writing SAMPLES

endorsements

SCIENTIFIC & TECHNICAL WRITER (freelance) [PORTFOLIO]
^*Stephen X. Arthur, B.Sc., M.F.A., M.Sc.
Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Phone: (604) 926-9787  sxarthur@shaw.ca
www.sxa-portfolio.com

Do you need a writer who can be a strategic contributor? A writer who can think analytically as well as creatively? A writer who can catch errors, plan for contingencies, and keep an eye on the big picture? My training in both hard science and writing for the big screen has equipped me well for developing information for a wide range of clients. I promote the technical writing standards published by Duncan Kent. Since 2010, I now specialize in writing for a scientific audience -- readers of biomedical journal articles and research grant proposals. 
(But I may still be available for corporate technical writing.)

bookmarks:
scientific
training manuals
video-script clients
communications
academic degrees
authorship
other

 

CLIENTS-- click icons for samples ()

Scientific
Journals
 & Grants
(Biomedical)

New York University -- cancer pain investigators 
Currently providing ongoing writing, editing, and illustration for scientific reviews, primary research manuscripts, and research grant applications--both preclinical and clinical. On assignment to Dr. Brian L. Schmidt, DDS, MD, PhD, FACS, Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. "You have done a masterful job. This is perfect. Consider me thoroughly impressed." --Brian Schmidt

Update 2011: After more than a year of continuing assignments, I have adopted the standards of Mimi Zieger’s Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers, Angelica Hofmann’s Scientific Writing and Communication, and William Gerin’s Writing the NIH Grant Proposal. I have also developed, designed, and produced various complex conceptual illustrations of hypothesized cell signaling mechanisms, finished in Adobe Illustrator.

User
Manuals

E-Comm 9-1-1 Emergency Communications for Southwest British Columbia, Inc.
Developed the format for documenting standard operating procedures for dispatching fire and rescue responders. Wrote and edited the manual in clear, plain English.

BC Transmission Corporation
Wrote and edited a field guide for assessing the condition of critical overhead components such as power lines and towers.

CHC Helicopter Corporation - Global Operations
Wrote a manager's manual for using CHC's Web-based Safety & Quality Integrated Database, a global, integrated, reporting and safety-management system.

Richmond Fire-Rescue
Wrote, revised, and edited various sections of the firefighter's standard operating procedures manual (for intranet).

IMT - Image & Microscope Technology (South Korea)
Wrote sections of a user manual for upgrades to iSolution DT, a professional microscopic image-analysis application.

BC Mineral, Oil and Gas Revenue Branch
Edited, summarized, rewrote, and formatted sections of a manual on software procedures for administrators.

Glenayre Electronics Ltd. - Engineering Dept.
Wrote Operator's, Supervisor's, and Manager's Manuals for a commercial answering-service system, The Message Manager. Supervised complete documentation for installation, operation, and maintenance of a digital paging system.

Spectrum Signal Processing
Developed and co-wrote the user guide and online help for an integrated sound/fax/modem/ answering-machine PC expansion board, with associated software.

Mobile Data International (now MDSI)
Documented parts information for the 6100 Portable Data Terminal.  Supervised comprehensive updating of the product documentation, from component-level maintenance to user guide.

Sydney Development Corporation
Wrote the user manual for a stockbroker's software application, Tiger.  Developed software documentation for a mainframe library system, and wrote a user guide for a video game, Gemstone.

McDonald Dettwiler and Associates
Validated documentation for installation, operation, maintenance, and engineering of a mainframe-based meteorological analysis system developed for the U.S. Air Force, AWDS (Automated Weather Distribution System).

H.C.L. McDonald and Associates
Wrote the user guide for a general-ledger accounting software application.

Ministry of Social Services and Housing
Developed the department guide for the District Office Systems group.

Justice Institute of B.C.
Wrote a course calendar for the Fire Academy.

Training
Manuals

Healthy Heart Society - IMPACT BC initiative
Wrote training modules to assist family physicians to make management improvements. Sponsored by the BC Ministry of Health, the BC Medical Association, and Merck Frosst.

B.C. Ministry of Forests
Wrote Participant's and Trainer's Guides for the new Resource Inventory Skills Training Curriculum (including photo interpretation, field navigation, plot sampling for plant identification and coverage, timber cruising, and ecological site series).

Hughes Canada Systems Division - Product Support
Developed the department's procedures for managing, developing, and conducting large-scale training programs for the air-traffic-control industry, based on the Design/IDEF process-mapping software tool. 

B.C. Hydro - Trades Training and Development
Researched and wrote the training modules for a new skills-upgrading course for power system journeymen, Distribution Switching for Linemen.

Justice Institute of B.C.
Developed the course outline for Electrical Safety for Firefighters.

Video
Scripts

--Brief bio--

video-writing resumé

ImageMaker Advertising - treatments and scripts for corporate documentary videos for mining exploration companies [Play videos for Bell, American Creek, and Baffinland].

