Science needs to be understood.
Scientific progress, scientific reasoning, scientific capital—all this needs to be communicated to people who are not experts. Plain, accurate, engaging writing about science helps get the right message “out there”. Perhaps more importantly, it gives readers sympathy and respect for the scientific endeavour itself.
As scientists themselves know, this is no easy task. A single misjudged word can have unhelpful connotations; with brevity comes the risk of oversimplification. As Einstein said¹, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.”
Good science writing is wary of these pitfalls. Above all, however, it strikes a chord with its audience. It encourages them to pay attention.
Three Quarks Editorial² provides this kind of science writing (and editing) for a range of clients, such as universities, research infrastructures, funding bodies and individuals. Set up in 2020 by Jon Cartwright, a science writer with more than 15 years’ experience, its services include:
- conceptualizing and editing entire scientific magazines and pamphlets, including their graphic content;
- writing clear, concise copy for scientific websites;
- light or heavy editing of technical manuscripts, funding applications and lobbying documents, to improve style and clarity;
- liaising with multiple authors to produce coherent, focused drafts.
If you are interested in commissioning Three Quarks Editorial, or would like to learn more about the services it provides, please send a message via the secure form below.
¹ Einstein probably didn’t say this exactly, but it is a useful aphorism.
² “Three quarks for Muster Mark!”, James Joyce, Finnegans Wake (1939), p383. The late physicist Murray Gell-Mann’s inspiration for the name of those elementary particles which make up protons, neutrons and other hadrons. Hence “Three Quarks Editorial”, a bridge between good science and good writing.