The Chicago Guide to Communicating Science - (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing) 2nd Edition by Scott L Montgomery (Paperback)

About the Book

This book is a comprehensive guide to scientific communication that has been used widely in courses and workshops as well as by individual scientists and other professionals since its first publication in 2002. This revision accounts for the many ways in which the globalization of research and the changing media landscape have altered scientific communication over the past decade. With an increased focus throughout on how research is communicated in industry, government, and non-profit centers as well as in academia, it now covers such topics as the opportunities and perils of online publishing, the need for translation skills, and the communication of scientific findings to the broader world, both directly through speaking and writing and through the filter of traditional and social media. It also offers advice for those whose research concerns controversial issues, such as climate change and emerging viruses, in which clear and accurate communication is especially critical to the scientific community and the wider world.

Book Synopsis

A handy, compact, accessible guide to help every scientist share their work with the general public

For more than a decade, The Chicago Guide to Communicating Science has been the go-to reference for anyone who needs to write or speak about their research. Whether a student writing a thesis, a faculty member composing a grant proposal, or a public information officer crafting a press release, Scott Montgomery's advice is perfectly adaptable to any scientific writer's needs.

This new edition has been thoroughly revised to address crucial issues in the changing landscape of scientific communication, with an increased focus on those writers working in corporate settings, government, and nonprofit organizations as well as academia. Half a dozen new chapters tackle the evolving needs and paths of scientific writers. These sections address plagiarism and fraud, writing graduate theses, translating scientific material, communicating science to the public, and the increasing globalization of research.

The Chicago Guide to Communicating Science recognizes that writers come to the table with different needs and audiences. Through solid examples and concrete advice, Montgomery sets out to help scientists develop their own voice and become stronger communicators. He also teaches readers to think about their work in the larger context of communication about science, addressing the roles of media and the public in scientific attitudes as well as offering advice for those whose research concerns controversial issues such as climate change or emerging viruses.

More than ever, communicators need to be able to move seamlessly among platforms and styles. The Chicago Guide to Communicating Science's comprehensive coverage means that scientists and researchers will be able to expertly connect with their audiences, no matter the medium.

Review Quotes

"That the author excels at demystifying the language of science will surprise no one who is familiar with the original edition. Montgomery again provides accessible, actionable advice that will help researchers excel at the fundamentals of their craft, from writing and reviewing scientific manuscripts to drafting compelling grant proposals and to delivering engaging oral presentations. However, it is in the second edition's newest material that the book truly shines. The author's exploration of new topics such as teaching science communication, communicating science to public audiences, science translation, and online communication necessarily address the increased dynamism of the modern communication ecosystem for science."-- "Quarterly Review of Biology"

"Enhanced with approximately 100 additional pages, this second edition is a testament to the success of the first one. . . . Montgomery emphasizes reaching nontechnical audiences and characterizes clear and compelling communications as 'required forms of professional competence.'"-- "Choice"

"Montgomery acknowledges that the training of scientists, unlike higher education in the humanities, has long excluded the formal development of writing, oral presentation, and editing. But he sets out to dispel the notion that scientists are inherently less skilled at the art of communication. . . . Armed with a little more knowledge of basic tenets of writing, he says, any scientist can write with eloquence."--Praise for the first edition "Science"

"Montgomery again provides accessible, actionable advice that will help researchers excel at the fundamentals of their craft, from writing and reviewing scientific manuscripts to drafting compelling grant proposals and to delivering engaging oral presentations. However, it is in the second edition's newest material that the book truly shines. The author's exploration of new topics such as teaching science communication, communicating science to public audiences, science translation, and online communication necessarily address the increased dynamism of the modern communication ecosystem for science."-- "Quarterly Review of Biology"

"Montgomery wants scientists to cast off the straitjacket of convention when they write for other scientists, or at least to ask a friend to loosen the ties. He covers a huge amount of ground, from papers and review articles to book reviews, presentations, and online publishing. He has some excellent practical advice for nervous publishing virgins with writer's block as well as encouragement for more experienced writers flirting coyly with metaphor and the occasional rhetorical flourish."--Praise for the first edition "New Scientist"

About the Author

Scott L. Montgomery is an affiliate faculty member in the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington. He is the author or coauthor of numerous books, most recently The Shape of the New: Four Big Ideas and How They Made the Modern World and Does Science Need a Global Language? English and the Future of Research, the latter published by the University of Chicago Press. He lives in Seattle.