Scientific Communication for Natural Resource Professionals

Preface

doi: https://doi.org/10.47886/9781934874288.fmatter

We began this book with the narrow-minded intention that it would facilitate efforts to educate students under our tutelage, as well as budding scientists beginning their professional journeys. As the chapters took form, we realized the scope of the book extended far beyond this limited view and would serve not only a broad range of professionals focused on fishery science, but also other natural resource professions. We found that few scientists, regardless of their career experiences, were so gifted in technical communication that improvement was not warranted. Accordingly, this volume contains much needed gems of information that facilitate, promote, and encourage the publication of journal articles and book chapters, but also provides information on how to communicate more effectively. The authors and reviewers who contributed to the book have been associated with thousands of publications and are among the best scientists, writers, and editors in the natural resource discipline. Each of their messages serves to fulfill our goal of education and career advancement, but every chapter does so much more. Whether you are a communication novice or a highly published author, this text will either lead you along or push you down the path to better writing outcomes. Students may want to start at the beginning and read to the end, whereas others may skip around based on individual need. Regardless, we know the pages of this text help you clarify, focus, organize, and align the written scientific word. We hope the last thing typically done in your research—the writing—is completely without fault, but if it is not, we hope this book helps you raise the quality of your prose and communication skills, regardless of your current ability.