Writing a scientific paper

1. Writing a scientific paper KhonKaen2555

2. If you want to learn sailing Start to love the Sea

3. If you want to learn writing Start to love nice stories

4. The most important problem in scientificwriting is givenby the formula: E = mc2

5. E = mc2 Emotions = manuscript x corrections2

6. First step in writing Don’t write

7. Second step in writing Don’t write

8. Third step in writing

9. Fourth step in writing Formulate your findings in one or two scentences Explaine in five minutes to an outsider the importance of your finding. If this does not work go back to step three

10. Before you start writing Decide what are the key conclusions of the paper- the important message that you want to put across. Do you have all the data AND the figures to prove your point? If possible, give an informal ORAL presentation of the work before you start to write the paper. This way you will clarify the story you want to telland can anticipate objections or misunderstandings that must be addressed in the text.

11. You are comming close to start • What is the problem being addressed? • Why is it important? • What have others done to address the problem? • What have you done to address the problem and how different is it?

12. Analize possible conflicts Formulate the generalconcepts in the field Are your data compared to the currenttheories: anextentioneasy to present a confirmationdifficult to present, needfantasy orconflictinghard to present, needsharpformulation

13. Selection of journal Make a ranking order of journals in your field Whenyour data are for the currenttheory: - a big extention, go to top end - a moderate extention, go justabove average • a realisticconformation go to average • a minor conformation go justbelow average • a conflict withstrongarguments, go to top end • a conflict with moderate arguments go average

14. Getting started The Sequence • Fix realistic schedule (moderate) • Decision is final • Adherence foresees a good outcome • Figures, tables • Methods and Results • Discussion and Introduction • Abstract and Title

15. Structure • A good article has a definite structure, makes its point, and does not waste space and time • The most difficult part in writing a scientific paper is planning its structure

16. Figures and Tables • Assemble draft FIGURES and Tables. • Lay them out in order on a table or desk. • Decide what are the key points that you need to make, and write them out. Focus on hypotheses that you tested.

17. Be critical on your data • Are thereanyweird or unexpected data ? • Never push themaside • Thinkaboutanexplanation

18. Results and Methods • In general it is easiest to start writing RESULTS and METHODS. • Just start writing the data as if you were describing them to your colleagues. • Lay out general arguments and then go into details so that you prepare the readers for what follows and the logic you are going to use.

19. Methods section • Enough information for an experienced investigator to repeat your work • Avoid tiresome detail • Cut-and-paste from previous work of the author(s), not somebody else’s • It is the first section of the paper in which subheadings should be used

20. Results section What are the findings relevant to each objective? Have all objectives been met? • Common mistakes • Raw data • Redundancy • Discussion and interpretation of data • No figures or tables • Methods/materials reported

21. Discussion • Interpret results • Did the study confirm/deny the hypothesis? • If not, did the results provide an alternative hypothesis? What interpretation can be made? • Do results agree with other research? Sources of error/anomalous data? • Implications of study for field • Suggestions for improvement and future research? • Relate to previous research

22. Discussion • First paragraph • State major findings • Paraphrase abstract • Middle paragraphs • Base each on a major result • Always focus on your results • Never discuss prior work without reference to your work • Refer to Tables and Figures

23. Discussion Last paragraph • “In summary…” (2-3 sentences) • “In conclusion…” (biggest message, return to Intro, avoid speculation, avoid “need more work”

24. Introduction • The first paragraph is crucial for catching the attention of the audience and for conveying to them the importance of the questions that you have addressed in the paper. • If you don’t catch the attention of the audience in the first few sentences, the chances are high that they won’t continue reading. • So, make the first sentence both snappy and profound.

25. Introduction • 2-3 paragraphs, <450 words • First paragraph • Introduce broad area • Second paragraph • Explicit rationale • Last paragraph - Hypothesis - Summary of problem (selling point)

26. Title Spend time and think about the Title Your article is often about a molecule, a gene, or a detail of a disease. So What ? There are thousands of molecules, genes, and diseases For everybody else it looks like eaghkib Therefore formulate the real point

27. Title • Max info in the least of words • <12 words • <100 characters • The title is a label • Should almost never contain abbreviations • Easier to understand, more impact

28. First Draft • Write as quickly as possible • As if thinking out loud • Get everything down • Ignore spelling, grammar, style • Skip troublesome words • Correct and rewrite only when the whole text is on paper • Do not split the manuscript among the co-authors

29. Writing • At assigned time: write (not read) • Don’t wait for the muses • A craft, not an art: practice • Ideas come while writing • Read good authors, especially non-medical

30. Writing 1. Read 2. Write 3. Review 4. Rewrite 5. Relax 6. Repeat Steps 3-5

31. Secret of writing is rewriting • Secret of rewriting is rethinking

32. Just before the Final stage

33. The major question you have to realize: To Who do you submit your paper ? To an unknown editor, who has to judge to many different papers, in to little time, who knows general facts about your field but mostly lacks specific knowledge, and is bound to the policy of the journal

34. The first 10 seconds are the most critical The neuro-anatomy of judgment of a manuscript

35. The Limbic system All perceptions go first to the limbic system There they get an emotional label With a pos or neg label the perception become conscious In the cortical area of the brain

36. Perception (looking at a manuscript) after the judgment it becomes rational and conscious judgment emotion

37. WhichTitlegivesyou a good feeling ? 1. GIRK channel modulation by allosterically regulated RGS proteins 2. AtWRKY15 perturbation abolishes the mitochondrial stress response that steers osmotic stress tolerance in Arabidopsis 3. Electronic sensor and actuator webs for large-area complex geometry 4. The role of Histone demethylase JHDM2A forTnp1 and Prm1 transcription. 5. A novel approach to malaria vaccines. The way to greater efficacy.

38. A specificdetailedtitle is OK for a specializedjournal A broadtitle is neededfor a variedgroup of readers

39. How to attract the attention of this editor He must understand your research question in 10 seconds He must understand how you solve the question in 20 seconds He must become enthusiastic in 30 seconds Only then, he really starts to read your paper after 40 seconds

40. The first dominant judgment is made on the title And abstract

41. First 10 seconds : judgment of title At this moment the subject must be clear. Tip: give details in subtitle Following 20 seconds First sentence of the abstract must put the problem in a general perspective (zoom out) Then, why is your gene or molecule important for this question (zoom in) and how will you solve the problem.

42. If you don’t believe in your paper Do not send it away, A bad paper will ruin a good one in the future

43. Peer review

44. Congratulations

45. Do you want to become an active writer?

46. First draft Workshop writing Final version

47. But only the begin

48. Get active

49. Workshop tomorrow December 12 2012

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