Communicating Science: The Scientific Article from the 17th Century to the Present [Hardcover]

Alan G. Gross (Author), Joseph E. Harmon (Author), Michael S. Reidy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 11, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0195134540 | ISBN-13: 978-0195134544

This book describes the development of the scientific article from its modest beginnings to the global phenomenon that it has become today. Their analysis of a large sample of texts in French, English, and German focuses on the changes in the style, organization, and argumentative structure of scientific communication over time. They also speculate on the future currency of the scientific article, as it enters the era of the World Wide Web. This book is an outstanding resource text in the rhetoric of science, and will stand as the definitive study on the topic.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Anyone with any interest in the history and evolution of the scientific literature should read this book. I do not know any other study of the birth, growth, and character of scientific literature that comes close to this one in breadth of disciplines and languages considered and in depth of analysis. ... I hope Gross, Harmon, and Reidy get the audience that they deserve among CSE members. They have given all of us who work for scientific journals an extraordinarily detailed and rich study of where scientific papers came from, how they have changed, and where they are today."--Science Editor

"The book succeeds in meticulously unpacking the argumentative strategies that have evolved over the centuries in attempts to express an increasingly complex set of knowledge claims, the statements science makes about reality."--Technical Communication

About the Author

Alan G. Gross is at University of Minnesota.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 280 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (April 11, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195134540
• ISBN-13: 978-0195134544
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,649,089 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Future online journals?, May 31, 2004

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W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Communicating Science: The Scientific Article from the 17th Century to the Present (Hardcover)

Over the centuries, scientific articles have acquired a distinctive style of writing, which you may see in the examples shown here. Gradually, authors have striven to write as objectively as possible, or at least give that impression. To this end, the first person has been deprecated in favour of the third person. So that instead of writing "I painted the wall", you would write "The wall was painted". Third person and passive form.

The book also describes the evolution of the scientific journals. An international apparatus that is very specialised and lucrative for a few publishers like Reed-Elsevier.

To some of you, the most salient points will be the discussion of the future of scientific publishing. The sheer cost of some journals is prohibitive, even in developed countries. Out of sight for developing countries. There is speculation that the rise of the Web can lead to new online journals that have much fewer subscription fees, and possibly faster publication times.