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You may ask why anyone would want to write yet another book about scientific
writing. There are many books on the subject, some more useful than others,
and the abundance of literature on this topic may confuse rather than guide.
I felt that this book was necessary for several reasons. During the past
years, I have learnt much about the needs of scientific communicators, both
through my personal experience as a pharmacologist and, later, through
teaching scientific writing at universities, pharmaceutical companies, and
other institutions. In today’s busy world, guidance on scientific writing must
be focused and to the point. Our constraints no longer permit the timeconsuming
search for the “correct” word or formulation. Moreover, the speed
by which we produce a manuscript has become increasingly important, be it
in academia or the pharmaceutical industry. Scientists often find it difficult to
accept that their professional success essentially depends on their skill and
efficiency to communicate their research results. Without any doubt, the rapid
exchange of pertinent information is critical to scientific advancement and
should therefore be regarded with due respect.
A second, perhaps even more important reason for writing this book is my
personal concern for everyone challenged to write high-quality texts in a
language that is not his or her native tongue. As a Swiss-Anglo hybrid (as I like
to call myself), I sympathize with their special circumstances and wish to
make a contribution to overcoming linguistic dilemmas. |
