Science writing comes in two main forms - writing about science and writing in the context of science. Writing about science includes popular science writing by journalists and public information officers, while writing in the context of science refers to scientific writing that reports factual information for other scientists. Science writing shares some similarities with other genres like using concise language and citation styles, but also has differences - it uses impersonal and objective language with technical terms, and commonly employs the IMRD structure. Understanding these similarities and differences can help move from discomfort reading scientific texts to greater ease and expertise in various writing genres.

1. SCIENCE WRITING:
HOW DIFFERENT/SIMILAR
IS IT FROM OTHER
FORMS OF WRITING
GROUP E
DEVC 263-Communication of
Scientific and Technical Information
Ma. Theresa De Panes
Ma. Elena Dellosa
Peter Mark Duran
Diody Fadullan
Marjorie Manlulu
Alnard Alejandro Pagulayan
Julius Neil Piala
Nheru Veraflor

2. Science writing like any other form of writing
is said to be an art because it is an
expression of human’s creative mind.

3. Science writing may come in two forms:
(1) writing about science, and
(2) writing in the context of science
(Velasco, Sison, Moran, & Flor, 2005).

4. WRITING ABOUT
SCIENCE
WRITING IN THE
CONTEXT OF SCIENCE
SCIENCE WRITING
POPULAR SCIENCE WRITINGSCIENTIFIC WRITING

5. leans more into
“technical writing” which
report factual information
for an intended audience
WRITING IN THE
CONTEXT OF SCIENCE
SCIENTIFIC
WRITING
(Velasco et al., 2007)

6. POPULAR
SCIENCE
WRITING
WRITING ABOUT SCIENCE
Pertains to various materials
produced by journalists (e.g.
science journalism) or science
public information officers
(CASW, nd)

7. SCIENCE
WRITING:
HOW SIMILAR OR
DIFFERENT IS IT
WITH OTHER
FORMS OF WRITING
• Science Writing
• Business Writing
• Journalistic Writing
• Creative Writing

8. CREATIVE
WRITING
It may be divided into:
1) Fiction-products of the
author’s imagination,
and;
2) Nonfiction-writings that
are based on real events
or persons

9. BUSINESS
WRITING
It is mainly done in the
workplace setting, such as
business letters, proposals,
and application packages.

10. JOURNALISM
Journalism are written
accounts of true events that
is of interest to a large group
of people. These are the
stories you read about in the
newspapers or hear over the
television or radio.

11. COMPARING &
CONTRASTING
Science Writing with
Other Forms of Writing
• Style
• Language
• Structure

12. Science Writing
Business Writing
Journalistic Writing
Creative Writing
GENRE STYLE
Concise, Citation styles according to discipline
(APA, MLA, Chicago or Turabian, IEEE)
Concise, Simple, Persuasive,
Includes a Call to Action
Concise
AP Style (Associated Press)
Can be lengthy, Highly descriptive,
Emphasis on narrative craft

13. Science Writing
Business Writing
Journalistic Writing
Creative Writing
GENRE LANGUAGE
Impersonal, Objective, Factual,
Technical Terms/Jargon
Personable language, You-centered language,
Simple and understandable language
Simple and understandable. Objective,
Active voice preferred over passive voice
Connotative language, Extended
metaphors, Figures of speech

14. Science Writing
Business Writing
Journalistic Writing
Creative Writing
GENRE STRUCTURE
Commonly employs IMRD format
Employs a variety of
Thought Organization models.
Emphasis on developing strong Lead
Commonly employs the inverted pyramid
Three-act structure: Set-up ;
Confrontation; Resolution

15. MOVE

16. from
DISCOMFORT AND
CONFUSION IN READING
SCIENTIFIC TEXTS
to
RELATIVE EASE AND
COMFORTABILITY
BY ANTICIPATING
STRUCTURE (IMRAD)

17. from
UNDERSTANDING
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITIONS
to
GAINING EXPERTISE IN
ANY GENRE OF WRITING

18. from
BEING PASSIVE READERS
OF DIFFERENT GENRES
OF WRITING
to
BEING ACTIVE AGENTS
OF “EQUIVALENT
ENLIGHTENMENT”

19. icons from: www. flaticon.com
References:
CASW. (2018, June 1). Who are Science Writers?. Retrieved October 19, 2018 from http://casw.org/casw/who-
are-science-writers
Journalism Education (2010, August 20). “Journalism Story Structure”. Retrieved October 6, 2018, from
http://journalism-education.cubreporters.org/2010/08/journalism-storystructure.html?m=1
Oxford Royale Academy (2018, August 30). 7 Techniques from Creative Writing You Can Use to Improve Your
Essays. Retrieved October 6, 2018, from https://www.oxfordroyale.co.uk/articles/techniques-creative-
writing-improve-essays.html
Patterson, Amanda (n.d.) 7 Characteristics of Effective Business Writing. retrieved October 6, 2018 from
https://writerswrite.co.za/7-essential-characteristics-of-effective-businesswriting/PEOI. (n.d.).
Journalistic Writing. Retrieved October 6, 2018, from
http://www.peoi.org/Courses/Coursesen/mass/mass5.html
Velasco, M. T. (n.d.). Module 8 - Writing for Different S&T Materials. In Communication of Scientific and Technical
Information (p. 182)