
Medical Writing
A Prescription for Clarity
Elise Langdon-Neuner(Editor)
Cambridge University Press
4th Edition
Published on 28. August 2014
Book
Paperback/Softback
382 pages
978-1-107-62815-1 (ISBN)
Description
Effective communication is the ultimate, but often daunting, purpose of any medical research or review. This book provides the practical information necessary to turn first drafts into concise, unambiguous text, without loss of individuality. Written by a consultant anaesthetist and an experienced medical editor, and also illustrated by an accomplished medical editor, all of whom are sympathetic to the problems and needs of medical writers, this book deals with the basic craft of writing, from choosing the best word or phrase to essential grammar. This expanded fourth edition includes many more words better replaced, and deals explicitly with the problems of writers whose first language is not English. Whether you are writing a simple clinical report or a thesis, supervising others, running a course on medical or scientific writing, or just want to develop your skills in written communication, this book is the ideal guide and reference. Clear, simple and precise, and illustrated with apt cartoons, this is an invaluable handbook.
Reviews / Votes
Review of previous edition: 'Read this book, and make sure your students do ...' British Journal of Psychiatry Review of previous edition: 'Anyone who aspires to medical or scientific authorship should read this book.' Journal of the Institution of Health Education Review of previous edition: '... whether you are an amateur or a well-published author this book will be useful. After reading it, I immediately wanted to redraft work I had written previously. But it is too late!' British Journal of AnaesthesiaMore details
Edition
4th Revised edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Edition type
Revised edition
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
4 Tables, black and white; 2 Halftones, unspecified; 22 Line drawings, unspecified
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
579 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-107-62815-1 (9781107628151)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
08/2014
Cambridge University Press
€51.49
Available for download

Neville W. Goodman | Martin B. Edwards | Elise Langdon-Neuner
Medical Writing
A Prescription for Clarity
E-Book
08/2014
4th Edition
Cambridge University Press
€60.49
Available for download
Book
01/1991
Cambridge University Press
€45.95
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Previous edition

Book
10/2006
3rd Edition
Cambridge University Press
€49.51
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Persons
Dr Neville W. Goodman is a retired consultant anaesthetist who formerly worked at Southmead Hospital, Bristol. The late Dr Martin B. Edwards was formerly Senior Research Fellow at the Royal College of Surgeons and a freelance medical editor. Elise Langdon-Neuner is a freelance medical editor and editor emeritus of Medical Writing. Dr Andy Black is a retired Senior Lecturer in Anaesthesia who formerly worked at the University of Bristol.
Author
Editor
Illustrated by
University of Bristol
Content
Foreword Tim Albert; Preface; Part I. Problem: The Illness: 1. Introduction; 2. The malaise of medical manuscripts; 3. The difficulties of English as an additional language (EAL); Part II. Solution: Symptomatic Relief: 4. Technology, changing language, and authority; 5. Guidelines to clearer writing; 6. Spelling; 7. Is there a better word?; 8. Superfluous words; 9. Imprecise words; 10. Superfluous phrases; 11. Trouble with short words; 12. Use of the passive voice; 13. Consistency: number and tenses; 14. Word order; 15. Punctuation; 16. Circumlocution; 17. Words and parts of speech for EAL writers; 18. Cliches and article titles; 19. Constructing sentences; 20. Further help with sentences for EAL writers; 21. Drawing clear graphs; 22. It can be done; Part III. Practice: Recuperation: 23. Exercises; Appendix: British-American English; References and further reading; Index.