Here at SOS Writing, we believe in self-betterment and free education as matters of principle. Not everyone has the luxury of experienced Ph.D. students or postdocs to lean on and learn from, so we are here to step into the gap. We sincerely hope that these guides will be useful to you, no matter where you are in your studies.
If there are subjects you feel are missing, or you that would like more detail about, feel free to contact us and let us know, or get in touch via our Twitter page (@sos_writing). We look forward to hearing from you!
How to write a scientific paper, dissertation or thesis
In this short series of guides, we cover the basics of getting started with your manuscript. If you find this the hardest part, we recommend starting here!
- Getting into the right frame of mind for writing
- Organising your article, dissertation, or thesis
- Things to consider before you write
- The “Scientific Style” of writing
How to edit a manuscript
There’s no avoiding it. You’ll always have to revise and edit your manuscript multiple times before it’s ready for submission, so don’t be afraid of this step – no one expects you to get it “right first time”. Whether you’re writing a funding application with strict word counts you’re struggling to meet, or you’re not sure if your writing is “scientific” enough, we’ve got you covered!
- Proofreading and editing your own work
- Rephrasing for brevity
- Quick and dirty edits to instantly elevate your writing
- Making punctuation work for you
Report writing for undergraduate labs
stock image: kaboompics/pexels.com
Undergraduate labs are probably the first experience you’ll have of really writing in a scientific context, and the learning curve can be steep. This multi-part series will give you a comprehensive understanding of how to approach both the lab books you have to keep, and the lab reports you’ll have to write. We recommend that when you use these guides, you create a checklist for yourself that you can apply to your own work. You may also want to check out some of our postgraduate guides on writing and presentation if you’re stuck on how to write with the appropriate tone.
Presenting talks with confidence
If the idea of giving your first presentation is making you break out in hives, check out these guides on creating your slides and giving the illusion of confidence (even if you don’t feel it).
- Organising your slides
- Slide design
- Faking confidence (i): Improving your presentation technique
- Faking confidence (ii): An introvert’s story
Skills for Scientists YouTube series
These pages link to the written companion guides to my YouTube “Skills for Scientists” series. The written guides are intended to be used in conjunction with the YouTube videos and may not stand alone as the other written guides on this website do.
- [New!] LaTeX for Scientists
Terms of use (in plain English)
We have tried to remain quite general in writing these guides, so if there are any parts that contradict some specific rule in your field of study, use your discernment when applying what’s presented here. You are very welcome to print any of these guides for your own use, and to share these links with your friends. You can only distribute them (e.g., to student classes) if you get the author’s written permission first. You can’t pass them off as your own work, and you especially can’t make any profit from them. To check our full terms and conditions, please click here.