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African Journal of Food Agriculture Nutrition and Development, Vol. 3, No. 2, November, 2003 STUDENT SECTION EDITORIAL YOUNG SCIENTISTS MUST WRITE Code Number: nd03019 Scientists must not only write, but also write well. AJFAND provides an ideal opportunity for young scientists to share their opinions in their respective fields as they perfect the art and science of writing and reflect on pertinent issues in agriculture, food and nutrition. Preference for written work continues to inspire streams of correspondence among those who show love for personal and scientific reflection, the silent debate and as Thomas Jefferson (former US president) once puts it; ‘The illuminable freedom of human mind to explore and expose every subject susceptible to contemplation.’ By writing we can communicate with people we know and thus can judge us by everything that they know about us- by our writing and by our conversation, appearance and behaviour. However, when we write to people whom we have never met, they judge us in the only way they can-by our writing. Some students recognize the importance of writing their thoughts down for others to comment on, learn from and sometimes reflect on. Others know they write badly but they do not worry about this. They are mistaken if they believe that writing is not particularly important. Still others, because they are satisfied with their writing, write without thinking about possibility of improvement. The power of the pen is obviously profound. But the penholder must progressively cultivate the art of directing it to perfection or near perfection. Writing is part of science but many scientists receive no formal training in the art and technique of writing. There exists a certain irony particularly in developing countries; emphasis is put on use of instruments and techniques, many of which the students will never use in their entire working lives, and yet there is no teaching on how to write well. Of utmost concern to this section of the AJFAND is to adequately prepare and give students the confidence to obey nature’s call of inheriting their predecessors’ roles. Their predecessors have accurately determined that communication is valuable in agriculture food and nutrition sciences. For future success in these disciplines, efficient and accurate communication is indispensable. This has been enhanced by the advent of the Internet, which has made possible, the cybernetic processes. This section of AJFAND can thus be generally perceived as an ambitious attempt to effectively bridge the gap between generations by nurturing young scientists in agriculture, food and nutrition. At the expense of repetition let me quote; ‘young scientists must write’. And now, as this issue rolls out, we observe and witness the continuation of students’ endeavors to spell out their opinions in the spirit of ‘dialogue in science’ through writing. Shadrack Oiye Copyright 2003 - Rural Outreach Program |
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