Abstract
Effective writing and oral presentation skills are essential tools for any scientist. Nothing less than one's employment, grant support, publication record, and scientific impact all depend on these abilities. It is surprisingly rare, however, for graduate training programs to address these issues through formal study. As a consequence, I suspect that many young scientists enter the world of independent research with less than stellar writing skills, and I know from unfortunate experience that many seasoned scholars have yet to fully master the art of the scientific seminar. There is a clear need for instruction in these areas, but how can graduate trainers effectively teach their students these skills when they most likely acquired them only through the horrors of trial and error, or the luck of natural talent? Furthermore, how can an established scientist or a motivated student polish his or her communication skills through independent study? Malmfors, Garnsworthy, and Grossman provide lucid and concise answers to these questions in their very useful, no-nonsense handbook.