Writing Science Clearly

How would you describe the importance of writing for scientists, and what pedagogical dimension does your course bring to the doctoral program?

Success as a scientist is measured by how our work influences others. This depends not only on the quality of our ideas and data but also on how effectively we communicate them: “As a scientist, you are a professional writer.” (Joshua Schimel, Writing Science).

Good writing skills help us communicate ideas in a clear, engaging, and memorable way. There are a few outstanding papers that I read 20 years ago and still remember vividly !

Improving the clarity of our writing also improves the clarity of our thinking, making us better scientists too.

Unfortunately, students usually don’t receive any formal training in writing. As a result they find writing very challenging. In the course Writing Science Clearly, students learn concrete strategies for writing effectively and practice them extensively.

More specifically, which key aspects and competencies does the course cover?

Students learn to clarify and critically evaluate ideas. They improve their writing at every level, from the overall flow of a manuscript to the choice of individual words. Specifically, they learn to:

- Clarify ideas with a concept map
- Build convincing arguments
- Critically analyze data using a list of criteria
- Optimize idea development with an effective outline
- Write a clear text, managing structure and content
- Motivate the reader with text flow and word choice
- Revise the text systematically using a checklist

What kind of practical work and activities do students engage with, and how might it serve them beyond the course?

In each lesson, students explore a new topic through examples, group exercises, and class discussions. Between classes, they write a mini-paper on their research, improving their work stepwise through frequent feedback from me and their classmates. 

Through this process, students develop the essential skills for defending and publishing their thesis work—and beyond. First, they become more comfortable with the iterative nature of writing, and with giving and receiving constructive feedback.

Second, they develop a deeper understanding of the features of good scientific writing and, most importantly, they learn how to incorporate these features in their own writing.

Last but not least, students develop a deeper understanding of their research topic and how to communicate it in a clear and engaging way to a broad scientific audience.

What are the most common “mistakes” you generally notice in PhD students’ writing?

PhD students often do not make their writing accessible to their target audience. To succeed, they need to understand their audience’s needs, avoid using complicated language, and provide just the right amount of background information.

Successful writers also recognize that to explain a complex idea simply, they first need to engage in deep thinking, even for topics they navigate daily. As an analogy, finding your way from the Dorigny campus to Place de la Riponne by bicycle is easy, but providing clear directions to a visitor is more challenging!

Successful writers also understand the vital importance of revising their drafts—perhaps many times. They know this is their last chance to shift perspective from what they want to say to what readers need to know in order to understand.

You wrote an entire Science Writing Toolbox – would you like to tell us a bit more about its production and how one may use it?

The Toolbox is a document that serves both as a resource for learning writing strategies and as a reference guide for solving challenges during the writing process. To that end, it is paired with an evaluation grid that helps identify specific challenges and directs users to relevant tools.

I originally developed the Toolbox for “Critical Thinking”, an optional course I have taught to third-year biology students since 2015. Over time, I expanded the Toolbox to address common writing challenges—I am grateful to UNIL’s Centre de Soutien à l’Enseignement for supporting me in this process. When I realized that the Toolbox had transformed my own writing skills, I wanted to share it more widely!

If you had to give only a few general tips for successful science writing, what would they be?

Your job as a scientific writer is to make your readers’ lives easier. So, identify your target audience and be inclusive. To motivate readers, keep the text as simple as they need it to be, especially in grant applications or for the wide audiences of high-profile journals.

Good writing is about rewriting. Never submit a text you wrote late at night the day before. Revise your writing, sleep on it, and get feedback from peers.

Learn and practice. To prepare for important communications—thesis defense, papers or grants—learn strategies for making informed writing choices and practice them regularly.