科技寫作講座

1、Writing Scientific EnglishMiao DesuiUniversity of Kansas A naturalists life would be a happy one if he had only to observe and never to write. Science is about generating and interpreting data. But it is also about communicating facts, ideas, and hypotheses. Scientists write, speak, debate, visualiz

2、e, listen, and read about their specialties daily. For students unfamiliar with the language or style of science, the deceptively simple act of communication can be a barrier to understanding or becoming involved with the science.Title: describe the content of the paper with the fewest possible word

3、s.Authorship: who wrote the paper?Abstract: a summary of information in it.Introduction: what was the problem?Materials and Methods: how did you study it?Results: what did you find?Discussion: what do these findings mean?Acknowledgments: a thank-you note.References Cited: on the shoulders of the oth

4、ers. Who ever loved, That loved not at first sight? Describe the contents of the paper in as few words as possible: correct, complete, comprehensible, concise.Provide the key words that aid indexing, abstracting, and computer searching: clear, specific, informative, self-explanatory.Deadwood in titl

5、es:An investigation of the effects of using fertilizer on lawnsStandard title:The effects of the use of fertilizer on lawnsRejuvenated title:Fertilizer helps lawns grow. Passion for fame: a passion which is the instinct of all great souls.Ideally, the order of the authors should reflect the relative

6、 contributions to the paper, and thus alphabetical order is inappropriate.It is best to establish the order of the authors as early as possible in a project.It is gracious for the established senior scientist to give first author to a younger colleague or graduate student. A bad beginning makes a ba

7、d ending.Tells the reader what is in the paper, why it is an interesting, worthwhile issue.Introduces what is known, and what remains to be known.Develops the context of the results to be reported: how and why a certain question or questions arose.Ends by saying what you did to answer the new questi

8、ons. The greatest invention of the 19th century was the invention of the method of invention.Explains just how you did the work.Should be as simple and transparent as possible, and yet detailed enough so that the procedures can be duplicated exactly and hence confirmed.For materials, include the exa

9、ct technical specifications and quantities and source or method of preparation.For methods, use chronological order. I pass with relief from the tossing sea of Cause and Theory to the firm ground of Result and Fact.Reports the facts revealed by the work.Gives an overall description of the experiment

10、s, providing the “big picture.”Presents the data, in both words and tables & graphics.Must be simply and clearly stated, and avoid redundancy. Men are never so likely to settle a question rightly as when they discuss it freely.Answers the question(s) posed in IntroductionIntroduction.Examines th

11、e meaning of the results presented in ResultsResults.Compares with the results of others.Discusses the consequences of those comparisons.Ends with a high note on some of the fundamental implications or significance of the paper. The abstract is of utmost importance, for it is read by 10 to 500 times

12、 more people than hear or read the entire article. It should not be a mere recital of the subjects covered. Expressions such as “is discussed” and “is described” should never be included! The abstract should be a condensation and concentration of the essential information in the paper.States the mai

13、n objectives and scope of the research.Describes the methods used.Summarizes the results.States the principal conclusions. Thus, abstract is a mini-paper, and should be concise, specific, non-evaluative, self-contained, and informative. Widespread nowadays in freshwater and Widespread nowadays in fr

14、eshwater and coastal seas of the cold and temporal coastal seas of the cold and temporal zones, lampreys are a jawless zones, lampreys are a jawless vertebrate group that has lived on vertebrate group that has lived on earth for over 300 million years but earth for over 300 million years but left a

15、meagre fossil record. Only two left a meagre fossil record. Only two fossil lamprey species, i.e., fossil lamprey species, i.e., Mayomyzon pieckoensisMayomyzon pieckoensis1, 21, 2 and and Hardistiella montanensisHardistiella montanensis3-53-5, have been , have been recognized with certainty from Nor

16、th recognized with certainty from North American Carboniferous marine depositsAmerican Carboniferous marine deposits6 6. . Here we report the first freshwater Here we report the first freshwater lamprey from the Lower Cretaceous (ca. lamprey from the Lower Cretaceous (ca. 125 million years ago) of I

