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Writing science: skills for scientific writingStructure of academic works: Posters, Articles, Dissertations
and Oral presentations
Maria João Amante
February 2019
Portugal in the world map
Introduction
Recent employers’ study:
• 89% say that colleges and universities should place more
emphasis on the ability of effectively communicate
orally and in writing.
• 81% valued critical thinking and analytical reasoning
skills.
• 75% the ability to analyze and solve complex problems.
• 68% the ability to locate, organize and evaluate
information from multiple sources.
Hart Research Associates, Raising the bar: employers’ vision on college learning in the wake of the economic downturn, http://www.aacu.org/leap/documents/2009_EmployerSurvey.pdf, 9
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Introduction
Why is scientific communication and, specifically, scientific
writing important to you?
• Scientific writing is part of scientific communication
• The quality of your PhD, MSc and post-graduate career depends on it
• Your professional success in any future workplace relies on your
technical communication skills (ex. making effective presentations,
writing proposals, compiling technical reports)
• Mastering scientific communication and acquiring these skills would
certainly payoff
Introduction
Ways of scientific communication
Making a scientific or technical presentation (or poster)
Writing technical reports
Writing scientific papers
Writing research or project proposals
Writing a poster
Writing a dissertation
Writing a PhD thesis
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What is Scientific Writing?
What is scientific writing? What is science writing? Are they synonyms?
• Scientific writing is technical writing by a scientist, with
an audience of peers, other scientists. For example,
journals like Nature and Science publish scientific writing
• Science writing is writing about science for the popular
media. The audience is much more general, this means
anyone with an interest in science. Science writing is
published in Scientific American or Discover Magazine, or
even National Geographic.
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What is Scientific Writing?
• Scientific writing places its emphasis on gathering and
reviewing evidence
• Scientific writing is concerned with measurement and
observation not opinion and supposition
• It tends not to use superlatives, comparatives or
adverbs. Read through a few scientific papers: complete
absence of words like ‘best’, ‘greatest’, ‘very’ ‘quite’, ‘rather’,
‘somewhat’, ‘really’, ‘nearly’, ‘slowly’.
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What is Scientific Writing?
The goal of scientific writing is to communicate
Inform (new findings/information)
Interest and/or persuade the reader
Effective writing allows for transfer of knowledge
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What is Scientific Writing?
Fundamental elements of good scientific writing
Clear
Precise
Logical (structure)
One of the problems that researchers face is to achieve the
perfect balance between being clear and being precise
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What is Scientific Writing?
What is bad scientific writing?
• Unclear – poor sentence structure that obscures the message
• Vague/imprecise language
– Too much jargon
• Not enough, or too much, information
• Does not convey the significance of the results
• Full of typos, poorly formatted
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What is scientific writing?
Writing is a process
Read
Plan
Write
Rewrite
Revise
Seek for feedback
Which are the main skills to write Scientific Documents?
Scientific writing has a distinctive style as the writer needs
to
Be clear and simple
Be succint
Be precise
Be logical
Learn from others
Use graphics effectively
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What is scientific writing?
Know the best sources
Define good strategies
Search information
Evaluate information sources
Manage information
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Know the best sources
In order to identify the best sources we
• Need to consider some characteristics of the information we
retrieve (accuracy, authorship, objectivity, purpose, etc)
• Need to be able to identify the different types of
information resources that exist
• Different relevance degrees in research processes
• Use depends mainly on the knowledge area and on the
subject that we intend to develop
• It is useful to know which are their potentialities
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Know the best sources
Handbooks, reference books
Scientific or research monographs (books)
Collective works, compilations
Conference Proceedings
Scientific articles
Thesis or Dissertation
Standards
Legal documents
Working papers
Patents
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• A search strategy is a structured organisation
of terms used to search a database.
• Different databases work in different ways, so you need to
adapt your search strategy for each of the databases
you use
• You may decide to develop separate search strategies for
different aspects of your research
• You will probably need to test your strategies several times,
refining them as you start to look at the results you retrieve
from the database
Define good strategies
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Searching with keywords
Truncation and wildcards
Search for the exact phrase
Adjacency searching
Searching with the subject headings
Boolean logic
Citation searching
Define Good Strategies
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Search Information
• Read about a topic that supports your critical analysis
• Not necessary to read everything that exists about a topic.
