I teach a writing class for (aspiring) scientists, and it is so hard to train some smart people out of writing this way. Some people just think that using big words and complicated sentence structure is the best (or only) way to communicate important ideas. The idea that you should always use the simplest language that will do the job takes a lot of getting used to for certain folks. The way some academics write does not help.
I think it comes back to media, the “scientist” in most films and tv shows will use big words to show how smart they are and these people internalise that idea.
No, it’s mostly because STEM types (including me) have a lot to say (not necessarily insightful) but often lack the writing skills necessary to say them concisely because we focused on studying science instead of literature.
Literary writers who don’t understand science and just make up mumbo jumbo have the exact opposite problem that we do.
I teach a writing class for (aspiring) scientists, and it is so hard to train some smart people out of writing this way. Some people just think that using big words and complicated sentence structure is the best (or only) way to communicate important ideas. The idea that you should always use the simplest language that will do the job takes a lot of getting used to for certain folks. The way some academics write does not help.
I think it comes back to media, the “scientist” in most films and tv shows will use big words to show how smart they are and these people internalise that idea.
No, it’s mostly because STEM types (including me) have a lot to say (not necessarily insightful) but often lack the writing skills necessary to say them concisely because we focused on studying science instead of literature.
Literary writers who don’t understand science and just make up mumbo jumbo have the exact opposite problem that we do.
Oh ok, I guess I was misunderstanding. And this is clearly your failure to communicate, not mine! /s
I feel like this says a lot about writers lol