B.C. Ministry of Forests - series of training videos on Vegetation Inventory field sampling procedures (BCIT/Nutec Training/Black Tusk Video)

Fisheries Council of B.C. - training video on salmon canning (BCIT - AV Dept)

National Film Board of Canada - film series on geological time, Earth Moves

B.C. Cancer Research Centre - Terry Fox Lab - training video on tissue culturing

B.C. Children's Hospital - occupational therapy introduction (Biomedical Communication UBC)

Hillsborough Resources - promotional video on mining properties (Shane Lunny Productions)

Trans Atlantic Resources - promotional video on mining properties (Mott Communications)

B.C. Central Credit Union - training video on deposit insurance (Vidatron Productions)

Justice Institute of B.C. - dramatization video of Police and Fire Academy training

Bikes On Broadway - radio advertisements - comedy (Massey Productions) 

West Vancouver Parks and Recreation - educational film on nature in Lighthouse Park. 

Public
Information

Science World B.C.
Researched and wrote the content for That Day in Science, an interactive computer kiosk on the history of science.

B.C. Medical Association
Wrote a press release, World's Deadliest Poison Used for Revolutionary Therapies.

Glenayre Electronics Marketing Dept.
Wrote brochures, press releases, and overhead presentations for a variety of telecommunications products.

Proposals

BC Transmission Corporation
Performed substantive editing and rewriting of the BCTC State of the Transmission System Report.

Iwasan Consulting - SR&ED
Wrote Detailed Project Descriptions for Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Credit reports.

National Film Board of Canada - Earth Moves
Researched and wrote a successful proposal for funding the development of a scientific visualization project: a paleogeographic time-lapse film series for schools, simulated by 3D animation. Researched extensively the subject matter (historical geology), conducted market research, evaluated software, and developed the budget.

Media arts
Developed and wrote a successful proposal for a Program of  Work requiring the largest amount of funding awarded to individual media artists by the Canada Council's Creative Development Grants ($20K). Followed this with a successful production-grant proposal ($55K).

Many other grant and sponsorship proposals in the arts and sciences over two decades.

Education
(Degrees)

Master of Science  
Neuroscience (Physiology, Dept. Medicine) -- U. British Columbia

Focus: molecular and developmental neurobiology, vision, cognition, neuropsychology, neuroplasticity, excitatory amino-acid neurotransmitter receptors, and parallel distributed processing.

Master of Fine Arts  
Cinema -- University of Southern California

Focus: film production (live action), sound, directing, editing, genres, and screenwriting.

Bachelor of Science
Zoology -- University of British Columbia

Focus: macroevolution, comparative morphology, developmental biology, fine-art animation, and experimental filmmaking.

Authorship

Motion picture screenplays
Wrote six original, feature-length, commercial screenplays, seven treatments for features, and four short scripts.  Three options to produce were sold to film producers in Los Angeles. 

Published articles
Methods of the Masters, ASIFA Canada, Vol 25, No 4
Recollections from Hiroshima '98, NW Animator
Duck Hybrids and Variants in Greater Vancouver. Discovery 23:1, 3-8

Academic science papers
Wrote basic research manuscripts for journal publication, and various literature-review papers.  Presented at poster sessions at UBC Dept. Ophthalmology and Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting in New Orleans. 

 Film
Production
&
Digital Media

Filmmaker's resume 

Digital media skills include using advanced production software such as Adobe After Effects for compositing, tracking, and image processing; paint-based animation programs; 3D animation and rendering software such as Discreet 3ds max; Sonic Foundry Sound Forge for sound editing and design; mpeg compression; DVD authoring; and artificial neural networks.

Speaker & Instructor

Workshop on Experimental Bitmap Animation at Ottawa International Animation Festival

Guest speaker and panelist - Vancouver Film School; Center for Digital Imaging and Sound; Independent Film and Video Alliance; Society for Technical Communication; and Ottawa Int'l Animation Festival.

Instructor: Taught "Writing for Film, Television, and Radio" at the Institute of Communication Arts, Vancouver.  Taught Grade 9 Science for two weeks as a student teacher at Kitsilano High School, Vancouver.

Software
Tools

Thomson Reuters EndNote 9; Adobe Illustrator CS2, Photoshop 7, Acrobat 6; Microsoft Word 2003/2007, FrontPage, Excel, and PowerPoint.  (Past: RoboHelp 7, FrameMaker 6, Captivate 4.)

 e-mail 

Updated: Sept. 6, 2011

MEMBER

Specialty knowledge: Scientific journal manuscript format and style, ICMJE & AMA style, NIH R01 grant application new short form, scientific abstract writing, life sciences, biology, neuroscience, neuropsychology, pharmacology, evolutionary biology, mechanisms and mediators of cancer pain, epigenetics,  informational graphic design, biomedical illustration, change management, mining exploration, historical geology, creative audiovisual media, narration, animation & VFX, photography, screenplay format, story editing, script doctor, project development