Scientific Writing: Suggestions for Writing Good Papers
Dr.-Ing. Hutomo Suryo Wasisto Institute of Semiconductor Technology (IHT) and Laboratory for Emerging Nanometrology (LENA), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany Indonesian-German Center for Nano and Quantum Technologies (IG-Nano), Braunschweig, Germany
E-mail: [email protected] UNSOED, 2019 @hutomowasisto Short introduction Education background
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 2 @hutomowasisto Short introduction Since 2016: Head of LENA-OptoSense group at TU Braunschweig
. Head of Optoelectromechanical Integrated Nanosystems for Sensing (OptoSense) Group at TU Braunschweig . Research: Nano-opto-electro-mechanical systems, chemical and biomedical nanosensors, nanoLEDs, nanoelectronics, nanogenerators, and nanometrology
LENA-OptoSense Group
https://www.tu-braunschweig.de/mib/lena/nachwuchsgruppen/optosense/index.html
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 3 @hutomowasisto Short introduction Technische Universität Braunschweig (TUBS)
1745 founded as Collegium Carolinum 1 University 6 Faculties 120 Institutes
1,800 Scientists 20,000 Students (BS: 250.000 citizens)
80 Mio. Euro external research funding 328 Mio. Euro overall budget
. Member of
. Largest portfolio of engineering Bachelor and Master programs in the northern Germany https://www.tu-braunschweig.de
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 4 @hutomowasisto Short introduction Reviewer
Journals and conferences: . Sensors (MDPI) – also as Editor . IEEE Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, . Applied Surface Science (Elsevier), . IEEE Sensors Journal, . International Journal of Electronics, . IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, . Journal of Hazardous Materials . ACS Analytical Chemistry, . International Conference of Integrated . IOP Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, Intellectual Community (ICONIC) . Sensors and Actuators A: Physical Germany – Editor-in-chief . Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical . ….. many more
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 5 @hutomowasisto Short introduction International scientific publications
August 27, 2019: h-index = 14, i10-index = 20
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 6 @hutomowasisto Outline
. Short introduction . Structuring your scientific paper . Drafting your scientific paper . Suggestions for writing good scientific paper
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 7 @hutomowasisto Scientific writing Why publish?
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 8 @hutomowasisto Scientific writing Benefits
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 9 @hutomowasisto Scientific writing Research publication: timing matters
Fast and careless or careful and slow?
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 10 @hutomowasisto Scientific writing Common research and writing process
Have you been doing it so far?
Idea Do research Write paper
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 11 @hutomowasisto Scientific writing “My way” of research
Idea Do research Write paper
Idea Write paper Do research
. Forces us to be clear, focused (the outline and result target will be at least “predefined”) . Crystallises what we do not understand . Opens the way to dialogue with others: reality check, critique, and collaboration
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 12 @hutomowasisto Scientific writing How to search for journal and its suitability
. Check out SCImago Journal & Country Ranking (SJR). It provides a comprehensive list of journals including very detailed statistics for every journal. They also provide a similar ranking as used for the commercial IF ranking by Thomson Reuters http://www.scimagojr.com/journalrank.php
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 13 @hutomowasisto Structuring your scientific paper How a paper should look like
. Scientific papers are for sharing your own original research work with other scientists or for reviewing the research conducted by others. . They are critical to the evolution of modern science, in which the work of one scientist builds upon that of others. . To reach their goal, papers must: aim to inform, not impress. be highly readable — that is, clear, accurate, and concise.
. They are more likely to be cited by other scientists if they are helpful rather than cryptic or self-centered.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 14 @hutomowasisto Structuring your scientific paper Accepted and cited?
. Scientific papers typically have two audiences: 1. The referees, who help the journal editor decide whether a paper is suitable for publication; 2. The journal readers themselves, who may be more or less knowledgeable about the topic addressed in the paper.
