times I’ve been asked for advice about how to get a book published can be numbered on the fingers of one hand. (The times … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, literary agents, science writing, Writing, Writing & Reading | Comments Off on Authoration

Don’t Shoot the Messenger – a Guest Post from Brian Clegg

Posted on 7 November 2013 by Henry Gee

A few days ago my friend Mr B. C. of Swindon, for it is he, let me erupt onto his blog concerning the scientific illiteracy one finds in the desert that is televisual emission. Today I return the compliment, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Apparitions, brian clegg, Brian Cox, dice world, quantum mechanics, Science Is Vital, science writing, Writing & Reading | Comments Off on Don’t Shoot the Messenger – a Guest Post from Brian Clegg

Am I having impact?

Posted on 20 May 2013 by Sylvia McLain

For the last few days there has been some buzz around the non-use of Impact Factors as a criteria for the UK’s Research Excellent Framework. Richard Catlow (head of the Chemistry REF panel) put it in writing here in an … Continue reading →

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Let me give you some advice….

Posted on 5 May 2013 by Sylvia McLain

on advice If I were to offer a new academic advice it would be to not be afraid to take advice from your colleagues; especially with respect to writing. I was talking to one of my collaborators the other day … Continue reading →

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Enough with the criticism already

Posted on 4 July 2012 by Sylvia McLain

Ever wonder why scientists are odd? For the record, I don’t think scientists are really odd, any more than any group of people can be called ‘odd’, as Micheal Crichton said ‘in my experience scientists are very human people.’ Leaving … Continue reading →

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Why can’t we write like other people write?

Posted on 24 March 2012 by Sylvia McLain

Another blog about scientific writing appeared on Friday by Adam Ruben. It contains all of the standard complaints, albeit in a humorous way, about why scientific writing is basically dull, turgid and opaque. Adam concludes that: But there’s a reason … Continue reading →

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Mary Somerville

Posted on 17 July 2011 by Athene Donald

Somerville College in Oxford is much better known than the woman it was named after, Mary Somerville, an eminent scientist who had died 7 years before the founding of the college in 1879. Mary Somerville (1780-1872) was a polymath, an … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th century science, History of Science, science writing, William Whewell, Women in science | Comments Off on Mary Somerville