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The Science of Writing – the classic Scientifc American article on how to write well

June 24, 2013 by Leave a Comment

The Science of Writing by George Gopen and Judith Swan

This article was published in the Nov-Dec 1990 issue of Scientific American.

From the introduction:

Science is often hard to read. Most people assume that its difficulties are born out of necessity, out of extreme complexity of scientific concepts, data and analysis. We argue here that complexity of thought need not lead to impenetrability of expression; we demonstrate a number of rhetorical principles that can produce clarity in communication without oversimplifying scientific issues. The results are substantive, not merely cosmetic: Improving the quality of writing actually improves the quality of thought.

Gopen and Swan propose offer these 7 writing-style rules:

  1. Follow a grammatical subject as soon as possible with its verb.
  2. Place in the stress position (i.e. the end of the sentence) the “new information” you want the reader to emphasize.
  3. Place the person or thing whose “story” a sentence is telling at the beginning of the sentence, in the topic position.
  4. Place appropriate “old information” (material  already stated in the discourse) in the topic position for linkage backward and contextualization forward.
  5. Articulate the action of every clause or sentence in its verb.
  6. In general, provide context for your reader before asking that reader to consider anything new.
  7. In general, try to ensure that the relative emphases of the substance coincide with the relative expectations for emphasis raised by the structure.

OK – – the authors weren’t the clearest of writers. The rules are sound, but writers will need to do practice exercises to master them. So has someone produced any useful practice exercises?

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How can I write well?

January 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Answer: Follow these famous witty rules of William Safire:

William Safire’s Rules for Writers:

  • Remember to never split an infinitive.
  • The passive voice should never be used.
  • Do not put statements in the negative form.
  • Verbs have to agree with their subjects.
  • Proofread carefully to see if you words out.
  • If you reread your work, you can find on rereading a great deal of repetition can be by rereading and editing.
  • A writer must not shift your point of view.
  • And don’t start a sentence with a conjunction. (Remember, too, a preposition is a terrible word to end a sentence with.)
  • Don’t overuse exclamation marks!!
  • Place pronouns as close as possible, especially in long sentences, as of 10 or more words, to their antecedents.
  • Writing carefully, dangling participles must be avoided.
  • If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.
  • Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixing metaphors.
  • Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.
  • Everyone should be careful to use a singular pronoun with singular nouns in their writing.
  • Always pick on the correct idiom.
  • The adverb always follows the verb.
  • Last but not least, avoid cliches like the plague; seek viable alternatives.

Written by William Safire  in his “On Language” column in the New York Times on 4 November 1979

Here are some more famous rules writing rules:


George Orwell’s 6 Rules for Writing Well:

1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.

2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.

3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.

4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.

5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.

6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

from George Orwell: Politics and the English Language

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