April 2019
This semester I am taking the course VIBS 689: Science Editing taught by Dr. Barbara Gastel. She is a Professor of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences and of Humanities in Medicine and serves as coordinator for the Masters of Science and Technology Journalism Program. She has taught at Texas A&M since 1989 and her academic career spans many positions and classes. I have been learning so much in her Science Editing course and I wanted the opportunity for other graduate students to learn more about her and gain some tips on ways to improve their writing.
Tell me about yourself and how you got to your current position?
I have always liked science and writing. During high school I took many AP science courses and was the editor of the school newspaper and copyeditor of the yearbook. These same interests continued into college, but I had a hard time deciding what to major in. After speaking with the Dean, I choose a “Combined Sciences” program and studied biology and history of medicine. After my undergraduate, I knew that I wanted to combine biological science and communication. I joke that I took the easy way out and went to medical school.
During medical school I recognized that I really enjoyed the aspect of communication. I worked on a medical journal as a student assistant editor. While in medical school I got a master’s in public health and took many international health courses. I did a summer internship at Newsweek which I found through the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Mass Media Science Fellowship program. I then worked at the NIH and then did freelancing for a bit. I taught Science Writing at Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a few years and then got a call to teach in China at what is now Peking University Health Science Center. It was a wonderful experience.
I was the Assistant Dean for Teaching at University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, but I didn’t see myself living there permanently, so I started looking for another position after several years. I saw that Texas A&M had an opening in the Journalism Department and was looking to start a Masters program. The more I read about the University the more I thought it would be an interesting place to be. I particularly liked that the medical school and main university were in the same place, unlike most colleges. In the spring of 1989 I started here and became the first director of the Masters program in the journalism department.
What do you like most about teaching?
My students come to class with knowledge and experience and I get the chance to learn from them. I can watch students develop as people during graduate school and then professionals as their careers advance. I am a witness to their professional and personal achievements.
What are some writing tips you can offer to students?
Write to communicate not to impress. Students think that in their writing they must impress their readers with a big vocabulary or by using long sentences. However, that’s not true. Readers are more interested in the content. Therefore, write clearly and simply.
Good writing is often a matter of good revision. The nature of writing means that most of us need to revise our writing for it to be good. Don’t be discouraged if your writing needs revision. Plan ahead and build in time for revision during your process of writing.
Sometimes students can miss the courses in the Science and Technology Journalism Program on writing and editing because they may not know about them. However, these classes are available to students throughout the university. Specifically, for research writing (e.g. proposals, papers) I teach a course for the second summer session. The class teaches students how to write and revise journal articles step-by-step.
Are there any resources you would recommend?
The Writing Center is excellent here. Check out their website for tips and look for presentations or workshops they offer. You can also schedule consultations with them. As well, the library is a great resource. The subject matter librarians are very willing to help to graduate students.
I have written my own book, How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper 8th edition, and it deals with writing scientific papers and other written forms of communication, such as proposals and posters.
How do you overcome writer’s block?
Personally, I use deadline pressure. My background in medical journalism helped me learn how to work under pressure. So, I set deadlines for myself to make sure that a job gets done. If I get frustrated while writing I turn my attention elsewhere by either going for a walk, cooking, or taking a nap. I have noticed that when I back off from the task my unconscious tends to take over.
Sometimes deciding how to begin writing is hard. If this is the case, I will read some good writing to get into the rhythm of good writing. If I am writing a lengthy manuscript I will edit the most recently written part to get back into the voice of the writing. Compared to other forms of writing, emails can be less intimidating, so I may use an email to write a draft of what I’m working on.
Blocks in writing can sometimes be the result of not organizing enough or thinking through what you plan to write. In this situation, I will work with an outline to make sure I have thought everything through. When there is a good structure the paper writes itself.
What is the most common mistake you see when editing papers?
Wordiness. Oftentimes, people say things in a longer way than is necessary.
What is the best advice you have been given about writing?
People tend to think that writing well means getting grammar or punctuation perfect, but the things that comes first are content, organization, and clarity. After establishing these, it is easy to then edit for grammar or punctuation. Focus first on those three things and then polish the writing.
What has writing taught you about yourself?
I have learned that the writing I am most comfortable with is “How To” types. The more abstract it is the harder it is for me, so concrete subjects tend to be easier. My philosophy is “to get the most out of life” and I believe that people can do things if they put in the work needed. When writing on topics such as “how to” pieces, my writing comes across as being positive and encouraging.