• When we want to know something deeper, it is not possible
to limit readings to one or two books and some articles in
scientific journals
• A list of information resources includes different types of
resources. The most suitable and reliable place to find
these sources of information is your Library
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Evaluate information sources
• Evaluating information sources is a important part of the
research process:
• Not all information is reliable or true.
• Not all information is suitable for your paper or project.
• Print and Internet sources vary widely in their authority,
accuracy, objectivity, currency, and coverage.
• Users must be able to critically evaluate the relevance of all
types of information sources prior to relying on the
information
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Evaluate information sources
Criteria for Evaluating Web Sources
Authority
Purpose
Coverage
Currency
Objectivity
Accuracy/Quality
Should I trust in this information?
Is the information reliable?
Is it relevant for an assignment or research?
Does this information fulfil my need?
Is there evidence of credibility and reliability?
Does the information appear to be valid and well-researched, or is it unsupported by evidence?
This information could be cited on an assignment or in a research work?
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Evaluate information sources
In order to decide if a book is relevant and useful…
• Is the author a person you recognize as an expert in his
field?
• Does it look like a professional publication?
• Look at the index: does it cover the issues that you are
researching?
• Read the introduction or a brief summary.
• Analyse the bibliography to understand which where the
sources used by the author and if they are (or were) up
to date.
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Evaluate information sources
In order to decide if a scientific paper or research
document is relevant and useful…
• Read the Summary or Abstract: is it relevant?
• Look at the Conclusions and Results discussion: are they
innovative?
• And the Introduction: does it present a comprehensive
literature review?
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All sources of information have a legitimate use, but there are
some that are better, mainly for citation.
Type Content Uses How to find them
Peer-reviewed academicpublications
Rigorous research andanalysis
Provides strong evidencefor claims and referencesto other high-qualitysources
Google scholar, librarycatalogs, and academicarticle databases
Reports, articles, andbooks from credible non-academic sources
Well researched andeven-handed descriptionsof an event or state of theworld
Initial research on eventsor trends not yetanalysed in the academicliterature; may referenceimportant peer-reviewedacademic publications
Websites of relevantagencies; academicarticle databases
Short pieces fromnewspapers or crediblewebsites
Simple reporting ofevents, research findings, or policy changes
May provide facts andinformations not foundanywhere
Strategic Google searchesor article databasesincluding newspapers andmagazines
Agenda-driven oruncertain pieces
Mostly opinion, varying in thoughtfulness andcredibility
May represent a particular position withina debate; providekeywords and clues abouthigher quality sources
Non-specific Google searches
Adapted from Guptill, A. (2016). Writing in College: from competence to excellence, p. 29
Selecting the most useful information
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Manage information
Note making
Keep good records of notes
Use an outline
Paragraphs (cohesion and coherence) and punctuation
Good referencing and bibliographies
Quote material
Paraphrase material
Reference list
Bibliography
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• A clear and confident refusal to accept the conclusions
of other writers without evaluating the arguments and
evidence that they provide
• A balanced presentation of reasons why the
conclusions of other writers may be accepted or may
need to be treated with caution
• A clear presentation of your own evidence and
argument, leading to your conclusion and recognition of
the limitations in your own evidence, argument, and
conclusionSource: http://www.le.ac.uk/oerresources/ssds/writingskills/page_42.htm
What is it critical writing?
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• With descriptive writing you are not developing any
argument
• You are representing the situation as it stands,
without presenting any analysis or discussion
• You are presenting but not transforming
information
• You are reporting ideas but not taking them
forward in any way
The difference between descriptive writing and critical writing
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• With critical writing you are participating in the
academic debate. You need to weigh up the evidence
and arguments of others, and to contribute your own.
You will need to:
• consider the quality of the evidence and argument you have
read
• identify key positive and negative aspects you can comment
upon
• assess their relevance and usefulness to the debate that you
are engaging in for your assignment
• identify how best they can be woven into the argument that
you are developing
The difference between descriptive writing and critical writing
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• The main rule for a good argument is this: if it is worth
including, it is worth telling us why
• If you describe some evidence relevant to your argument,
you need to explain to the reader why it is relevant
A sentence or two might describe and reference the evidence,
but this is not enough in itself. The next few sentences need to
explain what this evidence contributes to the argument you are
making.
