The first anthology compiled especially for the reader of scientific and technical writing, Writing About Science is now brought up to date to include some of the most powerful new voices of the past decade. Twenty-seven essays by eminent scientists--written for both popular and professional audiences--provide working models of excellence and show that scientific writing can be both imaginative and concise, efficient as well as entertaining. The contributors range from great scientists of the past, such as Michael Faraday and Charles Darwin, to important names of today, including James Watson, Francis Crick, Lynn Margulis, and Stephen J. Gould. Displaying many styles and intended for a variety of audiences, the selections are especially broad in scope: some of the essays were originally written for scientific or technical journals; others are excerpts from best-selling books; still others were first given as lectures. Helpful introductions outline each author's life and
contribution to science and place each selection in chronological and thematic context. Especially valuable is a supplementary table of contents that arranges the essays by rhetorical method, underlining the continuity between scientific exposition and writing from the traditional liberal arts. Covering a wide range of scientific writing and fully revised to include nine new essays, Writing About Science remains essential for anyone who needs to communicate scientific material in a compelling and lively fashion.
Industry Reviews
"I would use this fine text to teach writing across the curriculum. I love its organization according to rhetorical modes."--Linda Blatt, Central College
"Bowen and Schneller seem to have just the ticket both for science students--whether as a supplemental text for a technical writing course or as a collection of examples for personal study--and for professional technical communicators who wish to sharpen their skills."--Technical Communication
"Essays will be useful in looking at paragraph organization, development, transition."--Adele Sanders, University of Colorado, Boulder
"An exciting text, including major authors as well as new voices stretching the limits of the known."--Frank Battaglia, College of Staten Island, City University of New York
"An excellent collection of writings. I would identify worldview/culture, and some essays for argument analysis/assumptions and warrants."--Joyce Hooker, Brigham Young University
"A fine selection of essays by eminent scientists and directed to both popular and professional audiences. For the course built on model essays on science, this continues to be the best collection."--Russell Rutter, Illinois State University
"A very fine collection, valuable and intelligent selection."--William Hofelt, Juniata College
"The questions challenge and the writing suggestions frequently motivate. Some of the writing seletions
"A major improvement upon what was already a good text!"--Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