--- Kalifa Stringfield
Kalifa Stringfield is a Masters student in the College of Engineering
Tell me about yourself and how you got to your current position?
I have always liked science and writing. During high school I took many AP science courses and was the editor of the school newspaper and copyeditor of the yearbook. These same interests continued into college, but I had a hard time deciding what to major in. After speaking with the Dean, I choose a “Combined Sciences” program and studied biology and history of medicine. After my undergraduate, I knew that I wanted to combine biological science and communication. I joke that I took the easy way out and went to medical school.
During medical school I recognized that I really enjoyed the aspect of communication. I worked on a medical journal as a student assistant editor. While in medical school I got a master’s in public health and took many international health courses. I did a summer internship at Newsweek which I found through the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Mass Media Science Fellowship program. I then worked at the NIH and then did freelancing for a bit. I taught Science Writing at Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a few years and then got a call to teach in China at what is now Peking University Health Science Center. It was a wonderful experience.
I was the Assistant Dean for Teaching at University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, but I didn’t see myself living there permanently, so I started looking for another position after several years. I saw that Texas A&M had an opening in the Journalism Department and was looking to start a Masters program. The more I read about the University the more I thought it would be an interesting place to be. I particularly liked that the medical school and main university were in the same place, unlike most colleges. In the spring of 1989 I started here and became the first director of the Masters program in the journalism department.
What do you like most about teaching?
My students come to class with knowledge and experience and I get the chance to learn from them. I can watch students develop as people during graduate school and then professionals as their careers advance. I am a witness to their professional and personal achievements.
What are some writing tips you can offer to students?
Write to communicate not to impress. Students think that in their writing they must impress their readers with a big vocabulary or by using long sentences. However, that’s not true. Readers are more interested in the content. Therefore, write clearly and simply.
Good writing is often a matter of good revision. The nature of writing means that most of us need to revise our writing for it to be good. Don’t be discouraged if your writing needs revision. Plan ahead and build in time for revision during your process of writing.
Sometimes students can miss the courses in the Science and Technology Journalism Program on writing and editing because they may not know about them. However, these classes are available to students throughout the university. Specifically, for research writing (e.g. proposals, papers) I teach a course for the second summer session. The class teaches students how to write and revise journal articles step-by-step.
Are there any resources you would recommend?
The Writing Center is excellent here. Check out their website for tips and look for presentations or workshops they offer. You can also schedule consultations with them. As well, the library is a great resource. The subject matter librarians are very willing to help to graduate students.
I have written my own book, How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper 8th edition, and it deals with writing scientific papers and other written forms of communication, such as proposals and posters.
How do you overcome writer’s block?
Personally, I use deadline pressure. My background in medical journalism helped me learn how to work under pressure. So, I set deadlines for myself to make sure that a job gets done. If I get frustrated while writing I turn my attention elsewhere by either going for a walk, cooking, or taking a nap. I have noticed that when I back off from the task my unconscious tends to take over.
Sometimes deciding how to begin writing is hard. If this is the case, I will read some good writing to get into the rhythm of good writing. If I am writing a lengthy manuscript I will edit the most recently written part to get back into the voice of the writing. Compared to other forms of writing, emails can be less intimidating, so I may use an email to write a draft of what I’m working on.
Blocks in writing can sometimes be the result of not organizing enough or thinking through what you plan to write. In this situation, I will work with an outline to make sure I have thought everything through. When there is a good structure the paper writes itself.
What is the most common mistake you see when editing papers?
Wordiness. Oftentimes, people say things in a longer way than is necessary.
What is the best advice you have been given about writing?
People tend to think that writing well means getting grammar or punctuation perfect, but the things that comes first are content, organization, and clarity. After establishing these, it is easy to then edit for grammar or punctuation. Focus first on those three things and then polish the writing.
What has writing taught you about yourself?
I have learned that the writing I am most comfortable with is “How To” types. The more abstract it is the harder it is for me, so concrete subjects tend to be easier. My philosophy is “to get the most out of life” and I believe that people can do things if they put in the work needed. When writing on topics such as “how to” pieces, my writing comes across as being positive and encouraging.
Thank you Dr. Gastel for allowing me to interview you and sharing your advice on writing.
--- Kalifa Stringfield
Kalifa Stringfield is a Masters student in the College of Engineering
