Objectivity in Science writing
Throughout the twentieth century, science teachers in schools and universities liked to insist on an 'objective' or impersonal style to express scientific ideas. Above all, in reporting experiments, students were told to
- eschew the first person, for fear of appearing purely subjective;
- use the passive voice, to make the report seem more impersonal ('a flame was observed', rather than 'I saw a flame');
This seems to AWE, and to many teachers of science in the twenty-first century, to be dishonest, because it ignores the truth that the personality of an observer or experimenter may necessarily colour the reports of the observation or experiment. For example, it may be significant to experiments involving combustion of materials or elements that the experimenter is colour-blind. It is far better to admit this truth than to attempt to conceal it - an attempt which is doomed to failure, as a discerning reader, especially one seeking to replicate the experiment, will realize that the difference in personalities may often lead to results that DON'T precisely replicate the original. Similarly, observations in the Social Sciences are inevitably coloured by the characteristics of the reporter, whose gender, ethnicity or class will always tend to change the way informants speak. A good social anthropologist will always record these personal characteristics, particularly when studying matters in which they are concerned: a woman reporting on gender imbalance at work may well hear different accounts from those that would be elicited by a man, for example.
So AWE's advice is
- admit the personality of the writer (say 'I lit the bunsen', for example); and
- avoid the passive ('I saw the flame turn green', rather than '
the flame was observed to turn green'.
- However, teachers trained in the twentieth century style of pseudo-objectivity may well insist on their students following in their footsteps. Good writers think of their audience, and it is a foolish student who ignores his teacher's prejudice.
See also Science Writing.