. To be accepted by referees and cited by readers, papers must: 1. do more than simply present a chronological account of the research work, 2. convince their audience that the research presented is important, valid, and relevant to other scientists in the same field, 3. emphasize both the motivation for the work and the outcome of it, 4. include just enough evidence to establish the validity of the outcome.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 15 @hutomowasisto Structuring your scientific paper Typical five sections of paper
. Papers that report experimental work are often structured chronologically in five sections: 1. Introduction 2. Materials and Methods 3. Results Paper's body 4. Discussion 5. Conclusion
. Papers reporting something other than experiments, such as a new method or technology, typically have different sections in their body, but they include the same Introduction and Conclusion
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 16 @hutomowasisto Structuring your scientific paper Sections of paper
. The Introduction section clarifies the motivation for the work presented and prepares readers for the structure of the paper. . The Materials and Methods section provides sufficient detail for other scientists to reproduce the experiments presented in the paper. In some journals, this information is placed in an appendix, because it is not what most readers want to know first. . The Results and Discussion sections present and discuss the research results, respectively. They are often usefully combined into one section, however, because readers can seldom make sense of results alone without accompanying interpretation — they need to be told what the results mean. . The Conclusion section presents the outcome of the work by interpreting the findings at a higher level of abstraction than the Discussion and by relating these findings to the motivation stated in the Introduction.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 17 @hutomowasisto Structuring your scientific paper Sections of paper
Effective papers typically break the chronology in at least three ways to present their content in the order in which the audience will most likely want to read it: 1. They summarize the motivation for, and the outcome of, the work in an abstract, located before the Introduction. In a sense, they reveal the beginning and end of the story — briefly — before providing the full story. 2. They move the more detailed, less important parts of the body to the end of the paper in one or more appendices so that these parts do not stand in the readers' way. 3. They structure the content in the body in theorem-proof fashion, stating first what readers must remember (for example, as the first sentence of a paragraph) and then presenting evidence to support this statement.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 18 @hutomowasisto Introduction Four components of Introduction
In the Introduction section, state the motivation for the work presented in your paper and prepare readers for the structure of the paper. Write four components, probably (but not necessarily) in four paragraphs: context, need, task, and object of the document. . First, provide some context to orient those readers who are less familiar with your topic and to establish the importance of your work. . Second, state the need for your work, as an opposition between what the scientific community currently has and what it wants. . Third, indicate what you have done in an effort to address the need (this is the task). . Finally, preview the remainder of the paper to mentally prepare readers for its structure, in the object of the document.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 19 @hutomowasisto Introduction Context and need
. At the beginning of the Introduction section, the context and need work together as a funnel: They start broad and progressively narrow down to the issue addressed in the paper. To spark interest among your audience — referees and journal readers alike — provide a compelling motivation for the work presented in your paper: The fact that a phenomenon has never been studied before is not, in and of itself, a reason to study that phenomenon. . Write the context in a way that appeals to a broad range of readers and leads into the need. Do not include context for the sake of including context: Rather, provide only what will help readers better understand the need and, especially, its importance. . Consider anchoring the context in time, using phrases such as recently, in the past 10 years, or since the early 1990s. You may also want to anchor your context in space (either geographically or within a given research field).
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 20 @hutomowasisto Introduction Context and need
. Convey the need for the work as an opposition between actual and desired situations. Start by stating the actual situation (what we have) as a direct continuation of the context. If you feel you must explain recent achievements in much detail — say, in more than one or two paragraphs — consider moving the details to a section titled State of the art (or something similar) after the Introduction, but do provide a brief idea of the actual situation in the Introduction. . Next, state the desired situation (what we want). Emphasize the contrast between the actual and desired situations with such words as but, however, or unfortunately. . One elegant way to express the desired part of the need is to combine it with the task in a single sentence. This sentence expresses first the objective, then the action undertaken to reach this objective, thus creating a strong and elegant connection between need and task.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 21 @hutomowasisto Introduction Context and need (example)
. To confirm this assumption, we studied the effects of a range of inhibitors of connexin channels . . . on . . .
. To assess whether such multiple-coil sensors perform better than single-signal ones, we tested two of them — the DuoPXK and the GEMM3 — in a field where . . .
. To form a better view of the global distribution and infectiousness of this pathogen, we examined 1645 postmetamorphic and adult amphibians collected from 27 countries between 1984 and 2006 for the presence of . . .
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 22 @hutomowasisto Introduction Task and object
An Introduction is usually clearer and more logical when it separates what the authors have done (the task) from what the paper itself attempts or covers (the object of the document). In other words, the task clarifies your contribution as a scientist, whereas the object of the document prepares readers for the structure of the paper, thus allowing focused or selective reading.