17、nner 125 million years ago) of Inner Mongolia, China. Mongolia, China. The new taxon, The new taxon, MesomyzonMesomyzon mengimengi, displays a , displays a long snout, a well-developed sucking oral disk, long snout, a well-developed sucking oral disk, a relatively long branchial apparatus showing a

18、relatively long branchial apparatus showing branchial basket, seven gill pouches, gill branchial basket, seven gill pouches, gill arches and impressions of gill filaments, arches and impressions of gill filaments, about 80 myomeres and several other characters about 80 myomeres and several other cha

19、racters that are previously unknown or ambiguous. Our that are previously unknown or ambiguous. Our finding not only indicates finding not only indicates MesomyzonMesomyzons closer s closer relationship to extant lampreys but also relationship to extant lampreys but also reveals the groups invasion

20、into freshwater reveals the groups invasion into freshwater environment no later than the Early Cretaceous. environment no later than the Early Cretaceous. The new material furthers our understanding of The new material furthers our understanding of ancient lampreys, bridges the gap between the anci

21、ent lampreys, bridges the gap between the Carboniferous forms and their recent relatives, Carboniferous forms and their recent relatives, and adds to our knowledge of the evolutionary and adds to our knowledge of the evolutionary history of lampreys.history of lampreys. Life is not so short but that

22、 there is always time enough for courtesy.Give credit to those who helped in some fashion.Thank the reviewers.Acknowledge the funding agencies.This is NOT a place where youd thank your mom or your significant other who cooked you a delicious meal during the project. Do it somewhere elsebuy them flow

23、ers!We thank X. Wang for providing the fossils and information on their provenance and stratigraphic horizon, Z. Zhou for discussions and reading the manuscript, M. Zhu for providing information and discussions, M. Yang for the illustrations and W. Gao for photographing. We also thank the anonymous

24、reviewers for their well-informed and constructive opinions. Supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX3-SW-126 and KZCX3-SW-142), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (40121202 and 40432003), and the Asian-Swedish Research Partnership Program of the Swedish Research Council. If

25、I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants. List only significant, published references.Check all parts of every reference against the original publicationNEVER cite a reference you have not read or from secondary sources.ALL citations in the manuscript must be listed in “

26、References Cited” and ALL references must be cited in the text. My father was very sure about certain things pertaining to the Universe. To him, all good things-trout as well as eternal salvation-come by grace and grace comes by art and art does not come easy. The prime objective of scientific repor

27、ting is clear communication. You can achieve this by presenting ideas in an orderly manner and by expressing yourself smoothly and precisely. By developing ideas clearly and logically and leading readers smoothly from thought to thought, you make the task of reading an agreeable one.Orderly presenta

28、tion of ideas: organization of the parts （章法）（章法）Smoothness of expression: paragraph structure （分段）（分段）Economy of expression: sentence structure （句法）（句法）Precision and clarity: word choice （遣詞）（遣詞）Connect paragraphs with discourse markers: e.g., subsequently, finally, incidentally, additionally, alte

29、rnatively, conversely, moreover, furthermore, despite that, therefore, for exampleLink paragraphs with structural devices: e.g., first, second, third; Avoid one-sentence paragraph.Deal with a single idea per paragraph;Start with a topic sentence;Followed by one, two or more developing sentences;End

30、with a concluding sentence.The last sentence may also provide transition to from its topic to that of the next paragraph. Written communications are created when the topics are linked smoothly. In a well-structured piece of writing, each topic is represented by a paragraph and together the paragraph

31、s form sections. Unfortunately, many writers do not take paragraph structure seriously. They write until they are tired and then break off for a new paragraph. By itself, the well-structured paragraph is like a whole paper in miniature The moon has always been an object of interest to human beings.

