Click to edit Master subtitle style 4/15/11 Experiences from writing and editing for Monthly Weather Review: One Person’s View Josh Hacker, Naval Postgraduate School 4/15/1111

4/15/11 Make reviewers’ lives easy A reviewer who can easily comprehend what you have written is far more likely to provide a favorable review. Do not rely on reviewers to… …organize your manuscript. …check spelling and grammar. …perform a literature review. …interpret the results of your experiments. 4/15/1122

4/15/11 Writing is hard work Most of us are not gifted writers. We need to work hard to communicate our science (even to other experts). More time spent in manuscript preparation usually results in less time spent responding to reviews. 4/15/1133

4/15/11 Introductions are important Make a clear statement about the problem you are addressing. Clearly point out what is novel in your work. Clearly point out how your work fits into the broader scientific goals of the community. Ensure that your literature review is complete but focused. – It is important to give credit to the correct people. – If you cite a paper, note why it is is cited. – Avoid citing irrelevant papers. 4/15/1144

4/15/11 Maximize content, minimize length Every paragraph, and every sentence, should be important. Every figure should be necessary to illustrate a point. Eliminate repetitive statements. 4/15/1155

4/15/11 Use precise language Choose the correct word or phrase for a given situation. Accurately describe figures and tables. Avoid jargon. Conference papers and presentations are generally bad models for this practice! 4/15/1166

4/15/11 Provide interpretation It is the author’s job to explain the meaning and implications of a result. It is not the author’s job to speculate, but limited speculation supported by circumstantial evidence may be acceptable. 4/15/1177

4/15/11 A note on personal style: Distinguish between good use of English and style. – Personal writing style more often increases confusion rather than decreasing it. – Quality writing is most important, and personal style (or flair) should be secondary. Examples: – Use good grammar. – Avoid repetitive words or statements. – Avoid passive tense. – Avoid extraneous words and phrases that begin or end sentences: however, thus, on the other hand, etc., except when absolutely necessary. 4/15/1188