PF Insights Writing Guidelines

Follow these guidelines when writing for PF Insights, and refer to them before submitting content.

What is PF Insights?

PF Insights is a community blog for science and math related content. PF Insights is a single blog where many writers contribute to it. The attitude of the blog is friendly with a coat of professionalism. It allows for both casual and technical content. Please read more about PF Insights here: About Us

Who can be an Insights writer?

PF Insights is looking for passionate writers with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a science or math. Special considerations may be granted if that requirement is not met depending on other factors. You may apply: Here

What Do We Publish on PF Insights?

Nearly any topic related to the science or math realms. Entries should be relevant and interesting to the science and math public. They can be informative, educational or commentative. Remember this is a community science blog, so writing an entry about how your dog ate a whole turkey dinner last night would not be accepted. However, if last night you also watched a great documentary on Nikola Tesla, you could write a commentary on the film or an informative piece on what you learned about Nikola Tesla. Here are some possible (not exclusive) example content types.

Opinion:
These posts express a focused view you have on a topic. Not to be confused with an aimless rant. For example, if feel online education is heading in a wrong direction, feel cutting funding is a mistake, or feel it’s dangerous to try and make contact with aliens, etc etc.

Informative:
Have a skill or know something really neat happening in science? Maybe there is a new development or technology that you want to share with people. Blog about it! Top 10 lists are also very fun to write and read (top 10 ways to solve this equation, top 10 things you didn’t know about QM etc).

Event or Experience:
Attend a conference or have a note worthy experience at work that would be interesting for science visitors? Share your experience.

News Commentary:
If you read an interesting science news story and wish to share it in your own words and add your own thoughts.

Media Commentary:
If you watched or read a book on a science topic that you wish to share in your own words and add your own thoughts.

Guides:
Either a technical or nontechnical guide on how to do something. Could be how to solve a common tricky equation or a guide to applying for grad school.

FAQs:
FAQs aim to uncloud the nature of a specific question, concept or misunderstanding in math or science. Like our existing FAQs.

Those are just a few examples. The possibilities are really endless as long as it’s relevant, interesting and accurate.

Submitting a Post

Format and Style

• PF Insights uses American English spelling
• Please use third and fourth level headers in your article (omit first and second level headers). Titles should be in title case.
• Post length should aim to be 400+ words. We want to avoid thin posts like a few sentences and a video. Really explore your topic as much as possible to give readers a quality and full experience. There is no maximum length, but be kind to users, most don’t want to read a book :)
• Before creating your first post, please enter your author profile details. There is a link in the dashboard area on the left sidebar.
• Make sure media fits comfortably on the page (we encourage the use of images and videos)
• Be sure there is adequate padding between page elements
• Design and format should enhance readability, remember KISS
• Text color should remain black

• Acronyms and terms should be explained.
• If writing a technical tutorial please write an introduction on why this piece is important and interesting.
• Need an extra hand with spelling and grammar? Load your article into Hemmingway to spot any potential errors
• Content must be original and not published elsewhere (there are exceptions, contact Greg Bernhardt if unsure).

Quality

• Although our blog attitude is of a friendly and casual nature, we want to make sure you are confident the content is accurate.
• No personal theories, alternative interpretations or speculation will be accepted.
• Feel free to provide external references as you see fit.

Review Process

Once you’ve completed a final draft of your post it will be pending for review. Once reviewed if it is accepted, the post will be published. If not accepted, staff will contact you about what possible concerns we have.