For the task: . use whoever did the work (normally, you and your colleagues) as the subject of the sentence: we or perhaps the authors; . use a verb expressing a research action: measured, calculated, etc.; . set that verb in the past tense.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 23 @hutomowasisto Introduction Task (examples)
The three examples below are well-formed tasks:
1. To confirm this assumption, we studied the effects of a range of inhibitors of connexin channels, such as the connexin mimetic peptides Gap26 and Gap27 and anti-peptide antibodies, on calcium signaling in cardiac cells and HeLa cells expressing connexins.
2. During controlled experiments, we investigated the influence of the HMP boundary conditions on liver flows.
3. To tackle this problem, we developed a new software verification technique called oblivious hashing, which calculates the hash values based on the actual execution of the program.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 24 @hutomowasisto Introduction Task (examples)
The list below provides examples of verbs that express research actions:
apply We applied Laklöter's principle to . . .
assess We assessed the effects of larger doses of . . . calculate We calculated the photoluminescence spectrum of . . .
compare We compared the effects of . . . to those of . . . compute We computed the velocity predicted by . . . derive We derived a new set of rules for . . . design We designed a series of experiments to . . . We determined the complete nucleotide sequence of . . . determine
develop We developed a new algorithm to . . . evaluate We evaluated the efficacy and biocompatibility of . . . explore We explored the relationship between . . . implement We implemented a genetic algorithm for . . . investigate We investigated the behavior of . . . measure We measured the concentration of cadmium in . . . model We modeled the diffraction behavior of . . .
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 25 @hutomowasisto Introduction Object of document
For the object of the document: . use the document itself as the subject of the sentence: this paper, this letter, etc.; . use a verb expressing a communication action: presents, summarizes, etc.; . set the verb in the present tense.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 26 @hutomowasisto Introduction Object of document
The three examples below are suitable objects of the document for the three tasks shown previously.
1. This paper clarifies the role of CxHc on calcium oscillations in neonatal cardiac myocytes and calcium transients induced by ATP in HL-cells originated from cardiac atrium and in HeLa cells expressing connexin 43 or 26. 2. This paper presents the flow effects induced by increasing the hepatic- artery pressure and by obstructing the vena cava inferior. 3. This paper discusses the theory behind oblivious hashing and shows how this approach can be applied for local software tamper resistance and remote code authentication.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 27 @hutomowasisto Introduction Object of document
The list below provides examples of verbs that express communication actions:
clarify This paper clarifies the role of soils in . . . describe This paper describes the mechanism by which . . . detail This paper details the algorithm used for . . . discuss This paper discusses the influence of acidity on . . . explain This paper explains how the new encoding scheme . . . offer This paper offers four recommendations for . . . present This paper presents the results of . . . proposes This paper proposes a set of guidelines for . . . provide This paper provides the complete framework and . . . report This paper reports on our progress so far . . . summarize This paper summarizes our results for 27 patients with . . .
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 28 @hutomowasisto Drafting your scientific paper Verbs
. Much of the strength of a clause comes from its verb. Therefore, to express your ideas accurately, choose an appropriate verb and use it well: use it in the right tense choose carefully between active and passive voice avoid dangling verb forms. . Verbs are for describing actions, states, or occurrences. To give a clause its full strength and keep it short, do not bury the action, state, or occurrence in a noun (typically combined with a weak verb): . Example: Not good: "The catalyst produced a significant increase in conversion rate." Better: "The catalyst increased the conversion rate significantly." . The examples below show how an action, state, or occurrence can be moved from a noun back to a verb.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 29 @hutomowasisto Drafting your scientific paper Verbs
Several examples of Verb
Instead of Write
Make an examination of . . . examine Present a comparison of . . . compare Be in agreement . . . agree Perform an analysis of . . . analyze Produce an improvement in . . . improve
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 30 @hutomowasisto Drafting your scientific paper Using the right tense
. In your scientific paper, use verb tenses (past, present, and future) exactly as you would in ordinary writing. . Use the past tense to report what happened in the past: what you did, what someone reported, what happened in an experiment, and so on. . Use the present tense to express general truths, such as conclusions (drawn by you or by others) and atemporal facts (including information about what the paper does or covers). . Reserve the future tense for perspectives: what you will do in the coming months or years. . Typically, most of your sentences will be in the past tense, some will be in the present tense, and very few, if any, will be in the future tense.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 31 @hutomowasisto Drafting your scientific paper Using the right tense – Past tense
. Work done We collected blood samples from . . . Groves et al. determined the growth rate of . . . Consequently, astronomers decided to rename . . .
