Vrinda Nair Profile picture
May 12 21 tweets 5 min read
The Science of Scientific Writing!

I don't have to stress about how much a PhD student has to write. Yet, sometimes we find ourselves in such an apprehensive situation that it becomes difficult to write.

A 🧵

@PhDVoice @OpenAcademics @AcademicChatter @ThePhDPlace @PhD_Genie
These points are helping me in a way to become a better scientific writer day by day. I hope it will help you too.

My major inspiration to write these points is from this article: usenix.org/sites/default/… which my supervisor suggested.
And I wish, I should have read this many years back. Anyways, you're never too late to learn anything.

Note: If you know these points already, I hope it turns out to be a reminder for you. Happy reading!
1. Keep your readers in mind: Write your piece accordingly to how you wish to read it. Your readers will have a different set of backgrounds even though it's a scientist who is working in another field.
If a sentence doesn't make sense to you then it will not be interpreted in the same way by your reader.
2. Have a “Shape or Structure “: A reader is consciously or unconsciously looking for a shape or structure to your writing. It's the author who will lead the reader through the article.
Imagine, when you read a journal article: you already know the structure because by now you're familiar with it.
3. Complexity increases misinterpretation: We all are masters when it comes to making things complex but it will not reach the reader with the same intent.
For example:
When people (like my family or friends) ask, what am I doing with my PhD project?

I say: I am finding new antibiotics using computers.

When someone who has a science background asks me

I say: I am finding new antibiotic hybrids using artificial intelligence.
When someone who is in my field asks me

I say: Drug design of small molecules implementing a deep learning model.

I learned to simplify my research project majorly because I participated in the #3MT competition.

To simplify is the major key!
4. Hook lines: Never underestimate the power of a hook line. Especially, when you're writing articles or essays. This catches the reader's attention.
5. The stress position: The article linked above has explained it beautifully. So it means, readers naturally emphasize the material that arrives at the end of a sentence.

We tend to take something like a “mental breath” and we begin to exhale that mental breath.
The exhalation produces a sense of emphasis.
6. The topic position: Again, the article linked above has explained it beautifully. But what it means is to “Save the best for last”
7. Link and context: Link all your sentences which technically means the reader should be able to look backwards and no sentence should be left incomplete. Provide context, which means the reader should be able to look forward to what the writer is offering.
Both the connections are important in any scientific writing.
8. The scientific process: Have old and new information, story, context and linkage. This will help the reader understand what you want to convey through your writing.
9. Give examples: Examples that people can relate to or are easy to understand.
10. Embrace your personal writing style: As mentioned in the article, “There can be no fixed algorithm for good writing”. So look to enhance your style of writing.
Final point 1: I am not an expert or super pro writer but these points help me whenever I sit down to write and keep me moving ahead with my writings. Even, I learn through trial and error methods. Always remember to implement these changes.

Happy writing!
Final point 2: Quoting from the article, “Science is often hard to read”. Improving the quality of writing actually improves the quality of thought.

#scicomm #phdchat #scientificwriter #Science

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More from @VnVrinda

Apr 30
Sharing “April” tweets and threads regarding PhD resources that I wrote. So that it's all in one place. I think it will help me too to find everything together.

A 🧵

@AcademicChatter @OpenAcademics @PhD_Genie @ThePhDPlace @PhDVoice #AcademicTwitter #scicomm #phdchat
Read 12 tweets
Apr 29
PhD students: Check these points in your CV when you apply for any awards.

You may be already familiar with some points but still, it's worth reading (I guess)!

A🧵

@AcademicChatter @OpenAcademics @PhD_Genie @ThePhDPlace @PhDVoice #AcademicTwitter #scicomm #phdchat
I recently had a chance to review some applications for a certain type of award and here are some points I hope can be helpful to you.

The selection process for any awards still depends on many factors but if you think these points may improve your chance then best wishes.
1. Make it simple: A simple and easy to follow CV will provide more insights, stick to one colour and make use of “BOLD” or “italics” wherever necessary.
Read 15 tweets
Apr 26
A PhD student checklist to keep track of!

It helps me be efficient enough to keep moving ahead in my program. I expect this will help you too!

A 🧵

@PhDVoice @ThePhDPlace @PhD_Genie @PhDspeaks @CouragePhD @AcademicChatter @OpenAcademics #phdchat #scicomm @PhDForum
1. Weekly summary report: My supervisor has made a point to submit a weekly summary report before every meeting. This has been a game-changer for sure because it helps you keep a track of what you did and what goals to have to set forth.
Here's the weekly summary report format (if you need it).

> Previous Meeting Highlights
> Activities (What you did/accomplished)
> Difficulties (Problems that cropped up / things that stumped you)
Read 16 tweets
Apr 25
I thought I am late for this Twitter party! and decided to delete my account but something changed my mind...

As someone, who is on LinkedIn (now kind of active) and has a blog where I write my learnings and philosophy. I thought that social media is “NOT” for me.

A 🧵
As you see, I made my account in January 2022 as a part of the public scholar program that my university has and became active in April 2022. So I thought if I don't get selected (btw the results are still not out) I would simply delete my account and move on.
Honestly, it’s not because I don’t care, but I can’t get a grip on this world of social media. Describe me as a person who lives under a rock. I believe I am the last to discover the happenings.
Read 6 tweets
Apr 22
Tools for your PhD Journey...

I have found a list of “22” things which I have found quite helpful over the years as a researcher, writer and designer.

A 🧵

@PhDVoice @ThePhDPlace @PhD_Genie @PhDspeaks @CouragePhD @AcademicChatter @OpenAcademics #phdchat #scicomm @PhDForum
1. Digital notebooks like @Labstep and a physical notebook: To write your experiments, short and long-term goals, updates etc.

2. Portable reading tools like @AmazonKindle or iPad. It's easy to carry (anywhere), read, highlight, and jot down notes.
3. Bibliography manager: Not a secret anymore! You can use @zotero and @mendeley_com. Also, @ConnectedPapers to build a graph of similar papers.

4. @unpaywall to access the full text of scholarly articles.
Read 12 tweets
Apr 9
How to invest in yourself!

Grad students: Investing in yourself without the guilt of wasting time is a necessary step. There are many ways to find out what suits you and all the interest(s) you have.

A 🧵

#AcademicChatter @PhDVoice @OpenAcademics @CouragePhD #scicomm
∆ Upgrade your skills

I strongly believe in multiplying skills and frequently upgrading with facts and aptitudes. This life has an ocean of information. The more you learn, the more you discover.

Sometimes I take this quote seriously: “Jack of all trades and master of none”.
∆ Challenge Yourself

Strangely, it gives straight-up confidence to try something new. But for the fact, we are all champions. We mark up our growth through struggles, face situations that are not in our favour, and life also throws up challenges from time to time.
Read 10 tweets

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