Biologists use writing in many ways:
reports analyzing experimental data
reviews of other scientists’ research or proposed research
proposals to convince funding agencies to award grants for their research
lectures and presentations
newspaper and magazine articles for general audiences
public-policy briefings or recommendations to help government officials address such issues as global warming or stem cell research
Writing for your audience in biology
When you write in biology, your audience may consist of researchers, professors, other students, and sometimes members of the government or business communities and the general public. Researchers or teachers may read to find out the results of an experiment, an analysis of new data, or information supporting or critiquing a theory. They may need this information to guide their own research projects or improve their assignments and classroom materials. Students read to learn about major concepts and discoveries as well as methods for conducting laboratory experiments.
Researchers, teachers, and students expect detailed, specific presentation of data and findings in words and in graphic form, such as diagrams and graphs. Members of the general public want to understand how concepts affect personal decisions they must make about issues such as medical care or nutritional choices. People working in government or business may have to make decisions about funding for research proposals. For more general audiences, you may not need to provide the same level of detail. For example, the public or businesspeople may not need species names to be written in Latin.
In your biology courses, your goal will generally be to convince readers of the validity of conclusions you draw from observations, experimental data, or your evaluations of previously published or proposed research. For most assignments, you will need to use a scientific style of writing, conveying your information to readers as succinctly and accurately as possible.
Related topics:
Forms of writing in biology
Questions biologists ask
Kinds of evidence biologists use
Writing conventions in biology
CSE system for citation in biology writing
Sample student papers: Laboratory report and review of the literature