. Work reported Jankowsky reported a similar growth rate . . . In 2009, Chu published an alternative method to . . . Irarrázaval observed the opposite behavior in . . .
. Observations The mice in Group A developed, on average, twice as much . . . The number of defects increased sharply . . . The conversion rate was close to 95% . . .
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 32 @hutomowasisto Drafting your scientific paper Using the right tense – Present tense
. General truths Microbes in the human gut have a profound influence on . . . The Reynolds number provides a measure of . . . Smoking increases the risk of coronary heart disease . . .
. Atemporal facts This paper presents the results of . . . Section 3.1 explains the difference between . . . Behbood's 1969 paper provides a framework for . . .
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 33 @hutomowasisto Drafting your scientific paper Using the right tense – Future tense
. Perspectives In a follow-up experiment, we will study the role of . . . The influence of temperature will be the object of future research . . .
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 34 @hutomowasisto Drafting your scientific paper Understanding the difference in scope between past and present tenses
. Note the difference in scope between a statement in the past tense and the same statement in the present tense: "The temperature increased linearly over time" refers to a specific experiment, "The temperature increases linearly over time" generalizes the experimental observation, suggesting that the temperature always increases linearly over time in such circumstances. . In complex sentences, you may have to combine two different tenses. Example: "In 1905, Albert Einstein postulated that the speed of light is constant . . . . " In this sentence, postulated refers to something that happened in the past (in 1905) and is therefore in the past tense, whereas is expresses a general truth and is in the present tense.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 35 @hutomowasisto Drafting your scientific paper Choosing between active and passive voice
. In English, verbs can express an action in one of two voices. 1. The active voice focuses on the agent: "John measured the temperature." (Here, the agent — John — is the grammatical subject of the sentence.) 2. The passive voice focuses on the object that is acted upon: "The temperature was measured by John." (Here, the temperature, not John, is the grammatical subject of the sentence.)
. To choose between active and passive voice, consider above all what you are discussing (your topic) and place it in the subject position. For example, should you write "The preprocessor sorts the two arrays" or "The two arrays are sorted by the preprocessor"? If you are discussing the preprocessor, the first sentence is the better option. In contrast, if you are discussing the arrays, the second sentence is better. If you are unsure what you are discussing, consider the surrounding sentences: Are they about the preprocessor or the two arrays?
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 36 @hutomowasisto Drafting your scientific paper Choosing between active and passive voice
. The desire to be objective in scientific writing has led to an overuse of the passive voice, often accompanied by the exclusion of agents: "The temperature was measured" (with the verb at the end of the sentence). . Admittedly, the agent is often irrelevant: No matter who measured the temperature, we would expect its value to be the same. . However, a systematic preference for the passive voice is by no means optimal, for at least two reasons: 1. Sentences written in the passive voice are often less interesting or more difficult to read than those written in the active voice 2. Readers sometimes need people to be mentioned
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 37 @hutomowasisto Drafting your scientific paper Passive voice: readers sometimes need people to be mentioned
. As a second argument against a systematic preference for the passive voice, readers sometimes need people to be mentioned. . A sentence such as "The temperature is believed to be the cause for . . . " is ambiguous. Readers will want to know who believes this — the authors of the paper, or the scientific community as a whole? . To clarify the sentence, use the active voice and set the appropriate people as the subject, in either the third or the first person, as in the examples below.
Biologists believe the temperature to be . . . Keustermans et al. (1997) believe the temperature to be . . . The authors believe the temperature to be . . . We believe the temperature to be . . .
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 38 @hutomowasisto Drafting your scientific paper Avoiding dangling verb forms
. A verb form needs a subject, either expressed or implied. . When the verb is in a non-finite form, such as an infinitive (to do) or a participle (doing), its subject is implied to be the subject of the clause, or sometimes the closest noun phrase. . In such cases, construct your sentences carefully to avoid suggesting nonsense.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 39 @hutomowasisto Drafting your scientific paper Avoiding dangling verb forms
. Consider the following two examples. To dissect its brain, the affected fly was mounted on a . . . After aging for 72 hours at 50°C, we observed a shift in . . . . Here, the first sentence implies that the affected fly dissected its own brain, and the second implies that the authors of the paper needed to age for 72 hours at 50°C in order to observe the shift. To restore the intended meaning while keeping the infinitive to dissect or the participle aging, change the subject of each sentence as appropriate: To dissect its brain, we mounted the affected fly on a . . . After aging for 72 hours at 50°C, the samples exhibited a shift in . . . . Alternatively, you can change or remove the infinitive or participle to restore the intended meaning: To have its brain dissected, the affected fly was mounted on a . . . After the samples aged for 72 hours at 50°C, we observed a shift in . . .