Making an argument
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• a poster
How to write
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Posters are often used to share information and are an important part
of many conferences, seminars and exhibitions. A successful poster
combines visual, oral, and written elements.
TIP
• Look at your poster as an expanded or enriched abstract
• Follow the guidelines
Poster
Same structure as other scientific writing works:
Introduction, Objectives,
Materials and Methods,
Results and/or Discussion
Concise and clear
information with visuals
Readability and Style
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Poster
Legitimate and popular presentation format for research communication
Efficiently communicate concepts and data to an audience using a combination of visuals and text
Scientific meetings more posters than oral presentations (due to popularity and efficiency of poster presentations)
Author are able to meet and speak informally with interested viewers (exchange of ideas and networking opportunities)
First opportunity for young researchers to present their work at important scientific meetings
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Identify what can be displayed pictorially.
Posters that are mainly text discourage others from
visiting and reviewing your work.
Make your presentation as visual as possible
Poster is more appealing
Information can be transmitted more efficiently with a picture, figure or graph
Find out if you are require to be present during the
poster session (period of time for the author to stand by
the poster during the session; 1 min presentation in
auditorium).
Poster production timeline
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Poster production timeline
Date Activity
Notified of poster acceptance by Program Committee
Discuss content and layout with mentor
Review rules governing poster constraints (Pub. Program Committee)
Meet Graphic Arts Department to discuss deadlines and expectations
Complete first draft of content/visuals
Content sent to Graphic Arts Department
Review proof with mentor
Review proof with Graphic Arts Department
Submit final changes to Graphic Arts Department
Receive final version of poster
Poster presentation
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Poster production timeline
Determine if your poster will be judged at the scientific meeting (ask for judging criteria as it helps to plan and construct the poster)
Know the rules (physical requirements: acceptable size and how it will be displayed)
Determine exactly how the poster will be produced (graphics: in house, you, hiring an artist)
Components to appear (common elements: at the top center, title, authors and institutional affiliations; acknowledgments may also be placed here; Upper right: abstract)
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Scientific posters should follow the IMRAD format (Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion).
Poster structure
Poster
Introductionpresents the background and the purpose of the research (current knowledge in the area, knowledge that is missing, how research project addresses the knowledge gap)
Methods addresses research design, research setting, number of people enrolled in the study, how they were selected
Results includes quantitative data
Discussion states concisely what can be concluded from the study and its implications Conclusions must be supported by the data presented in the Results.
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Tips for poster appearance
Avoid clutter
• limit your poster to a few main ideas
• arrange poster components to read from left to right and top to bottom
• emphasise important points with lines, frames, boxes and arrows
Keep the lettering simple
• no more than 3 different font sizes (largest, poster title; second largest, section titles; smallest, text)
• for all lettering
• use both upper and lowercase letters
• smallest font large enough so it is easily read from a distance of 3 to 5 feet (usually, 24-point font)
Keep the colours simple
• too much colour can be distracting
• too little colour can be boring and lifeless
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When travelling to the scientific meeting
Know when to take your poster down
Come with some basic equipment (tape, scissors, push pins, tacks or stapler)
Arrange for a proper carrying case for your poster
Don’t check your poster as luggage
Know when to “stand-by” your poster
Know where and when to set up your poster
Be prepared to promote yourself
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Poster must be
Important poster characteristics
use of a poignant attention getter
use of graphics to communicate data
well organized poster with easy to follow flow of information
overly dense presentation of content
Final tips
Organised and easy to follow the flow of information
Easy to read, using large font size
Attractive, due to judicious use of colours, use of graphics and arrangement
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Content
Poster Checklist
Title, authors, and institutional affiliations are listed
For research posters: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion are present
Logical sequence of information flow (left to right, and top to bottom)
Photographs graphs, tables, and charts are used whenever possible to display data or convey important information
Each section is concise and clear
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Criteria for judging Posters
Significance
How significant or relevant are the poster's conclusions in increasing understanding on the subject?
