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Open AccessJournal Article

The Science of Scientific Writing

George D. Gopen, +1 more
- 01 Jan 1990 - 
- Vol. 78, Iss: 6, pp 550-558
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TLDR
The authors argue that complexity of thought need not lead to impenetrability of expression, and demonstrate a number of rhetorical principles that can produce clarity in communication without oversimplifying scientific issues.
Abstract
Science is often hard to read Most people assume that its difficulties are born out of necessity, out of the extreme complexity of scientific concepts, data and analysis We argue here that complexity of thought need not lead to impenetrability of expression; we demonstrate a number of rhetorical principles that can produce clarity in communication without oversimplifying scientific issues The results are substantive, not merely cosmetic: Improving the quality of writing actually improves the quality of thought

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Citations
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Processes of International Collaboration in Management Research : A Reflexive, Autoethnographic Approach

TL;DR: The authors used a reflexive, autoethnographic approach to investigate the social and intellectual processes of academic collaborative writing, identifying six lessons and two key tensions that influence the success of international research teams.
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The art of writing science.

TL;DR: Some of my most cherished writing conventions are presented, in the hope that this will inspire a few more young scientists to develop their own effective styles and to get people thinking and talking about writing.
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Are we doomed to repeat history? A model of the past using tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) and conservation biology to anticipate the future

TL;DR: The evolution of the relationship between tiger beetle studies and conservation biology is traced and it is proposed that this history may in itself provide a model for anticipating developments and improvements in the ability of conservation biology to find effective goals, gather appropriate data, and better communicate generalizations to non-scientific decision makers, the public, and other scientists.
References
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Book

Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace

TL;DR: The Style: Ten Lessons in clarity and grace as mentioned in this paperocusing on the single most serious problem that mature writers face: a wordy, tangled, too-complex prose style, is a useful resource for any mature writer.