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 40 @hutomowasisto Eighteen suggestions for writing good scientific papers 1. Know your audience and write for that specific audience
. Scientific and technical writing is never a 'general purpose‘, but written for a specific audience, i.e. the community who read a particular journal or study a particular subject.
. You must adopt the style and level of writing that is appropriate for your audience. Study them as they are manifested in a selection of highly regarded papers and in the "Instructions for Authors" for key journals.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 41 @hutomowasisto Eighteen suggestions for writing good scientific papers 2. Your supervisor is not here to teach you basic grammar/ spelling.
. The more time and emotional energy she or he spends on correcting basic English usage, the less remains for issues of content or fine- tuning. You are responsible for mastering the basics of the language. With word processors and spellcheckers having become standard writing tools, typos or other spelling errors should be very rare.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 42 @hutomowasisto Eighteen suggestions for writing good scientific papers 3. Do not turn in a first draft!
. Ever! Most people's first drafts are terrible. "Good writing is rewriting," and you should make a serious effort at editing, rewriting, and fine- tuning before you give the manuscript to anyone else to read. If you need to put a piece of writing away for a few days before you can approach it dispassionately enough to rework it, do so.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 43 @hutomowasisto Eighteen suggestions for writing good scientific papers 4. Avoid abusing word forms
. Use words in the form that conveys your meaning as clearly and simply as possible. . For example, consider the sentence, "The low rate of encounters was a reflection of population density reductions." versus: "The low rate of encounters reflects a reduced population density."
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 44 @hutomowasisto Eighteen suggestions for writing good scientific papers 5. Do not use more words where fewer will do
. Do not use long words where short ones will do. . For example: o "utilization" vs. "use" o "in order to" vs. "to" . Do not use special words to make your writing seem more technical, scientific, or academic when the message is more clearly presented otherwise.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 45 @hutomowasisto Eighteen suggestions for writing good scientific papers 6. Use an outline to organize your ideas and writing
. When you first start a writing project, make an outline of the major headings. List the key ideas to be covered under each heading. Organize your thinking logic and the logic of your arguments at this level, not when you are trying to write complete, grammatical, and elegant sentences.
. Separate out the three tasks of: 1) figuring out what you want to say, 2) planning the order and logic of your arguments, and 3) crafting the exact language in which you will express your ideas.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 46 @hutomowasisto Eighteen suggestions for writing good scientific papers 7. Think about the structure of paragraphs
. Though most students can write reasonable sentences, a surprising number have difficulty organizing sentences into effective paragraphs. A paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that sets the stage clearly for what will follow. Make topic sentences short and direct. Build the paragraph from the ideas introduced in your topic sentence and make the flow of individual sentences follow a logical sequence.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 47 @hutomowasisto Eighteen suggestions for writing good scientific papers 8. Pay attention to tenses
. Problems of inappropriate or inconsistent tenses are common in student writing. What you, or others, did in the past should be stated in the past tense (e.g., data were collected...."). Events or objects that continue to happen or exist can be described in the present tense (e.g., "in this paper, I examine...... The data reject the hypothesis that...... ). Whatever tense you choose, be consistent.
. Be careful in using "might," "may," and "would" (as in "this might indicate that..."). They are frequently used as ways of weaseling out of making a clear statement.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 48 @hutomowasisto Eighteen suggestions for writing good scientific papers 9. Captions should not merely name a table or figure
. Captions should not merely name a table or figure, they should explain how to read it. . A caption (figure or table heading) should contain sufficient information so that a reader can understand a table or figure, in most cases, without reference to the text. Very simple tables and figures may require only a title for clarity, and exceptionally complex ones may require reference to the text for explanation. . Do not leave caption writing to the end of the project; write captions when you organize your Results section and it will help you write the text.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 49 @hutomowasisto Eighteen suggestions for writing good scientific papers 10. When citing a reference, focus on the ideas, not the authors
. Unless the person who reported a result is an important point in a statement, literature citations should be parenthetical, rather than in the body of the sentence . Example: “… growth rates of > 80 cm are common in populations in Alberta (Marx 1982)." rather than “…, Marx (1982) found growth rates of >80 cm to be common in populations in Alberta.'
