Writing-Communication – Scott J. Pearson’s Book Review

Write No Matter What: Advice for Academics

By Scott J. Pearson | October 5, 2024October 5, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Research and publishing stand as core disciplines in the academic work. Tenure and accolades depend on them. While writing remains central in this task, many academics get carried away in teaching and service-oriented components of a professorial life, and these distract from the solitary pursuit of writing. Outside of one’s institution (and perhaps region), however, reading a scholarly product continues as the main way others interact with research. Even conference presentations rely on good rhetoric…

Writing-Communication

Behind the Book: Eleven Authors on Their Path to Publication

By Scott J. Pearson | June 15, 2024June 15, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Publishing a book is a big deal. I’ve never done it, but I’ve read enough to appreciate each author’s contribution. Getting to that point is tough, getting through that point is tough, and after that point is tough. Then getting on to the next one is tough. Nonetheless, ways exist to expedite the process. Chris Mackenzie Jones has himself published this book to guide authors how to navigate successfully through this process. He uses the…

Writing-Communication

The Sound on the Page: Great Writers Talk about Style & Voice in Writing

By Scott J. Pearson | May 26, 2024May 26, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Books about writing offer varied advice and often contradict themselves. Should everyone write like Hemingway? Is it ok to diverge from Strunk and White’s style? How can I inject personality into writing without putting off my audience (or my editor)? These are common issues for writers, especially new or aspiring ones, and Ben Yagoda has decided to address them. He has interviewed and compiled results on acclaimed writers from many fields, genres, and styles. He…

Science Writing-Communication

Writing in the Sciences: Exploring Conventions of Scientific Discourse

By Scott J. Pearson | May 12, 2024May 12, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Much of a career in science revolves around writing challenges. A scientist has to communicate with their colleagues through journals. They have to communicate with funding agencies through requests for proposals. Not to be forgotten, they have to communicate with the wider public. Thus, scientific writing becomes a key element of the game. Likewise, understanding the forms and conventions of scientific writing can give one a professional leg up towards enhanced status in the scientific…

Healthcare Research-Education Writing-Communication

Medical Writing: A Guide for Clinicians, Educators & Researchers

By Scott J. Pearson | April 14, 2024April 14, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Much of academic literature and advancement revolve around biomedical publications. Researchers focus on peer-reviewed publications, but other forms of writing abound: grant proposals, books for healthcare workers, books for the reading public, and journals for healthcare workers. The issues posed by medical writing are relatively common across the entire enterprise. Here, Robert Taylor attempts to distill insights from his writing career into one succinct book. The resulting education can inspire readers, anticipate potential issues, and…

Research-Education Science Writing-Communication

How to Write & Publish a Scientific Paper

By Scott J. Pearson | March 23, 2024March 23, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

For any scientist, communication is a central part of the game. Yet most scientists did not major in English, nor did they receive great educational training about the field. Usually, they were focusing on their science. To compound matters, most graduate programs not at top research centers provide sparse resources to educate researchers. To supplement such a linguistic shortcoming, this book, laudably in its ninth edition, seeks to introduce the field to the scientific community.…

Research-Education Writing-Communication

Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks: A Guide to Academic Publishing Success

By Scott J. Pearson | February 18, 2024February 18, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

This book’s intended audience encompasses graduate students who are first learning to write and publish papers. It starts with the scenario in which a graduate student wrote a work for a class and needs to revise it for publication in an academic journal. It walks through a twelve-week process to spruce it up for publication. Its approach leans heavily towards the humanities and social sciences, but it attempts to address those of us in the…

Research-Education Writing-Communication

Publishing in Academic Journals

By Scott J. Pearson | December 10, 2023December 10, 2023 by Scott J. Pearson

Initially, this book left me with mixed feelings, but further research overturned those as misplaced. It clearly offers advice and insights into writing and publishing successful academic papers. The author clearly speaks from a lifetime of experience and from learning by trial and error. Although the content is brief, it is power-packed with actionable items. There’s not much fluff in this presentation. I grew concerned that she refers to Publish or Perish software numerous times…

Biography-Memoir Writing-Communication

The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr

By Scott J. Pearson | November 25, 2023November 25, 2023 by Scott J. Pearson

Memoir has become a popular field in recent decades. The novitiate often thinks that anyone can write about their own life. The experienced one knows that this task is actually incredibly hard, both in penning the work and in emotionally admitting truth to yourself. Bestselling memoir author and writing professor Mary Karr writes about values and practices she finds helpful. Importantly, she cites other authors alongside her own experience to ground her work not just…

Presentation Writing-Communication

Virtual Presentation Mastery: Tips from the Coach to Some of the World’s Best Speakers – And Me

By Scott J. Pearson | November 15, 2023November 15, 2023 by Scott J. Pearson

The global COVID pandemic changed global business culture. People began to work from home, and suddenly, most meetings and presentations happened virtually instead of in person. The technology began to outpace theory as few of us knew how to present virtually well. Obviously, a good starting approach builds off of existing practice, so many began the journey of adapting our presentations to tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams. A few years later, the pandemic has…