Real-Life Communication
Seismology was a natural choice for you, since you were more interested
in geology and geophysics than you were in biological sciences. The math and
science parts of the job come naturally to you. Unfortunately, the communications
part isn't so natural.
One of the many things that you do as a seismologist
is write academic papers. Academic papers are written accounts of the research
that you do. You log how your research was done and what the results of the
research were.
In addition, you hypothesize what the research could
mean. Then you write it all in an academic format. The papers are ordinarily
very dry compositions. And that is a writing style that you've become comfortable
using.
Today, however, you're writing something very different. You've
been invited to write a few paragraphs for inclusion in a brochure about seismology.
The editor that contacted you wants you to write about your duties as a seismologist.
He
wants you to describe the research that you do -- gathering statistics over
time and then extrapolating hypotheses from that data and trying to prove
the hypotheses. He also wants you to describe what your work environment is
like. You need to explain that you work in an office alone most of the time.
Finally,
the editor would like for your passion for the job to come through, since
this is a brochure that will go out to thousands of students who might be
considering becoming seismologists.
This is a very different assignment
for you, since it requires that you use a friendly writing style rather than
an academic writing style.
Write two to three paragraphs, making sure
to include the information that the editor asked for. Be sure to double-check
your spelling and punctuation, and use a tone that is inviting to those who
might be considering a career in seismology.