32、Until the 1960s, getting there was only a dream. Some thought that we were not meant to go to the moon. In 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface. Moon landings became routine to the general public. The moon has always been an object of interest to human beings, but until the 1960s, get

33、ting there was only a dream. In fact, some thought that we were not meant to go to the moon. However, in 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface. After that, moon landings became routine to the general public.The student: how can I become a writer?Annie Dillard: do you like sentences?The

34、 student (puzzled): what? Oh, wellAnnie Dillard: well, a painter was asked: “How can I become a painter?” The painter said, “Do you like the smell of paint? I became a painter because I like the smell of paint.”The major elements: Men admire women.The supporting elements: Short men admire tall women

35、.The service element: Short men admire tall women, but women in general prefer tall men.The minor element: Short men admire tall women, but most, if not all, women somehow prefer tall men.簡單（陳述）句簡單（陳述）句 (Simple declarative S.): John (Simple declarative S.): John loves Mary. Orloves Mary. Or： He ran.

36、 He ran.復合（陳述）句復合（陳述）句 (Compound Declarative S): John is (Compound Declarative S): John is short; Mary is tall.short; Mary is tall.復雜陳述句復雜陳述句 (Complex Declarative S.)(Complex Declarative S.)：Because Because short men admire tall women, John loves Mary.short men admire tall women, John loves Mary.復合復

37、合- -復雜陳述句復雜陳述句(Compound-Complex Declaratives.)(Compound-Complex Declaratives.)：A man who has never gone to school may steal A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; if he has a university from a freight car; if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad. e

38、ducation, he may steal the whole railroad. - Theodore Roosevelt- Theodore RooseveltClear communication, which is the prime objective of scientific reporting, may be achieved by presenting ideas in an orderly manner and by expressing oneself smoothly and precisely. By developing ideas clearly and log

39、ically, you invite readers to read, encourage them to continue, and make their task agreeable by leading them smoothly from thought to thought.The prime objective of scientific reporting is clear communication. You can achieve this by presenting ideas in an orderly manner and by expressing yourself

40、smoothly and precisely. By developing ideas clearly and logically and leading readers smoothly from thought to thought, you make the task of reading an agreeable one.The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between “l(fā)ightening” and “l(fā)ightening bug.” 下一個字，像下一個

41、棋子一樣下一個字，像下一個棋子一樣，一個字有一個字的用場，不，一個字有一個字的用場，不能隨便亂放，敲好它的聲音，能隨便亂放，敲好它的聲音，配好它的顏色，審好它的意義配好它的顏色，審好它的意義，放好它的位置。誰來看了，放好它的位置。誰來看了，都只能贊賞，而不能挪動它。都只能贊賞，而不能挪動它。The test of what word to use, then, is made of 3 Qs:1. Do I know what this word means and suggests? （詞義） 2. Do I know what its quality or atmosphere is? （

42、詞隱義） 3. Do I know what its “hooks” are for linking it with other words. （搭配）Jehol vertebrates had experienced significant radiationsJehol vertebrates had undergone significant (adaptive) radiationsYou experienced the pain of giving birth to a child (or the thrill of sexual climax), but you underwent

43、 a surgery!You do not propose an opinionyou voice one;You do not provide a suggestionyou make one; You do not advance a hypothesisyou propose one.“The Ancient Ship” was translated from the Chinese by Howard Goldblatt.“The Da Vinci Code” has been translated into Chinese.An estimated 2,200 people died

44、 in recent Yushu earthquake.Michael Jordan is an NBA player.Most faults in the region run in a NE/SW direction.Poland is a EU country.The boy is climbing up the tree.The boy is climbing down from the top of the tree.Chairman Mao said President Chiang is a dictator.Chairman Mao, said President Chiang

45、, is a dictator. A writer is like a bean planthe has his little day, and then gets stringy. -E. B. White The Future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is. -C. S. Lewis Mechanical problems appears to be a major reason for the poor da

46、ta. Mechanical problems with the inclinometer appears to be a major reason for the poor data. The composition of each sample was examined carefully. The composition and texture of each sample was examined carefully.The Wasatch Mountains are (form) a narrow, upfaulted range.Eolian strata of the Weber

47、 are (compose) the chief petroleum reservoir. Large-scale volcanic eruptions in Iceland began in early April, 2010; this disrupted the air travels of many people in Europe for almost a week.He told her that he wanted to marry her frequently.We saw a man on a horse with a wooden leg.He took a frog to biology class in a glass jar.At the age of five, his father died.Running through rain, his clothes got soaked.Preparing for the ex