This weekly Nautilus column highlights some of the online discussion at Nature Network in the preceding week that is of relevance to scientists as authors.
The Nature Network week column is archived here.
Ennio Tasciotti writes a delightful account in the Nature Nanotechnology forum of the journey of his paper, from the experiments to final publication. I think it is a lovely account, one point of interest (among others) being that the author is not a native English-speaker.
In response to a discussion started by Cath Ennis about the obligation of authors to answer (sometimes frivolous) questions and comments from readers, Charles Darwin responds, helpfully: “take it from one who spent many years worrying about the questions and sensitivities of one’s correspondents and critics that they are rarely completely satisfied. By answering in detail you do them a great courtesy: some may be enlightened and informed, some may be grateful, some, I remember will then write a poisonous review of your work.
I wrote some years ago that ‘he who wastes an hour does not know the value of life’. Are the questions about which you fret worth an hour of your life or are there other waters to be – I ask this to a fellow seafarer – paddled?
These days I would have written ‘he or she’, of course.”
At the Good Paper Journal Club, Martin Fenner starts a discussion of good papers about scientific writing. His first pick is Me write pretty one day: how to write a good scientific paper by W. A. Wells (J Cell Biol. 165, 757-758; 2004). “The paper starts by discussing the most important point: clearly state the take-home message of a paper”, writes Martin. “The rest of the short text deals with the structure of a paper and with specific style issues.” Half a dozen further articles and books are referenced, linked and discussed by forum contributors.
Cover letters are dissected at The Scientist, Richard Grant’s blog. Richard writes that a well-written covering letter shows respect for the editor and might be useful in persuading them to send the manuscript out to review. “But — just like writing papers and giving seminars — cover-letter writing is one of those things that we are, as far as I can tell, supposed to acquire by osmosis. I wondered if you have hints or advice you’d like to share. If so, you should leave a comment.” Twenty-seven comments follow, providing various degrees of detailed advice as well as a link to some humorous examples for those needing light refreshment.
The Science Blogging conference (London, 30 August 2008) plans are beginning to form, so if you are interested in coming along, whether you have a blog or are just interested in the topic, see here for suggestions about accommodation; volunteer to give a talk here; see here to offer a poster or a short presentation; and go here to make your suggestions for topics you’d like to be included on the agenda.