How artistic elements can enrich scientific writing
I did a similar thing with figures. Matplotlib has this awesome package that let’s you render all plots in a sketchy style, as shown below.
Example figure from my PhD thesis — rendered with matplotlib using xkcd-styleI used this style throughout my thesis and also in recent publications. One reviewer said: “I like this style and I think it makes the paper much more attractive and accessible (…) I assume the authors intend to convey that the results are to be seen with some uncertainty, and in this respect I would support the consistent use of the sketchy style”*.
But he also warned: “I believe that there will be some readers who will strongly object to this style and put the seriousness of the paper into question”. I couldn’t have said it better myself, and indeed, I have met some of those readers.
Despite the criticism, I kept using these figures. For some reason, the reviewer’s comment about uncertainty stuck with me. Is it really about uncertainty? To some extent, yes, but isn’t that what error bars are for?
To me, the most important aspect of these figures is that they convey a sense of subjectivity. A hand-drawn style makes the human dimension explicit. I am not flawless. Therefore, neither are my figures.
What else can we do to make our research more attractive? Well, why not expand on this idea of a well-composed symphony? As suggested above, humor and (graphical) style can blend in to create a harmonic piece.
Why not go one step further? What I really like about music is that it can do justice to an unresolved situation. It can leave you puzzled, fascinated, compassionate. When it comes to lyrics, sometimes the message gets stronger if the lyrics are vague.
So I set out to write a sonnet about the circulation of the atmosphere. I had long been unable to put my thoughts on paper, because there were some nuances that I simply couldn’t capture accurately in words. The poetic license to not be exact was a huge relief, and I recommend everyone to try it.
For those interested, I copied the sonnet below.
The sonnet printed on the first pages of my PhD thesis.This morning I presented some of my results to a friendly, scientific audience. Instead of focusing solely on content, I used some of my time to exchange thoughts on science communication. It was good to see that people welcome the initiative to express ourselves more freely.
The best piece of advice was to stay close to your own style, and therein don’t feel limited by “the way in which a paper is supposed to be written”, or “how it’s always done”.
By sharing my thoughts and experience, I hope to inspire others to experiment as well. I’m really interested to hear what you think about blending art and science. What are your experiences? And do you know other examples, or do you have ideas on where/how to share forms of science communication that do not fit with traditional journals?
