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‘On revision’: editing tips from a scholarly writing instructor

By Kate Jirik

Want to stump a scientist? Skip the technical zingers and ask this instead: Who among your peers do you admire for their writing ability? Whose scientific papers would you read no matter the subject?

Cue the crickets.

Science doesn’t work that way, does it? Researchers typically read for information and new knowledge, rather than style. Professional success as a scientist means advancing hypotheses, publishing evidence, and engaging peers in debate to evolve a field of study. So it makes sense that scholars think of themselves (and one another) as investigators — thinkers who write — rather than writers.

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Ciencia En Español: Best Practices for Communicating Science to Spanish Speakers

By Monica May

In San Diego, nearly a third of the population speaks Spanish, and nationally nearly 40 million people speak the language at home. Yet, science communication remains primarily English centered. As the world continues to grapple with the pandemic, face the threat of climate change and more, the need to communicate scientific news–including clinical trial openings, research breakthroughs and awe-inspiring science–in the language people are most comfortable speaking is essential. 

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How to End the Pandemic: Facts, Patience and Love

By Nicole Woolcock

A common refrain resounds throughout the Black community when national hardship strikes the United States: ‘When White folks catch a cold, Black folks get pneumonia.’ That is to say, systemic racial inequities cause economic and public health issues to disproportionately impact the Black community. The coronavirus pandemic is no exception. 

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Communicating Science to Spanish Speakers: Takeaways from the July meeting of the SANDSWA Social Justice in Science Writing club

By Monica May

Aaron Burden/Unsplash

Mario Aguilera was scrolling through Twitter when a post caught his eye. UC San Diego biologist Fabian Rivera-Chávez, Ph.D., had co-written an article in Spanish for the LA Times with the goal of encouraging vaccination in the Hispanic community. Aguilera, the director of strategic communications for UC San Diego’s Division of Biological Sciences, immediately recognized the importance of the story and followed up with Rivera-Chávez.

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The 2021 SANDSWA Writing Award

We are pleased to announce the inaugural 2021 SANDSWA Writing Awards. The competition is open to all SANDSWA members, and there are four categories: Best Traditional Media Story; Best Institutional Writing; Best Multimedia Piece; and Best Student Writing Assignment.

Winners receive a free SANDSWA membership for the upcoming year. The Best Student Writing Assignment winner will receive free registration for the next NASW annual meeting.

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