Science demands good writing. Whether you work in a lab, teach a class or author pieces like this article, you must provide a clear explanation of nature supported by sound evidence. Some are better at doing this through face-to-face discussions, but as anyone in the field will tell you, science lives and dies by how it is represented in print.

Success in science is only possible when the experiment of one scientist can be reproduced by others. Therefore, a written record of predictions, procedures, trials, and errors is essential to the scientific process. This is why students from grade school to grad school are taught to keep a notebook for each of their experiments.

The importance of writing is even greater among leading research scientists who live by the motto “publish or perish.” In other words, if they don’t conduct good science and write well about it, their careers will end. Researchers and their teams write multiple drafts of a manuscript before submitting it for publication in a reputable journal. Long before the publishing phase, scientists slave over grants, a series of proposals and progress reports that authorize funding from foundations or government agencies. Grant writers are expected to explain a lot including what they want to do, why it’s important, how they will do it, why they’re qualified to do it, and how they will measure success. Otherwise, they will never see a dime of funding.

Notebooks, manuscripts, and grants are just three of many writing assignments scientists must complete on a regular basis if they want successful careers. So if you’re an aspiring scientist, think twice before you skip English class. Your struggles will be greater if you don’t master language and grammar early.

Want to write better? Visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL), one of the most comprehensive resources for writers of all ages in all areas of study.

First Published: February 2, 2017, 5:00 a.m.