Writing is typically solitary work, even if you have several co-authors. I recommend having a professional editor or a colleague look over your work, in addition to your co-authors. Someone with a fresh perspective on the writing will help you identify grammatical and typographical errors, as well as gaps in your story or flaws in your logic.
Why does it matter?
As the first or last author on a project, you are likely to do most of the writing for your journal article, abstract, or funding application. There are some advantages to writing alone: you are able to maintain a consistent authorial voice and you can write on your own schedule. However, it becomes difficult to identify problems in your own writing after you have been working intensively on a project.
I often see problems that are easily resolved by including more detail. As the author of a document, you know what you mean to say, but your reader needs to be told clearly and concisely.
Example: We found that the T cells in the treatment group expressed more IFN-γ.
As the reader, it is not clear what the treatment group T cells are being compared against: the control group T cells? other cells in the treatment group? An editor or colleague is likely to point out that the comparison is incomplete.
Typographical errors can also be difficult to spot after you have been working on a project for an extended period.
Example: We found that the T cells in the treatment group expressed move IFN-γ than those in the control group.
It is easy to read the words you intended to type and miss small errors (move instead of more). Correctly spelled words that are used in error are unlikely to be spotted by spelling checking programs.
How to apply this tip
You can hire a professional English language editor (like me!). Find some advice on what to expect from a professional editor, do some research to find someone with the appropriate expertise, and consider if that is a good option for you. Please get in contact if you would like to work with me or have general questions about working with an editor.
Make connections with colleagues in your institution. Offer to exchange help with them. Be sure to give them a draft of your document with plenty of time to spare before your deadline.
Seek out a mentor. Your institution may have a formal mentoring program, or you may be able to find a more experienced scientist who is willing to help you develop your science writing skills.
How have you used the “buddy system” to improve your scientific writing? Ask questions or share your experience below!
Holland-Mountford Editing | Scientific editing 