When you ask students about the traits a good scientist possesses, strong writing skills might not be on the top of their list. Effectively communicating ideas and findings, however, is vitally important to those working in scientific fields. Helping students become better writers and communicators isn’t something that is left in English class. It is something that science teachers have a hand in as well. I am by no means an expert, and there may very well be grammatical, spelling, or stylistic errors in this post, but I do use a number of strategies to encourage the students I work with to become better science writers.
First, I try to educate students about the nature of science and science careers as well as science content. Students are often unaware that preparing manuscripts for publication is a huge part of the job of many scientists. Additionally, students don’t stop to think about how many scientific discoveries build upon previous research, and without publications, it would be difficult for scientists to know what other scientists are working on. Finally, children don’t realize that there are many writing careers related to science. For example, they could write for a science magazine, radio program or TV show, they could create content for websites, or they could publish their research. By discussing the different roles writing plays in science, I hope that students see that a love of writing doesn’t mean you can’t study science.
I also try to include writing components in many of the activities I do. Sometimes this is in the form of a worksheet or lab report, and other times it is a journal or a blog entry. Including a writing component may seem obvious, but I have worked with some teachers who only grade student lab reports on science concepts and don’t give feedback on grammar, spelling, or clarity. In my line of work, I don’t give grades, but I do give students feedback that includes comments on both content and their writing in general. This helps students correct mistakes, and again reinforces the idea that writing is a vital part of science. I tell them, “Just because you are doing a science writing assignment doesn’t mean you don’t have to proofread!”
Finally, I try to get my students to enjoy science language. Science writing can be different from other types of writing, and sometimes words that we use in everyday life have very different meanings when used in the context of science. Highlighting these differences can help clear up confusion and can actually encourage students to appreciate language even more. Also, we all know that one kid who can tell you the name of any dinosaur with perfect pronunciation, and I’ve also worked with students who want to tell you the scientific names of trees or the terms used to describe mitosis. Many students like learning cool, fancy-sounding scientific terms, so I don’t shy away from that, even with young learners. One of the reasons I fell in love with neuroscience is because of the names of the different neuroanatomical structures. When I’m teaching students (or adults) about the brain, I ask the students to repeat the names of the structures with me, and I tell them why I think the name is cool. I stress that they don’t necessarily need to remember the terms, but I note that they’re fun to say and impressive to take home to their parents. You never know what might spark a student’s interest!
Do you have specific techniques for how to encourage effective science writing skills? Do you see that students have particular problems with science writing?
