Before watching:
In what ways do you see yourself as a writer? Are you a poet? A journalist? A blogger? What style of writing is most familiar and comfortable for you?
I don’t write as much as I would like to but when I do, I enjoy writing and reflecting abut current events and social justice.
What is your impression of scientific writing?
I find scientific writing to be interesting and intriguing but sometimes it can be confusing if it is about a complicated topic.
After watching:
How do Wilson’s ideas fit with your experience or ideas about scientific writing?
I agree with Wilson that scientific papers can get very “jargany” because you have to be very specific about your process when it comes to science. I believe that most of the interesting parts of a scientific paper tends to be in the discussion where scientists talk about their results and what went well/wrong.
What if anything surprised you about Wilson’s descriptions of scientists, and their emotions and values as they fit into the process of science?
I was surprised a little about how Wilson was pretty brutally honest about scientists and how their scientific writing can be difficult to understand. I also agree with Wilson that scientists have to be impartial when it comes to emotions and science. That can be a good and a bad thing of course but it is important to collect the all of the facts on a topic or area of study in order to make any decisions.
