Introduction to writing scientific papers

Gaby van Dijk

Topics

Why? Who? What? How?

Why?

Scientists…

…share their research and results with others.

• Meetings with collegues.• Presentations and posters on conferences. • Lectures to students.• Papers

Popular papers. Scientific papers.

Scientists…

…share their research and results with others.

• Meetings with collegues.• Presentations and posters on conferences. • Lectures to students.• Papers

Popular papers. Scientific papers.

So why do we write scientific papers? What is our goal?

To share research and results.

And…

…the number of papers you publish and their importance are often viewed as a reflection of your scientific achievements.

Writing high-quality scientific papers takes time, but it is time well invested.

Who?

Who?

You are the writer.

For whom do you write a scientific paper?

Other researchers• Same field of expertise.• Other field of expertise.

Students.

Experts.

What?

Scientific paper

Paper in scientific journal. Peer reviewed. High standards of quality

• Methodology.• Writing.

Scientific paper

Paper in scientific journal.• Systematic review or meta-analysis.• Original article (based on original analysis).

Scientific paper

Paper in scientific journal.• Systematic review or meta-analysis.• Original article (based on original analysis).

How?

How?

First criterium for writing a high-quality paper is high-quality research.• Data.• Analyses.

Clear and concise

If you are not an English native-speaker, proofreading by a native-speaker might be helpful.

ErasmusAGE has a native-speaker to edit and proof all papers: Jenna Troup.

Message

Make sure you know what you want to tell your reader.• Think about that before you start writing.

What is your main message?

Learn from others

Read other already published peer-reviewed papers.

Building stones

Title Abstract Introduction Methods Results Discussion References

A well-written scientific paper explains • scientist's motivation for doing an experiment. • experimental design and execution.• results and their meaning.

A well-written scientific paper explains • scientist's motivation for doing an experiment.

>> introduction • experimental design and execution.

>>methods• results and their meaning. >>results and

discussion

Title (1)

Predicts the content. Catches the readers interest. Reflects the tone of the paper. Contains keywords that will make it easy

to retrieve or find by computer search.

Title (2)

Keep as short as possible, but informative.

Introduction

Contains your motivation for the research you performed.

Introduction

Why is this study of scientific interest and what is your objective? • What is already known in the literature• What is not? What are the gaps? • What should be investigated?• What are your objectives and research

questions?

Introduction

From general to specific information.

Introduction

Limit the introduction to studies that relate directly to your study.

Cite previous studies / use references.

Citation Use references as evidence for the

statements you make. Readers can find the full text elsewhere. Different ways of citation

– Davis (2010) found…– …has been observed (Davis, 2010).– …patterns at least once per week (8).

1 or 2 authors are cited using their last names. >2 authors are cited using last name st author

followed by et al.

Citation…has been observed (Davis, 2010). 1 or 2 authors are cited using their last

names. >2 authors are cited using last name 1st

author followed by et al.

Citation…to be associated (Davis 2010, Brown et al. 2011, McKerran et al. 2007).

It is acceptable to cite more than one source for a particular statement.

More validity Suggests that your research was thorough.

References are ordered by publication date, so that the earliest citation comes first.

References

Give full citation of all cited papers in your reference list.

Use endnote or reference manager to manage your references and create bibliography and list.

Vermeulen A. Androgen secretion after age 50 in both sexes. Horm Res. 1983;18:37-42.

Introduction

The last paragraph of the introduction contains objectives and research questions.

Also hypotheses can be stated. • What results do you expect?

Keep the introduction as brief as possible.

Methods

Provides all the methodological details necessary for another scientist to duplicate your work.• Description of what you did.

Methods

Design. Population. Measurement and variables. Statistical analysis.

Design

For ErasmusAGE studies refer to Generation R or the Rotterdam Study and give brief description.

Mention approval by the Medical Ethical Committee and informed consent.

Population

Enrolment In- and exclusion criteria N Give information about inclusion and loss

to follow-up.• Test whether enrolment or loss is selective.

Measurement and variables

Variables. Outcome measures versus independent

measures. How were they measured?

• Questionnaires, tests?• References.

Statistical analysis

Provide a brief description of the statistical tests you used.

Results

Present your results. No interpretation.

>>Discussion Do not present raw data. Do not include same data in table and

figure.

Results

Use text to state the results, then refer to a table or figure where they can see the data for themselves.

Nitrogen fertilizer significantly increased soy bean total biomass (p=0.05) regardless of the presence or absence of Rhizobium (Table 1).

Results

If your table includes the results of a statistical analysis, be sure to provide the information necessary for the reader to properly evaluate the analysis • probability levels, degrees of freedom, sample

size, etcetera.

Results

Tips• Number tables and figures separately.• Do not attempt to evaluate the results in this

section.• Refer to each figure or table you include in your

paper.• Tables generally should report summary-level data• Only use a figure or graph when the data lend

themselves to a good visual representation.

Discussion

Explain what the results mean. If necessary explain why results differ from

what other studies have found.

Discussion

Interpret your results in light of other published results.• Use studies from introduction and new

studies.

Discussion

Relate to the objectives and questions you raised in the introduction.• Make statements that synthesize all the

evidence (including previous work and the current work).

Abstract

Brief summary of the paper. Contains information about

• Introduction• Methods• Results• Discussion.

Introduction to writing scientific papers

g.m.vandijk@erasmusmc.nl