Archives des mots-clés : Stefano Guizzardi

Striving for Modernity: Layout and Abstracts in the Biomedical Literature

Posté le par

Authors : Carlo Galli, Maria Teresa Colangelo, Stefano Guizzardi

Most academic journals have a fairly consistent look: they are structured similarly, their text is divided into similar sections; for example, they have an abstract at the beginning of the manuscript, and their text is usually organized in two columns.

There may be different reasons for this similarity, ranging from the need to contain publication costs by using less page space to conforming to an internationally well-accepted format that may be perceived as the hallmark of academic articles.

We surveyed 35 medical journals founded before 1960 and looked for their change in format over time and how this was experienced by and explained to readers.

We then discussed what recent research has shown about the effects of layout on reading, looking for further explanations as to why this format was so successful.

URL : Striving for Modernity: Layout and Abstracts in the Biomedical Literature

DOI : https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8030038

Change in Format, Register and Narration Style in the Biomedical Literature: A 1948 Example

Posté le par

Authors : Carlo Galli, Stefano Guizzardi

Scientific communication has evolved over time and the formats of scientific writing, including its stylistic modules, have changed accordingly.

Research articles from the past fit a research world that had not been taken over by the internet, electronic searches, the new media and even the science mass production of today and reflect a reality where scientific publications were designed to be read and appreciated by actual readers.

It is therefore useful to have a look back to what science looked like in the past and examine the biomedical literature from older archives because several features of those publications may actually harbor vital insights for today’s communication.

Maintaining a vivid awareness of the evolution of science language and modalities of communication may ensure a better and steadfast progression and ameliorate academic writing in the years to come.

With this goal in mind, the present commentary set out to review a 1948 scientific report by I.L. Bennett Jr, entitled “A study on the relationship between the fevers caused by bacterial pyrogens and by the intravenous injection of the sterile exudates of acute inflammation”, which appeared in the Journal of Experimental Medicine in September 1948.

URL : Change in Format, Register and Narration Style in the Biomedical Literature: A 1948 Example

DOI : https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8010010