Resumen de Writing for Non-scientists about Physics1
Physicists should communicate their knowledge to the general public because, as the American Association for the Advancement of Science puts it, �without a scientifically literate population, the outlook for a better world is not promising.� This article discusses what Ive learned about writing for non-scientists from working on my physics textbook for non-science college students,2as well as from my hometown newspaper column and other writings.3Lessons learned include tips for writing effective prose, dos and donts when writing for non-scientists, choice of subject matter, being relevant to the needs of non-scientists, unifying ones book by using general themes, and the process of organizing and writing a textbook. Many of these lessons should be helpful in all scientific writing regardless of the target audience.