Presentation
How logical are the ideas presented? How interesting is the manner of presentation? How clearly written and free of significant grammatical problems is the abstract?
Methods
If applicable, how suitable is the design for the stated
objectives, and how appropriate are any analysis techniques
applied?
Visual impact
How effective is this poster visually? How valuable is each
figure and graph in furthering viewers' understanding of the
subject?
Interview
How knowledgeable and conversant is the presenting author with the work presented in the poster?
Appearance
Poster meets the size restrictions of the scientific program
Poster construction will accommodate method of display at the meeting (pinned, hung, easel, taped, etc.)
Abstract is posted in the proper position on the poster (if required)
The poster does not appear cluttered
Major headings can be read from 3 to 5 feet away
Text and figures can be read from 2 to 3 feet away
Graphs and figures can be read from 2 to 3 feet away
Font is similar throughout (no more than three fonts sizes used for poster title, section title, and text)
Color, lines, boxes, and arrows are used to emphasize important points
Overall
Content can be absorbed in 10 minutes or less
Poster Checklist
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• an article
How to write
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If you want your article published you need to write it
with this in mind
How to write an article
Readers have little time to read
Readers easily reach to frustration when they find bad and poor writing
Each sentence, paragraph, figure,should make sense and be coherent
As you write you are communicating information and knowledge in a compelling and well written manner
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Once again, remember all you learned so far…
Scientific writing needs to be:
• Accurate
• Concise
• Clear
• Objective
Clarity in writing = Clarity of thought
How to write an article
53
Style and Language
Refer to the journal’s author guide for notes on style
• You may write you paper with a specific journal in mind
• Or, adapt it to a style of a journal in which you are interested in
publishing
The objective of an article is to report the findings and
conclusions so it must be written clearly and concisely
How to write an article
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How to write an article
Focus on basic writing skills such as spelling, grammar, syntax, and sentence structure
Avoid breaches in academic integrity:
authorship
copyrights
permission
plagiarism
references
secondary sources
Set aside a specific time to write
Write and rewrite the manuscript until you feel that it is ready for submission
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Methods (or "Materials and Methods“)
How to write an article
How the study was conducted
Procedures
Materials used
All necessary information to repeat the study
Show that the data were collected in a consistent, accurate, and accountable manner
Include the frequency of observations
Be precise about the measurements (include errors) and research design limits
Explain new methodology in detail
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Results
How to write an article
Describe the main outcomes of your study obtained according to the methods section in a neutral (i.e.without interpretations that may be subject to discussion) and accessible manner
Present the relevant results in the form figures, and maps tables, photographs
Visualisation is good to present results, but you need to provide to the reader sufficient information to know how the data were produced
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Discussion and Conclusion
How to write an article
Give interpretations of your results by relating
and comparing them to each other
Put them in a broader context of the literature and indicate how the results are relate to expectations and to the literature previously cited
Outline the next steps for further study
Avoid speculation
Discuss the consequences of your findings and how the research has moved the body of scientific knowledge forward
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Other content
Title
Describes the content in a short but informative way
Is the advertisement for the article
Do not use jargon or abbreviations
How to write an article
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Other content
Abstract
Concise summary of the problem, method, results and
conclusions (approximately 150 words)
Clear and interesting, so the reader can decide or not to
read the entire article
How to write an article
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Other content
Bibliography or References list
Whenever you draw upon previously published work, you
must acknowledge the source
The information that is not “common knowledge” must be
cited
The presentation of references depends on the style used
by the journals (you must see notes for the author)
Avoid references that are difficult to find
Do not list references that were not important to the work
How to write an article
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In short
How to write an article
Section Purpose
Title Clearly describes contents
Authors Ensures recognition for the writer(s)
Abstract Describes what was done – 150 words
Key words Ensures the article is correctly identified in abstracting and indexing services
Introduction Explain the problem
Methods Explains how the data were collected
Results Discuss what was discovered
Discussion Discusses the implications of the findings
Acknowledgements Ensures those who helped in the research are recognised
References Ensures previously published work is recognised
Appendices Provides supplemental data for the expert reader
Source: How to write a scientific paper: a general guide (2010).https://www.pellegrini.mcdb.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2017/07/Authorship_Skills_Module_1_How_to_Write_a_Scientific_Paper_2010_04.pdf
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Final TIPS
Read articles in your subject area
Identify common structure and try to follow it
Remember structure varies from journal to journal and
from subject to subject
How to write an article
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What journal editors want?
