Available Quote by David Mermin
“Over the past fifty years or so, scientists have allowed the conventions of expression available to them to become entirely too confining, too confining. The insistence on bland impersonality and the widespread indifference to anything like the display of a unique human author in scientific exposition, have transformed the reading of most scientific papers into an act of tedious drudgery.”
About This Quote
Scientific writing has become overly impersonal, making papers tedious to read.
In simple terms: Science writing is too bland.
Key Takeaway
Embrace personal voice.
Themes
communication
science
writing
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
thought‑provoking
When to use this quote
- research papers
- academic conferences
- grant proposals
Key Concepts
authenticity
engagement
Questions to Reflect On
- How can scientists keep clarity while adding personality?
- What benefits arise from more engaging scientific prose?
A Different Perspective
Balancing rigor with personality can be challenging.
![“[University students] hated the hypocrisy of adult society, the rigidity of its political institutions, the impersonality of its bureaucracies. They sought to create a society that places human values before materialistic ones, that has a little less head and a little more heart, that is dominated…” quote by Muriel Beadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e29/muriel-beadle-77125_adults_university-students-hated-the-hypocrisy_1025706.jpg)
