Writing Science
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Writing Science
How to Write Papers That Get Cited and
Proposals That Get Funded
J O S H U A S C H I M E L
1
1
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Copyright © 2012 by Oxford University Press
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Schimel, Joshua.
Writing science : how to write papers that get cited and proposals that get funded / Joshua Schimel.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-19-976023-7 (hardcover : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-19-976024-4 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Technical writing. 2. Proposal writing for grants. I. Title.
T11.S35 2012
808.06’65—dc23
2011028465
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
To my father, Jack Schimel, who loved language
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CONTENTS
Preface ix
Acknowledgments xiii
1 Writing in Science 3
2 Science Writing as Storytelling 8
3 Making a Story Sticky 16
4 Story Structure 26
5 Th e Opening 35
6 Th e Funnel: Connecting O and C 50
7 Th e Challenge 58
8 Action 67
9 Th e Resolution 83
10 Internal Structure 95
11 Paragraphs 104
12 Sentences 112
13 Flow 124
14 Energizing Writing 133
15 Words 145