Organising and Writing Research PapersStoryboard and Abstract

P Sunthar

Department of Chemical EngineeringIndian Institute of Technology, Bombay

Mumbai 400076, IndiaP.Sunthar@iitb.ac.in

September 17, 2012

Introduction Answers Writing References

Outline of the Lecture

1 Introduction

2 Answers

3 Writing

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Introduction Answers Writing References

Essence of Technical Communication

Structure of a QuestionProblem Definition

Topic: Name/Area/TitleQuestion: Who/What/Where/When/Why/How ?Practical or Conceptual Significance: So What ? Forunderstanding What ?

Structure of an Answer/Argument

Claim or Thesis: What is your answer ?Reason: Why should I believe that ?Evidence: How do you know that ?Acknowledgement and Response: But what about others’view?Warrant: What general principle connects claim to reason?

Booth et al. [2008]P Sunthar (IIT Bombay) Organising and Writing Research Papers September 17, 2012 3 / 16

Introduction Answers Writing References

Planning an Answer

Propose Working Answers/HypothesisTentative solutionsWrite your answers (in detail)What evidence is required to support ? (Expts/Theory)Don’t get infatuated by your working hypothesis. It couldbe wrong!No W. Hypothesis ? Consider modifying question.Bounce off answer with working group, supervisor.

Build a StoryboardLike an outline, but one point per pageEase of addition of dataEase of reorganisationQuestion and working hypothesis on first pageAdd alternative answers below (strike out wrong ones)Reason 1,2,3,. . . in separate pagesEvidence 1,2,3,. . . in separate pages

P Sunthar (IIT Bombay) Organising and Writing Research Papers September 17, 2012 4 / 16

Introduction Answers Writing References

Planning an Answer

Propose Working Answers/HypothesisTentative solutionsWrite your answers (in detail)What evidence is required to support ? (Expts/Theory)Don’t get infatuated by your working hypothesis. It couldbe wrong!No W. Hypothesis ? Consider modifying question.Bounce off answer with working group, supervisor.

Build a StoryboardLike an outline, but one point per pageEase of addition of dataEase of reorganisationQuestion and working hypothesis on first pageAdd alternative answers below (strike out wrong ones)Reason 1,2,3,. . . in separate pagesEvidence 1,2,3,. . . in separate pages

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Introduction Answers Writing References

Storyboard

Write it down, don’t just Think!

Reason/Guess 1

Evidence/

Possible Evidence

Evidence/

Possible Evidence

Reason/Guess 2

Evidence/

Possible Evidence

Reason/Guess 3Question

1.

2.

3.

Claim/Hypothesis

Topic

Conclusion

Tentative Answer (Working Hypothesis) Claim

Guess Reason

Possible Evidence Evidence

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Introduction Answers Writing References

Planning an Argument

Recall: Claim, Reason, EvidenceWrite out possible questions/objections from readers (notGuide)Questions inside the argument

Evidence: unreliable, inaccurate, insufficient, unrelatedReasons: inconsistent/contraditory, insufficient, weak,irrelavant

Ask colleagues, friends, guide to object.

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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising

First Draft

Reorganise storyboard in a logical sequencenot necessarily in the order you concieved itnot a patchwork of resources

Sketch a working introductionIdentify key concepts (words) thatOrder sections by order of reasons

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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising

Working Introduction

Write Introduction TwiceSketchy, for guiding your writingFinal, for readers

1 Current SituationWhat your readers think or know now ?Literature review (chief sources)Motivation

2 Research QuestionDisruptive to current situation. We know . . . but . . . ?What we don’t understand ?

3 Significance of Question: So what if we don’t know?4 Answer: Your primary claim.

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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising

Working Introduction

Write Introduction TwiceSketchy, for guiding your writingFinal, for readers

1 Current SituationWhat your readers think or know now ?Literature review (chief sources)Motivation

2 Research QuestionDisruptive to current situation. We know . . . but . . . ?What we don’t understand ?

3 Significance of Question: So what if we don’t know?4 Answer: Your primary claim.

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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising

Importance of Keywords

Unites the paperShould be repeated in critical sections (Abstract,Introduction, Results, Conclusion

Using KeywordsCircle words from claimUse same words not variations (alternate meanings)Ignore title wordsOne term for a concept (reason)

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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising

Importance of Keywords

Unites the paperShould be repeated in critical sections (Abstract,Introduction, Results, Conclusion

Using KeywordsCircle words from claimUse same words not variations (alternate meanings)Ignore title wordsOne term for a concept (reason)

P Sunthar (IIT Bombay) Organising and Writing Research Papers September 17, 2012 9 / 16

Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising

Ordering Sections

Sections based on reasons and evidenceUsually the Results & Discussion sectionSequencing

Simple to ComplexLogically (step-by-step) dependent

Sketch an intro to each section. End intro paragraph withthe main point (reason).Expand the argument (Reason, Evidence,Acknowledgement)

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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising

Productive Habits

Not last moment (for long papers)Not marathonSchedule few hours per day, with achievable goalSuitable environment

Turn off mobileTurn off chat windowsDon’t check Emails/Social networks

Don’t wait till you get the full picture. Start writing bits.Work on overall draft against refining individual sections

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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising

Preliminary Oral Report

Tentative presentation to a groupAfter the first draft outlineMakes ideas coherentTest your ideas against “hostile” audience

PresentQuestion and ClaimReasons supporting itForcast kind of evidence you hope to gatherPrepare written script for memorising

Terse, TimingIntroductionConclusion

P Sunthar (IIT Bombay) Organising and Writing Research Papers September 17, 2012 12 / 16

Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising

Preliminary Oral Report

Tentative presentation to a groupAfter the first draft outlineMakes ideas coherentTest your ideas against “hostile” audience

PresentQuestion and ClaimReasons supporting itForcast kind of evidence you hope to gatherPrepare written script for memorising

Terse, TimingIntroductionConclusion

P Sunthar (IIT Bombay) Organising and Writing Research Papers September 17, 2012 12 / 16

Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising

Revising Draft

Rewriting IntroductionExpand Current Situation with detailed literature reviewIncremental works, use one or two references as startingpointUse rejected hypothesis. It might be expected that . . . , butRevisit keywords usage

Writing ConclusionRestate your claim (further expanded)Relate briefly to reasons and evidencesEnsure new keywords are includedState a new significance or practical application

Write your title last

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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising

Abstract Writing

Essence of the complete workShortened work

Introduction, Literature, Problem, Method, Results,Implication

Usually the second thing (after title) that is readMultiple drafts, like Introduction

First Guiding DraftFinal Polished Draft

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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising

Abstract Writing

Essence of the complete workShortened work

Introduction, Literature, Problem, Method, Results,Implication

Usually the second thing (after title) that is readMultiple drafts, like Introduction

First Guiding DraftFinal Polished Draft

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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising

Nature Guidelines

One or two sentences: Basic introduction to the field (AnyScientist/Engineer)Two to three : more detailed background (comprehensibleto any <discipline> Scientist/Engineer.One : General ProblemOne : Main ResultTwo to three: Compare with respect to what was expectedOne or two: General contextTwo to three: Broader perspective (Any scientist/Engineer)

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Introduction Answers Writing References

Bibliography

Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams.The Craft of Research. The University of Chicago Press, 3edition, 2008.

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