Writing in Science
Annenberg has launched a new site that includes courses on disciplinary literacy. Check out this page and you'll find lots of information specific to science, including a 7 minute video in which a teacher help her students learn how to write a scientific abstract and here's a video that focuses on reading in science, biology in particular.
Tips for writing like a scientist
Tips for writing like a scientist
- Writing Like a Scientist and a course on writing in science
- Before launching into an inquiry about writing like a scientist, read this from Brain Pickings.
- For the elementary teachers: Writing like a Scientist
- This PDF from University of North Carolina's Writing Center explains what is specific to writing like a scientist. It also talks about the lab report, comparing it to the literature review or peer reviewed articles scientists often write.
- Check out this video from Stanford; this is the introduction to the a course on writing in science.
- In this blog, Adam Ruben explains the difference between writing about science and writing for scientists. This writer has voice, by the way.
- 5 Tips for Science Writing: An article about Kristin Sainani's mission to have scientists write "manuscripts that aren't dusty and jargony."
- Dr. Kristin Sainani of Stanford University's You Tube video on writing like a scientist -- you'll also see on the sidebar other videos.
- Colombia University's tips for writing a scientific research paper
- How to write a scientific article
- Ed Yong from Discover magazine writes a series of articles called On the Origins of Science Writers. A variety of science writes tell their stories, which include tips for writing about science.
- Check out the National Association of Science Writers for more ideas.
- What about passive voice? Duke University tackles the issue of passive voice in scientific writing. So does this padlet.
- Bill Bryson talks about writing ABOUT science and another video about writing about science. In this last video you'll hear some discussion about how to weave narrative into the science story. One more: Steven Pinker talks about writing about science.
- An article in The Atlantic explores how scientists are learning to write -- or should learn to write.
- America Scientist on The Science of Writing
- The Open Notebook: stories behind the best science writing.
- Check out this padlet on writing argument in science.
- Middlebury's blog on Write Like a Scientist
- UDL's 5th grade unit on reading and writing like a scientist
- Here's an interesting essay by Andy Weir, author of The Martian. His title foreshadows the content of the essay: How Science Made Me a Writer.
Mentor text (text in the world outside of school that could be used as models for students)
- Take a look at the opening of this book -- pages 1 and 2. Notice how engaging the opening of Stories in the Time of Cholera is and how compelling the information about cholera is. Just imagine using this opening to show students how to weave facts into the information in a way that hooks the reader.
- Even Infographs could be mentor text: World's Biggest Cash Crop
- Scientific American has articles and columns that students could study to learn how to write about science. So does New Scientist, Science News and Popular Science.
- Want students to write to a younger audience? Try Ranger Rick, Kids Discover, or Odyssey.
- Science columns can also make great mentor text. Consider having students write like Sharon Begley, John Tierney, and James Gorman. Check to see if they're informative, such as many of Sharon Begley's, or if the columnist is crafting an argument with counterclaim and evidence.
- Consider this blog with links to science columns in The Guardian. You'll find both informative and argument writing on these links.
- How about using one of Neil deGrasse Tyson's essays?
- Ignition is a full length book, free on the internet. If you're having students do research, you might find excerpts in this book to use as a mentor.
- Mark Henderson's article on cancer, "The Future of Cancer, as Told Through the Story of Renee," is long but well-written. Snippets could easily be used as mentor text.
- Denise Grady of the NY Times is a great writer of science/medicine/health.
- A fun article on "Biggitude": A question of the largest creature on earth
- Hmmm, science suggests that the left side of the face carries a powerful message: A Hidden Bias in Art -- Science Tells Us Why and How
- Wondering about book reviews about science books? Here's a possible mentor: Listen to these cats...or don't
- Here's a sample of how to write about research in an engaging manner -- full attention to audience: Why should you spend money on experiences, not things -- science gives us clues
- Want an example of journalistic piece that reflects research? This article from Nature might work.
- Here's an example of a scientific argument that includes a call to action: Toxic Influence.
- A fun piece of writing about how the mosquito avoids being squashed by raindrops -- lots of voice, very informal. If you ask students to explain a complex concept in a way that would clarify, this article from National Geographic could be a great mentor.
- A long but gloriously written article about earthquakes.
About Instruction: Teaching Students to Write Like Scientists
About Instruction: Teaching Students to Write Like Scientists
- Fisher and Garcia's Reading and Writing in Science
- Teaching students to use a scientist's notebook
- Writing in science
Real world ideas for writing like a scientist
Real world ideas for writing like a scientist