This article explores the history and theoretical paradigms associated with writing to learn in science, including the debate surrounding the teaching of traditional scientific genres that has received attention in Australia and the United Kingdom. It is asserted that unique features of writing in traditional scientific genres, such as experiment, explanation, and report, promote reflection and the production of new knowledge, especially through the formation of meaningful inferences for data. The author presents sample data illustrating the potential for meaningful learning associated with writing in communicative genres, considers the limited potential of creative writing for developing scientific understandings, and recasts a description of scientific genres in light of contemporary classroom practices. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed 83: 115–130, 1999.
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