How to Write an Article on a Scientific Topic

Writing an article on a scientific topic is different that writing an article on most other topics.  It is not as easy, as the writing is more technical.  Your reader will also most likely already possess a large body of knowledge relevant to your topic.  In scientific writing you are writing for fellow peers.  Here are recommendations on how to write an article on a scientific topic.

Make Pretend you are writing for the Expert in your Field

• This sounds simple enough, but it very helpful to keep this at the forefront of your mind.  An expert in your field already knows much of your article well.
• Therefore, you have to prove to the expert that you too know the material well and are able to provide new material that the expert does not know.
• This is what scientific writing is, and this is why the expert is reading your article, to learn new relevant information.

Include All the Key Components Expected in Scientific Writing

• Scientific article writing is very specific.  Similar to any article, essay or paper, there are sections included that are meant to organize the writing into a coherent, easy to follow fashion.  For scientific article writing, there are specific sections that must be used.  Simply put, it’s got to “look” like science.
• In scientific writing, the sections indeed do jump out to the reader as science.  Without even knowing the title of an article, one can see if it’s scientific in nature by only see the word “abstract” at the top.
• These sections include the abstract, an introduction, the literature review, the research performed, the methods used, and a conclusion.  Be sure to include all in your article and review what each section comprises.

Perform a Literature Review Right Before you Begin Writing

• Ensure you have a thorough understanding of the literature relevant to your topic.  You did this already when coming up with your topic.  However, reviewing the literature again before you begin writing your article is beneficial.
• You will begin your writing with a fresh recollection of the research already performed and be able to stay on point through the whole article.
• Staying on topic is important.  However, by the time you are ready to write your findings, you have become so intimately invested in your topic that you can easily not realize when you are going off point.  Re-reading the literature review will lasso you in, so to speak.

At first, writing a scientific article can seem tricky, and it is to a degree compared to other styles of writing.  The recommendations offered here should help you get that article written.  Good luck and thank you for contributing to the body of scientific knowledge.