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I know I\u2019m not just speaking for myself when I say if they wrote academic papers the same way they wrote Tom and Jerry cartoons, I\u2019d be reading them a lot more! So why don\u2019t they? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are 3 reasons: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- They want to avoid confusion<\/em> <\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
The aim of academic writing is to convey a complex idea with concision and without confusion to fellow academics<\/strong>. By adding quips or breaking free from the pretty rigid model of academic papers, one risks readers getting distracted, and missing the point of the paper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- They don\u2019t want to \u201cdumb it down\u201d<\/strong><\/em> <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
A lot of the time academics associate digestibility and informality with having to \u201cdumb something down\u201d which certainly goes against the aim of academic writing for likeminded academic readers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- The fear of peer reviews<\/em> <\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Although it sounds shallow, it\u2019s especially important that those reading your paper like it, as the pillars of academic publishing are peer reviews.<\/strong> A paper won\u2019t make it anywhere near my screen if the peer reviews frown upon it. So many writers bow down to the peer review system for approval in the name of their paper\u2019s progression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Peer Review Panel – I imagine many people have different opinions on scientific articles.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Considering this, it\u2019s true that breaking a tradition by cracking a joke is a risk that might not pay off\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I\u2019m not asking for an hour long stand-up gig about RNA! Merely a funny title, a bit of intentional alliteration perhaps? Just some variation from the (although novel and fascinating) DULL<\/strong> papers we students have to read. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve found a few papers that have done just that, and you tell me if these would catch your eye: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- miR miR on the wall, who\u2019s the most malignant of them all?<\/strong><\/a> <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Human milk oligosaccharides: every baby needs a sugar mama<\/strong><\/a> <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Fantastic yeasts and where to find them: the hidden diversity of dimorphic fungal pathogens<\/strong><\/a> <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Life in plastic, it\u2019s not fantastic: Sublethal effects of polethylene microplastics ingestion throughout amphibian metamorphosis<\/strong><\/a> <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
These had me giggling! (You can never go wrong with a Barbie reference.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My housemates and I were laughing at these titles last night, and it made us realise how easy it is to get bogged down by the weight of studying a science degree, or working a science-based job. Science is serious for good reason, we\u2019re often discussing diseases affecting thousands of lives, but it\u2019s important to show a balance. I chose a Biochemistry degree because I had FUN<\/strong> in labs at school, not because I wanted to be serious and intellectual all the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m a big fan of the Science journal<\/a><\/strong>, not just for the published papers, but for their science humour column<\/a>, and their blogs<\/a>. The informality is inclusive and far less intimidating than the impenetrable, science jargon stuffed papers. I strongly believe that a bit of humour goes a long way in academic publishing becoming unique and approachable without sacrificing complexity and content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re also the type of person to rather read a blog than a paper, or if you\u2019re interested in learning some more creative skills to use for bioscience careers outside the lab, then you might enjoy the science communication module Newcastle provides that sparked me writing this article in the first place! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Life in plastic, it\u2019s not fantastic: Sublethal effects of polethylene microplastics ingestion throughout amphibian metamorphosis<\/strong><\/a> <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Fantastic yeasts and where to find them: the hidden diversity of dimorphic fungal pathogens<\/strong><\/a> <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Human milk oligosaccharides: every baby needs a sugar mama<\/strong><\/a> <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- miR miR on the wall, who\u2019s the most malignant of them all?<\/strong><\/a> <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- The fear of peer reviews<\/em> <\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- They don\u2019t want to \u201cdumb it down\u201d<\/strong><\/em> <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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