Writing for International Publications Christine Piggee, Ph.D. Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society

Writing for International Writing for International PublicationsPublications

Christine Piggee, Ph.D.Christine Piggee, Ph.D.Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research

SocietySociety

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“ “Writing a Scientific Paper” by Margaret Foster; Writing a Scientific Paper” by Margaret Foster; www.aaas.org/international/eca/presentrus/mfsci/sld001.htm.www.aaas.org/international/eca/presentrus/mfsci/sld001.htm.

Writing and Presenting Scientific PapersWriting and Presenting Scientific Papers; Birgitta Malmfors, ; Birgitta Malmfors, Phil Phil

Garnsworthy and Michael Grossman; Nottingham University Garnsworthy and Michael Grossman; Nottingham University Press,Press,

Nottingham, 2000.Nottingham, 2000.

““Guidelines for Scientific and Technical Publishing” by Celia M. Guidelines for Scientific and Technical Publishing” by Celia M. Elliott, JuneElliott, June

2001; 2001; http://www.physics.uiuc.edu/People/Staff/Celia/Publishing/.http://www.physics.uiuc.edu/People/Staff/Celia/Publishing/.

References Cited References Cited


Part 2 – The Structural Part 2 – The Structural Elements of a Elements of a Manuscript*Manuscript*

TITLETITLE should be < or = 15 wordsshould be < or = 15 words avoid abbreviationsavoid abbreviations key words should be at beginningkey words should be at beginning sometimes need shorter “running sometimes need shorter “running

title” for journal page headingstitle” for journal page headings

*adapted from Foster*adapted from Foster


Structural Elements of a Structural Elements of a ManuscriptManuscript

TITLE TITLE (cont.)(cont.)

two different types of titlestwo different types of titles

o topic - tells about experiments but not resultstopic - tells about experiments but not results

o full story - tells about the research, the results full story - tells about the research, the results and the conclusionsand the conclusions


EXERCISEEXERCISE

Your small group has 10 minutes to create both a Your small group has 10 minutes to create both a “topic” title and a “full-story” title for the “topic” title and a “full-story” title for the following:following:

The authors are performing a series of studies on the effects The authors are performing a series of studies on the effects of various drugs on learning. In this study, rats were given of various drugs on learning. In this study, rats were given various doses of alcohol. The rates were then trained to various doses of alcohol. The rates were then trained to solve one of a series of mazes of increasing complexity. It solve one of a series of mazes of increasing complexity. It was observed that the more complex the maze, the lower the was observed that the more complex the maze, the lower the dose of alcohol needed to impair learning. They also dose of alcohol needed to impair learning. They also observed that the older rats were more sensitive to the observed that the older rats were more sensitive to the effects of complexity than were younger rats.effects of complexity than were younger rats.




ABSTRACT*ABSTRACT* second best chance to explain and ‘sell’ second best chance to explain and ‘sell’

your paper to the readeryour paper to the reader do not cite references or figuresdo not cite references or figures < or = < or = 250 words250 words include include objectiveobjective, , approachapproach, , main main

resultsresults and and conclusionsconclusions give a list of key words at the end of the give a list of key words at the end of the

abstractabstract

*adapted from Malmfors, Garnsworthy and Grossman*adapted from Malmfors, Garnsworthy and Grossman



EXERCISEEXERCISE

In your small groups, choose one In your small groups, choose one person to explain their research person to explain their research results and the group will write results and the group will write together an abstract for these together an abstract for these results. Then the groups will trade results. Then the groups will trade results and critique another group’s results and critique another group’s titles.titles.


INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

background informationbackground information

topic of studytopic of study

importance of topicimportance of topic



MATERIALS AND METHODSMATERIALS AND METHODS

details for the reader to details for the reader to evaluateevaluate and and reproducereproduce your results your results

cite references for previously cite references for previously published methodspublished methods



MATERIALS AND METHODS MATERIALS AND METHODS (cont.)(cont.)

do not include results in this do not include results in this sectionsection

can present different samples, can present different samples, solutions, etc. more clearly in a solutions, etc. more clearly in a tabletable



RESULTSRESULTS

presented in accurate, clear and presented in accurate, clear and logical waylogical way

numerical data is best viewed in numerical data is best viewed in tables or graphstables or graphs

o bar graphs - discrete measurementbar graphs - discrete measuremento line graphs - changes or trendsline graphs - changes or trends



RESULTS RESULTS (cont.)(cont.)

only certain negative results only certain negative results

keep your data for at least 2-3 keep your data for at least 2-3 years years



DISCUSSIONDISCUSSION

observations and their observations and their relationshipsrelationships

exceptions/limitationsexceptions/limitations

relations to previous workrelations to previous work



DISCUSSION DISCUSSION (cont.)(cont.)

theoretical or practical theoretical or practical implicationsimplications

summary and conclusionssummary and conclusions



DISCUSSION DISCUSSION (cont.)(cont.)

start with specific start with specific observations/implications and move to observations/implications and move to generalgeneral

do not over-generalize, and avoid do not over-generalize, and avoid speculation speculation



ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

• thank or give credit to people who thank or give credit to people who helped but did not qualify for helped but did not qualify for authorshipauthorship

technical assistancetechnical assistance

advice in research or manuscriptadvice in research or manuscript



ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS (cont.) (cont.)

gifts of materialsgifts of materials

assistance in preparing assistance in preparing manuscriptmanuscript

thank the institutions that funded thank the institutions that funded the workthe work



REFERENCESREFERENCES

follow the journal’s required follow the journal’s required format for referencesformat for references

the references cited section is not the references cited section is not the same thing as a bibliographythe same thing as a bibliography

o references cited - this references cited - this manuscriptmanuscripto bibliography - this bibliography - this topictopic



TABLES AND FIGURESTABLES AND FIGURES

printed separately, one per pageprinted separately, one per page

caption caption

present data set either in tables/figures present data set either in tables/figures or in the textor in the text

minimal number of digitsminimal number of digits




only include tables and figures which only include tables and figures which are referenced in the textare referenced in the text

label your axes and include units of label your axes and include units of measurementmeasurement

do not use color unless completely do not use color unless completely necessarynecessary




make the symbols and letters make the symbols and letters large enough*large enough*

o letters >= 18 pt. letters >= 18 pt. o lines >= 2 pt.lines >= 2 pt.o symbols >= 16 pt.symbols >= 16 pt.

*from Elliott*from Elliott



TITLE PAGETITLE PAGE

manuscript titlemanuscript title authorsauthors affiliated institutions of the authorsaffiliated institutions of the authors ““submitted to submitted to Journal NameJournal Name”” datedate contact information for the contact information for the

corresponding authorcorresponding author



COVER LETTERCOVER LETTER

summarize the main point of the summarize the main point of the manuscriptmanuscript

why they should be interestedwhy they should be interested list possible reviewerslist possible reviewers those you do not want to be those you do not want to be

reviewersreviewers


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Writing for International Publications Christine Piggee, Ph.D. Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society