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Improving together : Better science writing through peer learning

Stiller-Reeve, Mathew A. ; Heuzé, Céline ; Ball, William T. ; White, Rachel H. ; Messori, Gabriele ; Van Der Wiel, Karin ; Medhaug, Iselin ; Eckes, Annemarie H. LU orcid ; O'Callaghan, Amee and Newland, Mike J. , et al. (2016) In Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 20(7). p.2965-2973
Abstract

Science, in our case the climate and geosciences, is increasingly interdisciplinary. Scientists must therefore communicate across disciplinary boundaries. For this communication to be successful, scientists must write clearly and concisely, yet the historically poor standard of scientific writing does not seem to be improving. Scientific writing must improve, and the key to long-term improvement lies with the early-career scientist (ECS). Many interventions exist for an ECS to improve their writing, like style guides and courses. However, momentum is often difficult to maintain after these interventions are completed. Continuity is key to improving writing. This paper introduces the ClimateSnack project, which aims to motivate ECSs to... (More)

Science, in our case the climate and geosciences, is increasingly interdisciplinary. Scientists must therefore communicate across disciplinary boundaries. For this communication to be successful, scientists must write clearly and concisely, yet the historically poor standard of scientific writing does not seem to be improving. Scientific writing must improve, and the key to long-term improvement lies with the early-career scientist (ECS). Many interventions exist for an ECS to improve their writing, like style guides and courses. However, momentum is often difficult to maintain after these interventions are completed. Continuity is key to improving writing. This paper introduces the ClimateSnack project, which aims to motivate ECSs to develop and continue to improve their writing and communication skills. The project adopts a peer-learning framework where ECSs voluntarily form writing groups at different institutes around the world. The group members learn, discuss, and improve their writing skills together. Several ClimateSnack writing groups have formed. This paper examines why some of the groups have flourished and others have dissolved. We identify the challenges involved in making a writing group successful and effective, notably the leadership of self-organized groups, and both individual and institutional time management. Within some of the groups, peer learning clearly offers a powerful tool to improve writing as well as bringing other benefits, including improved general communication skills and increased confidence.

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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
volume
20
issue
7
pages
9 pages
publisher
European Geophysical Society
external identifiers
  • scopus:84979599697
ISSN
1027-5606
DOI
10.5194/hess-20-2965-2016
language
English
LU publication?
no
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2016 Author(s). Copyright: Copyright 2016 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
id
291ebded-1dab-48f4-8142-55f0b76624e8
date added to LUP
2021-05-12 13:55:11
date last changed
2022-03-26 19:43:28
@article{291ebded-1dab-48f4-8142-55f0b76624e8,
  abstract     = {{<p>Science, in our case the climate and geosciences, is increasingly interdisciplinary. Scientists must therefore communicate across disciplinary boundaries. For this communication to be successful, scientists must write clearly and concisely, yet the historically poor standard of scientific writing does not seem to be improving. Scientific writing must improve, and the key to long-term improvement lies with the early-career scientist (ECS). Many interventions exist for an ECS to improve their writing, like style guides and courses. However, momentum is often difficult to maintain after these interventions are completed. Continuity is key to improving writing. This paper introduces the ClimateSnack project, which aims to motivate ECSs to develop and continue to improve their writing and communication skills. The project adopts a peer-learning framework where ECSs voluntarily form writing groups at different institutes around the world. The group members learn, discuss, and improve their writing skills together. Several ClimateSnack writing groups have formed. This paper examines why some of the groups have flourished and others have dissolved. We identify the challenges involved in making a writing group successful and effective, notably the leadership of self-organized groups, and both individual and institutional time management. Within some of the groups, peer learning clearly offers a powerful tool to improve writing as well as bringing other benefits, including improved general communication skills and increased confidence.</p>}},
  author       = {{Stiller-Reeve, Mathew A. and Heuzé, Céline and Ball, William T. and White, Rachel H. and Messori, Gabriele and Van Der Wiel, Karin and Medhaug, Iselin and Eckes, Annemarie H. and O'Callaghan, Amee and Newland, Mike J. and Williams, Sian R. and Kasoar, Matthew and Elisa Wittmeier, Hella and Kumer, Valerie}},
  issn         = {{1027-5606}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  number       = {{7}},
  pages        = {{2965--2973}},
  publisher    = {{European Geophysical Society}},
  series       = {{Hydrology and Earth System Sciences}},
  title        = {{Improving together : Better science writing through peer learning}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-2965-2016}},
  doi          = {{10.5194/hess-20-2965-2016}},
  volume       = {{20}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}