Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers. Second Edition [Paperback]

Mimi Zeiger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 30, 1999 | ISBN-10: 0071345442 | ISBN-13: 978-0071345446 | Edition: 2

Provides immediate help for anyone preparing a biomedical paper by givin specific advice on organizing the components of the paper, effective writing techniques, writing an effective results sections, documentation issues, sentence structure and much more. The new edition includes new examples from the current literature including many involving molecular biology, expanded exercises at the end of the book, revised explanations on linking key terms, transition clauses, uses of subheads, and emphases. If you plan to do any medical writing, read this book first and get an immediate advantage. (20010101)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In summary, Zeiger's thoroughness, combined with the clarity of the examples used to illustrate each principle of clear writing, are the book's strengths. We recommend Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers to students, editors, and writers at all levels who want to master IMRAD format or learn techniques that will improve their writing."--American Medical Writers Association (American Medical Writers Association )

From the Back Cover

An engaging and effective nuts-and-bolts approach to scientific writing. "...outstanding for its approach to the logic of presenting scientific work." - British Medical Journal review of first edition. Now revised and updated, this straightforward guide to biomedical writing helps authors understand both what a well-written scientific research paper is and how to create such a work. Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers, Second Edition, provides writers with specific, clear guidelines on word choice, sentence structure, and paragraph structure. In addition, it explains how to construct each section of a research paper, so that, ultimately, the paper as a whole tells a clear story and sends a clear message. New to This Edition! New examples from the current literature, including many involving molecular biology; Expanded exercises at the end of the book; Revised explanations on linking key terms, transitions clauses, uses of subheads, and emphases. The specific principles of effective biomedical writing are presented and explained, and then summarized in handy chapter checklists. Each section of the prototypical biomedical research paper is then systematically analyzed in terms of its function, content, organization, detail, and length. This section-by-section analysis covers the following: the introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, figures and tables, references, abstract, and title. Of special note: The book contains a full-length paper for readers to evaluate and revise in accordance with the book;book's principles and guidelines. Also from McGraw-Hill...Gehlbach: Interpreting the Medical Literature; Glantz: Primer of Biostatics Books and Software; Friedman: Primer of Epidemiology.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 440 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional; 2 edition (September 30, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071345442
• ISBN-13: 978-0071345446
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #60,276 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #15 in Books > Medical Books > Basic Sciences > Biostatistics
  • #54 in Books > Medical Books > Research

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book - Best of its kind., April 8, 2000

By 

Bruce_in_LA "reader_in_LA" (los angeles, ca United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers. Second Edition (Paperback)

This is an exceptional book. It walks the reader through all stages of writing a biomedical paper, and exemplifies the saying that "clear writing means clear thinking". Even after having written or co-written perhaps 40 biomedical papers and grants, I found this book an eye-opener. I've worked with some excellent writers and re-writers on biomed papers, but Zeiger's book lays out for all of us what some top writers may do by instinct. She starts with word choice, sentence structure, then alternative paragraph structures. She practically shows you the nature of language and thought. She goes through the right way to produce biomed papers - if you ever thought the great, efficient writers had a rule book -you- never got, THIS is the rule book. If you ever had an introduction that sounded like the abstract, or a results sections that was unwieldy, or a discussion section that seemed to repeat the introduction - Zeiger lays out the hidden rules that most people would want to follow. Following her rules, from sentence to paragraph to section, creates a paper that invokes an instinctive sense of clarity in the reader. Many times I had the "Aha!" feeling. The book should be very useful for all kinds of clear writing, including research grants. I never took one of those "scientific writing" classes because I felt smart and fluent and the classes seemed pedestrian. If those classes had used this book, I would have been way ahead to have discovered this information twenty years ago.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great methods for improving your medical writing, April 12, 2002

By 

J. Sutton (Providence, RI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers. Second Edition (Paperback)

Mimi Zeiger has written a truly useful book about medical writing. Many specialized writing books are just collections of general writing rules in disguise.

This books focuses on mechanics and methods of writing specifically for the medical sciences. Full of hands-on techniques, methods, and exercises geared to analyzing and improving your writing.

I'm an experienced technical writer yet still found this book quite useful.
Five stars!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good book, examples used bit too technical, October 20, 2005

By 

dutch_lad (Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers. Second Edition (Paperback)

Very good book for beginners and experienced researchers! I haven't come across any other book that actually describes how you should write a biomedical paper. The only critique is that the examples used are too technical for non-biomedical researchers, this makes it hard to understand the examples. But even if you do not have a biomedical background you will learn a lot from this book.