ABSTRACT
As with other aspects of experimental physics, the best way to learn about communicating with others is by practising it. This takes time, thought, and a skill in the use of language that only comes “naturally” to a few. The rest of us have to work hard at it, though encouragement may be found in Samuel Johnson’s observation that “what is written without effort is in general read without pleasure”. In order to make the necessary commitment you need to be persuaded of the importance of the subject, and if in doubt consider the following points. First, what is the sense of spending a lot of time, effort and imagination performing an experiment if you are not to gain credit for the work? You do this by communicating your work to other scientists, not by keeping it to yourself.
