Wisdom from @StephenBHeard :

"Yes, I’m better than I once was; it’s hard not to improve over a long career. But that really means that instead of awful first drafts moving through mediocre fifth drafts to half-decent tenth drafts, I now have mediocre first drafts becoming half-decent fifth drafts. Along the way, my writing still benefits hugely from peer review and from editing. Everyone’s does."

https://scientistseessquirrel.wordpress.com/2024/05/14/the-tortured-poets-department-vampires-and-scientific-writing/

#ScientificWriting
#ScienceWriting

Really interesting new options are coming about with AI. Here are two that have gained traction in the past few days. This should open some interesting discussions around productivity and ethics.
https://buff.ly/3OTrDKn
https://buff.ly/3T4VP7Z

#research #ai #academicresearch #chatgpt #sciencewriting

@biology @science

Reposted from LI:

Are you a #PhD student and want to write your first paper?

Below I quote the paragraphs that I loved the most from the article in ACS Phys. Chem. Au:

1. "You might be in the fortunate situation of having a mentor who is training you in this process or even formal courses as part of your studies. But even if you do not, there is nothing to worry about─there are many resources available to help you get started."

(Full post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/andrew-akbashev_phd-research-science-activity-7164217748741316608-dFBz?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop)

@biology #publishing #sciencewriting #science

Call for new preLighters!

Please join our friendly community to:
Stay up-to-date with new preprints
Gain science writing and editing experience
Meet other early-career researchers

Find out more and hear what our current preLighters think!

https://prelights.biologists.com/news/call-for-applications-join-the-prelights-team/

Springer Nature introduces Curie, its #AI-powered scientific writing assistant

https://group.springernature.com/gp/group/media/press-releases/ai-powered-scientific-writing-assitant-launched/26176230?utm_medium=social&utm_content=organic&utm_source=linkedin&utm_campaign=SMT_&sf269602197=1

Curious to see what consequences initiatives like this will have. What's your prediction?

I'm inspired by the #SkyIslands of southern Arizona and northern Sonora. They're literally islands, and a giant laboratory for the study of evolution. The hashtag is in my profile so it's about time I wrote about them! Looking forward to more, and hoping to get directly involved in research somehow. Maybe I can be a volunteer bug collector?

#IslandBiogeography
#blaugust2023
#scienceblogging
#sciencewriting
#tucson
#evolution

https://sfmatheson.blogspot.com/2023/08/sky-islands-one-of-earths-great.html

So excited to see the cover for the 2023 Best Australian Science Writing anthology, edited this year by the Guardian's Donna Lu.
I'm stoked to be sharing space with so many legends, friends and newcomers: https://unsw.press/books/best-australian-science-writing-2023/
#ScienceWriting #anthology #ScienceJournalism

Busy day today - I'm back on RNZ in a couple of hours to talk about three big bits of science news. Then I need to hop in my car and drive to Palmy, where I'm giving a talk to highschoolers in the afternoon. After a very quick dinner, I'll be taking part in a free, public event with Massey University & Palmerston North City Library. Fingers crossed it all goes well! #scicomm #science #sciencewriting

I want to share my go-to resource for science writing.

Angelika H. Hofmann's Scientific Writing and Communication.

Whenever I get stuck on a section, I read her relevant chapter and it just makes writing so much easier! For example, I'm writing the Discussion section, she lays out what should go where and why, talks about common mistakes, and then provides a handy little checklist. So clear!!

What are your favs for #sciencewriting #sciencecommunication #PiLife #AcademicChatter ?

Today I am doing my part in #SciComm: I am a #LinguisticLandscape today with my "avocato" T-shirt for my class on #ScienceWriting. It's a avocado shaped cat or a cat shaped avocado and the writing says "avocato"

#meowlogism #cat

@linguistics

I'm glad I read this before I was also about to mention the magical talking #tree network in something I'm #writing. Apparently mycorrhizal networks aren't as all-important to trees as we've heard in the last few years.

"Journalists told emotional, persuasive, and seductive stories about the wood-wide web, amplifying the speculations of a few scientists through powerful storytelling. (...) Fantasy moved to the foreground, facts to the back."

#sciencewriting

https://undark.org/2023/05/25/where-the-wood-wide-web-narrative-went-wrong/

On a train up to #Edinburgh and thoroughly enjoying "Sticky" by @LaurieWinkless

Geckos can stick to a surface, but how do they "unstick"? Will a wet gecko stick to a surface? What about a Gecko in a vacuum? How smooth is a dolphin?
Fascinating stuff!

For the newest call for pitches to our Sparks of Change collection, we would like to hear from neurodivergent researchers. If you have a story about a specific moment that was defining for you as a neurodivergent individual navigating the academic world, get in touch here: https://elifesciences.org/inside-elife/47660a12/call-for-pitches-neurodiversity-in-academia?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=organic
#ScienceWriting #Neurodiversity #Autism #Dyscalculia #Dyspraxia #Dyslexia #ADHD #Tourettes

5pm on Friday is not the IDEAL time to start reading a complicated neuroscience paper, but it's been a very, very busy week. I think writing the story about the paper will have to wait until tomorrow #freelancelife #sciencewriting

JTM: Nature News is recruiting interns again. You don't need a lot of #journalism experience yet, so it's great for recent or almost #PhD students or other #STEM people with an interest in #sciencewriting https://careers.springernature.com/job/London-Nature-News-intern-Springer-Nature-Opening-Doors-Programme/921418501/