Scientific Writing

A crucial part of scientific work is the scientific writing, e. g. books, articles or theses. Scientific writing is not only writing a text on a research topic, but it is so much more:

  • Reading, understanding and evaluating academic literature
  • Collect own thoughts, arrange them and summarize their core elements
  • Gain new scientific knowledge from what you have read and from your own research
  • Use professional vocabulary but articulate your own findings in an understandable language
  • Cite correctly to support your own findings
  • Careful handling of sources and research data

The library of the Wissenschaftspark Albert Einstein offers services to help you with your scientific writing process:

On this page you will also find recommended reading on various aspects of scientific writing. If you have any questions about this topic, please feel free to contact us: bib@gfz-potsdam.de

Recommended Literature on Scientific Writing

Grogan, K. E. (2020): Writing Science. What Makes Scientific Writing Hard and How to Make It Easier. Bull Ecol Soc Am 00( 00):e01800. https://doi.org/10.1002/bes2.1800 [early online release]

Hotaling, S. (2020), Simple rules for concise scientific writing. Limnol Oceanogr, 5: 379-383. https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.10165

Corbin, Juliet M.; Strauss, Anselm L. (2015): Basics of qualitative research. Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. [Details]

Kamat, Prashant V.; Buriak, Jillian M.; Schatz, George C.; Weiss, Paul S. (Hrsg.) (2014): Mastering the Art of Scientific Publication. Twenty Papers with 20/20 Vision on Publishing. [Details]

Turabian, Kate L.; Booth, Wayne C.; Colomb, Gregory G. et al. (2013): A manual for writers of research papers, theses, and dissertations. Chicago Style for students and researchers. [Details]

Day, Robert A.; Gastel, Barbara (2012): How to write and publish a scientific paper. [Details]

Blackwell, John; Martin, Jan (2011): A scientific approach to scientific writing. [Details]

Glasman-Deal, Hilary (2010): Science research writing for non-native speakers of English. [Details]

Hofmann, Angelika H. (2010): Scientific writing and communication. Papers, proposals, and presentations. [Details]

Phillips, Estelle M.; Pugh, Derek S. (2010): How to get a PhD. A handbook for students and their supervisors. [Details]

More information is available in our library's reading room at 2. Science in general.

COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers. Version 2 September 2017, doi:10.24318/cope.2019.1.9

Negic, Olgica; Dekanski, Aleksandar (2016): Priority criteria in peer review of scientific articles, in: Scientometrics, 107 (1), S. 15-26, doi: 10.1007/s11192-016-1869-6 [Details]

Mayernik, Matthew S.; Callaghan, Sarah; Leigh, Roland et al. (2015): Peer review of datasets. When, why, and how, in: Bulletin of the Americal Meteorological Society, 96 (2), S. 191-201, doi: 10.1175/BAMS-D-13-00083.1 [Details]

Moore, Andrew (2013): What's in a peer review report?, in: BioEssays, 35 (2), S. 77, doi: 10.1002/bies.201390000 [Details]

Abbott, Alison (2011): A how-to for peer review, in: Nature, 473, doi: 10.1038/473017a [Details]

Nicholas, Kimberly A.; Gordon, Wendy S. (2011): A quick guide to writing a solid peer review, in: Eos - Transactions American Geophysiclal Union, 92 (28), doi: 10.1029/2011EO280001

Hames, Irene (2007): Peer review and manuscript management of scientific journals. Guidelines for good practice. [Details]

How to order author names and why that matters. [Details]

Panter, Michaela: Credit where credit is due. Best practices for authorship attribution. [Details]

German Research Foundation DFG (2013): Recommendation 11: Authorship, in: Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice - Memorandum, S. 82-84. [Details]

Scientific Integrity Committee of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences (2013): Authorship in scientific publications. Analysis and recommendations. [Details]

Albert, Tim; Wager, Elizabeth (2003): How to handle authorship disputes. A guide for new researchers, https://doi.org/10.24318/cope.2018.1.1

NISO/ALPSP JAV Technical Working Group (2008): Journal Article Versions (JAV). Recommendations of the NISO/ALSPS JAV Technical Working Group. [Details]