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 50 @hutomowasisto Eighteen suggestions for writing good scientific papers 11. Show us don't tell us
. Rather than telling the reader that a result is interesting or significant, show them how it is interesting or significant. . For instance: Rather than “The large difference in mean size between population C and population D is particularly interesting," write “Mean size generally varied among populations by only a few centimeters, but mean size in populations C and D differed by 25 cm.“.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 51 @hutomowasisto Eighteen suggestions for writing good scientific papers 12. Write about your results, not your tables, figures, and statistics
. Confusing and disjointed Results sections often arise because the writer does not have a clear idea of the story she/he intends to tell. When preparing to write your results, decide on the elements of the story you wish to tell, then choose the subset of text, figures, and tables that most effectively and concisely coveys your message. Organize this subset of tables and figures in a logical sequence; then write your story around them.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 52 @hutomowasisto Eighteen suggestions for writing good scientific papers 13. Develop a strategy for your Discussion
. Many novice paper writers begin their Discussion section with a statement about problems with their methods or the items in their results about which they feel most insecure. Unless these really are the most important thing about your research (in which case you have problems), save them for later. Begin a Discussion with a short restatement of the most important points from your results. Use this statement to set up the ideas you want to focus on in interpreting your results and relating them to the literature. Use sub-headings that structure the discussion around these ideas.
. Note: Often 1 “results and discussion” section!
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 53 @hutomowasisto Eighteen suggestions for writing good scientific papers 14. Introductions and conclusions are the hardest parts
. Many technical writers prefer to write their introductions last because it is too difficult to craft that balance of general context and specific focus required for a good introduction. If you need to write the introduction first to set the stage for your own thinking, resist the temptation to perfect it. The introduction will likely need substantial modification by the time you have finished the rest of the paper. The same concerns apply to conclusions, abstracts, and summaries. These components of the paper are all that many people will read, and you must get your message across in as direct, crisp, and enticing a manner as possible.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 54 @hutomowasisto Eighteen suggestions for writing good scientific papers 15. Break up large projects into small pieces and work on the pieces
. Writing and analysis for any given paper is often an iterative process. Writing the results section of a paper is often the best way to discover the analyses and figures that still need to be done.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 55 @hutomowasisto Eighteen suggestions for writing good scientific papers 16. Make your writing flow and resonate
. Papers written so well that they 'flow and resonate' are much more likely to influence your readers than the equivalent message presented in a form that is merely clear. When you find a paper that succeeds in this, study carefully how the authors constructed their augments and used language; try to identify what makes the paper work so well.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 56 @hutomowasisto Eighteen suggestions for writing good scientific papers 17. Use word processors effectively and back up your work
. You need not learn how to use all the more exotic features of your word processor (LaTex), but learn the options that are available and how to find out the details when you need them. Minimally, be familiar with basic requirements for document formatting and basic operating system requirements. The same comments apply to the use of statistical packages, graphics programs, and spreadsheets.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 57 @hutomowasisto Eighteen suggestions for writing good scientific papers 18. Take editorial comments seriously
. It may be clear from an editor's comments that they did not understand the point you were making. If so, that is a clear indication that you need to improve your writing. Also, an editor, no matter who they might be, has invested their time to help improve the quality of your writing. Respect their investment.
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 58 @hutomowasisto How to write cover letter for revision Example (1)
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 59 @hutomowasisto How to write cover letter for revision Example (2)
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 60 @hutomowasisto How to respond reviewers Example (1)
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 61 @hutomowasisto How to respond reviewers Example (2)
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 62 @hutomowasisto How to respond reviewers Example (3)
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 63 @hutomowasisto How to respond reviewers Example (4)
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 64 @hutomowasisto How to respond reviewers Example (4)
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 65 @hutomowasisto How to respond reviewers Example (4)
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 66 @hutomowasisto Take-home messages
Wasisto | LENA-OptoSense | Page 67 @hutomowasisto