Abstract
This is a curious book. It is fun to read, and even more amusing to browse, but we would not have guessed that there was a need for a step-by-step guide of this type. This is the second edition, so the first edition must have sold well, but to whom is a mystery to us. Perhaps this book is bought by mentors for students who find it impossible to begin writing, or by students in mandatory courses in what ought to have been inculcated at a far earlier stage in their education. In either case, it will deliver enthusiastic moral support, providing a straw man to joust at, in a lucid and interesting style. It starts at a very basic level, even in discussing the internet where it is likely that the readers will know more than the authors or at least be more at ease. For example, on page 33, it is stated that “TCP/IP is not a language, it is a protocol.” But perhaps by starting with information that all readers must be aware of, the book will build confidence in even the most timid writers. The contents are exquisitely detailed, with the numerous subheadings listed for each chapter. This makes it easy to find specific information on a particular topic, such as using the correct tense, choosing illustrations and figures, or knowing how and when to use trade names.
We would not argue with the fundamental tenet that scientific writing begins at the same point as the research, which is by asking a question, and we agree that it is important to address whether a study is really worth writing about. But we would hope that authors have much higher standards for publication than those listed on page 2, which includes “the results and conclusions are reasonably consistent, reproducible and complete”! We would turn the issue on its head and urge the beginning writer to decide on the message of the intended publication and assemble the figures they would use. This is the time to get input from supervisors, peers, and colleagues, and to ensure that the logical progression of the work is adequately documented. This early stage almost invariably suggests more experiments or literature review.
We are surprised that the book spends so much time describing how to become knowledgeable in the specialty the writer has chosen; students are very poorly served if this is not undertaken by their supervisor. We see the role of the supervisor as integral to the whole writing process, offering timely support and corrections as the neophyte authors take their first tentative steps. We are less pessimistic about word-processing grammar checkers than are the authors; students whose first language does not use definite and indefinite articles can be helped greatly by running their prose through such a routine, even if there is still a need for polishing by hand afterwards. And we would tease the authors for suggesting that “et al.” stands for the masculine “et alii” rather than the neutral “et alia” While using the spelling and grammar check on this review, we were reminded that we had had the temerity to exceed the usual sentence length.
But all in all, this book is fun, offering sentences for correction that include such chestnuts as “The dog survived on spam and vaseline,” “Migraines strike twice as many women as do men,” and “Panda Mating Fails: Veterinarian Takes Over.” Quotations by famous people abound and add interest. We are implored to watch out for lazy verbs, to unmask disguised verb forms, and not to overuse colorless verbs or woolly words. This is good advice for all of us, as the examples given are all too familiar to readers of scientific literature. Almost everyone will learn something from reading this book; perhaps it would become a genuine best seller if scientists weren't so proud!