Interlude: Email, Utilize, and Finding Your Voice
I recently read an article in Nature about email etiquette and how to write an email that your principal investigator (or anyone) will read. The article gives some great advice for how to craft concise, actionable emails and how to follow up on them.
I agree that we can be more mindful when sending emails (which is why I carefully craft this email every week). But I also think that we could be better about how we manage our inbox.
A few years ago, I overhauled how I manage email. After reading the book 21 Days to Inbox Zero (now a web article), I completely changed how I manage my inbox. The emails still get ahead of me now and then, and I don't follow all the strategies, but I have way more control of my inbox now. And I hope that some of the strategies might work for you too.
But when you get to Day 6 or 20, I hope you won't unsubscribe from this newsletter. I'm really grateful to have you here.
Let's get to the good stuff...
💌 Round-up
💻 From My Desk
How to Accurately Use “Utilize” in Your Writing
I believe that utilize is the most misused—and overused—word in scientific and medical writing. What's the more accurate (and readable) choice? Use.
👓 Reading
Nonhuman “Authors” and Implications for the Integrity of Scientific Publication and Medical Knowledge
"Transformative, disruptive technologies, like AI language models, create promise and opportunities as well as risks and threats for all involved in the scientific enterprise."
Ready, Set, Share!
"Across many fields of science, researchers’ support for sharing data has increased during the past decade, surveys show. But given the potential cost and complexity, many are apprehensive about the NIH policy, and other requirements to follow." In this article, Science offers guidance for researchers who need to comply with the new NIH requirements for sharing data.
🎧 Listening
Find Your Writing Voice —Write Medicine podcast with Alexandra Howson
In this short episode, Ben Riggs describes his thoughts on voice in writing: "It's an unavoidable part of writing. So being cognizant of its unavoidability, I think, is important because I think writers need to ask themselves and editorial spaces need to be aware of what is the voice they're creating with the words they're writing, or editing, and is that the voice that they're anticipating or that that the reader needs."
📝 Challenge
This week, use the Find feature in Word to search for "utilize" in your writing. In every instance (yes, every instance), replace utilize with use.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
