Here's one from the "Let's eat Grandma" division: Joshua Yearsley offers three examples and four more tips on proper adverb placement: "When used correctly, adverbs provide key pieces of information. They can be the difference between the reader being totally lost and being along for the ride. However, one very common error in academic writing is improper placement adverbs and adverbial phrases." One tip: "If you don’t need an adverb/adverbial phrase, don’t use one."
Science writing news
Journalists now have to assume that their government will spy on them and their sources, Dan Gillmor argues: "They will have to take many more precautions as they do their work — especially when it comes to the absolutely essential work of finding government whistleblowers. The alternative is being almost entirely neutered, because no whistleblower in his or her right mind today should have much trust in journalists' ability to prevent discovery."
Jalees Rehman doesn't think much of most contemporary science journalism. Writing in the Guardian, Rehman accuses science writers of placing too much faith in the peer review process: "Critical science journalism requires a careful analysis of all the data presented in a paper and is likely to uncover key limitations and flaws that scientific researchers themselves do not readily divulge." Followup: Rehman discusses reaction to his piece.
Revising a book for a new edition is hard, and research and writing is only part of it, writes NASW member Mark Pendergrast, author of a Coca-Cola history now in its third edition: "You would think publishing a third edition would be a no brainer. My editor at Basic Books agreed. But it’s not always so easy. In some cases, re-publishing an older book may mean getting the publisher to let the rights revert to you and publishing it on your own."
The Angelina Jolie Story, writ large. Her surgeon's notes. The BRCA1 gene and breast cancer. Carl Zimmer presents an evolutionary weirdness about the mutant BRCA1 gene. Pros and cons of bilateral mastectomy. Costs of genetic testing and breast cancer surgery. Obamacare will pay, but will it pay all? More on gene patenting and the Myriad Genetics story. Finally: it appears that breast implants increase breast cancer deaths.
Sabrina Doyle writes on the Canadian Science Writers Association site about the differences between reporting as a writer and reporting for video, such as sound: "When you’re working alone, it can be overwhelming the number of things you need to check — focus, lighting, composition, white balance, and let’s not forget what the person is actually saying — but adding audio to the list of priorities is crucial. If the sound’s bad, nobody’s going to listen."
Gini Dietrich writes on PR Daily about a novel approach for getting attention from journalists — a "response campaign" of commenting on stories by targeted writers: "If you are consistent and post intelligent comments once a week, you'll soon develop relationships with journalists who call you when they need someone to interview. Yes, it takes some time. Yes, it's hard work. Yes, it requires you to keep up with your reading. But it works 100 percent of the time."
Does a new science magazine, Nautilus, signal a new golden age of science journalism? In CJR, Curtis Brainard argues that the rebirth was already happening online: "In fact, some of the blogs that are driving the renaissance in science writing have been around for a decade, and critics have long recognized their role in the revival." Also, Nautilus advisor Sean Carroll says what he thinks of the site's main backer, the Templeton Foundation.
This should prompt some knowing nods. Walt Kania has compiled a tongue-in-cheek list of Freelancing Rules of Thumb addressing such details as pay rates, deadlines, expenses, and of course pitches, such as this nugget: "For every ten new people you talk to, five will call you back. Three will try you on an assignment. One will turn out to be a long-term client with a decent budget. Somewhere in there will also be a lunatic. Just hope it’s not the one with the money."