➤ In the biomedical sciences, competition to publish and secure funding is more intense than ever. Good writing is essential to communicate your results and ideas effectively and to support your credibility as a scientist.
➤ The goal of editing is to make your document understandable to the intended reader, whether that is a reviewer, colleague, federal regulator, or member of the general public. Although editors cannot improve your science, they can remove one obstacle to success by freeing the reader to focus on your work, not on its presentation.
➤ To be effective, scientific editors should have knowledge of the subject matter. They have a responsibility that goes beyond copyediting: they must ensure that your scientific message is conveyed accurately, clearly, and precisely.