Preparing to publish an article
Good quality science
Novel to the scientific community, original research
Interesting to the journal’s readership and fitting its AIMS & SCOPE
Active research areas (many citations)
Clear concise writing
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Preparing to publish an article
Choose a journal based on “aims and scope” (quality, Impact Factor, etc)
Aiming high or low?
Follow all the author guidelines (format, citations, references, submission routes, length)
TIP
Journal Impact Factor (Clarivate Analytics
https://jcr.incites.thomsonreuters.com/ )
Measures the frequency with which the “average article” in a journal has been
cited in a particular year or period.
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Preparing to publish an article
Find a journal: journals that could be best suited for publishing
your research. Match your manuscript using the JournalFinder
tool.
Prepare your paper: stick to the specific "guide for authors" of
the journal to which you are submitting. This can be found on the
journal's home page.
Submit and revise: paper will be considered by the editor and if
it passes initial screening, it will be sent for peer review by experts
in your field. If unsuitable for publication in your chosen journal,
the editor may suggest you transfer your submission to a more
suitable journal, via an article transfer service.
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Preparing to publish an article
Track your paper: track the status of your submitted
paper online. The system you use to track your submission will be
the same system to which you submitted. Use the reference
number you received after submission to track your submission.
Share and promote: promote article to achieve a bigger impact
for your research. Sharing research, accomplishments and
ambitions with a wider audience makes you more visible in your
field. This helps you get cited more, enabling you to cultivate a
stronger reputation, promote your research and move
forward in your career.
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TIPS
• Check references, captions (brief explanation
accompanying an illustration, cartoon, or poster),
copyrighted materials, among other aspects
• Verify format and style
Preparing to publish an article
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Author resources on publishers’ websites
•Publisher tools
• http://academy.springer.com/
• https://www.springer.com/gp/authors-editors
• http://www.elsevier.com/journal-authors/home
•Journal selector
http://www.edanzediting.com/journal_advisor
http://journalfinder.elsevier.com/
Preparing to publish an article
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Peer review process (in short)
What is peer review?
“Scientific peer review is the evaluation of scientific research
findings or proposals for competence, significance and
originality, by qualified experts who research and submit
work for publication in the same field (peers)”
•• Source: Brown, T. (2004). Peer Review and the Acceptance
• of New Scientific Ideas. London: Sense About Science.
Peer Review
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Purpose of peer review
Determine whether the manuscript is within the scope of
the journal
Ensure that its content is accurate, rigorous and original
Types of peer review
Peer Review
Double-blind review - the
reviewer doesn’t know who the
author is and the author does not
know the reviewer
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Responding to peer review
Peer Review
Read comments objectively and be sure to understand what is being said
Reflect on each comment and reconcile them to your manuscript’s purpose and intent
Ensure the manuscript communicates information clearly to the reader
Rewrite with clarity and logical progression/ presentation of information
Update bibliography as needed (newer research or articles may have been published since submission)
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• a dissertation
How to write
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A dissertation is a kind of academic task:
How to write a dissertation
Choose a topic
Develop a research question
Be organised and methodical while conducting your
research
Report the research
Plan effectively the research
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1. Choose a topic
How to write a dissertation
Talk to others: discuss your topic with your peers, their comments and questions can help you with your research question
Research others’ work: take some time at the library searching for papers on your topic to find what is trending
Search the repository and library catalogue for dissertations from previous years
Think about your own interests: which topic have you found most interesting, and is there an element that could be developed into a research project?
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1. Choose a topic
A research study can:
How to write a dissertation
Replicate an existing study in a different setting
Explore an under-researched area
Extend a previous study
Review the knowledge thus far in a specific field
Develop or test out a methodology or method Apply a
theoretical idea to a real world problemAddress a
research question in isolation
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• 2. Develop a research question
When your topic is accepted you need to:
How to write a dissertation
Refine your subject
Create your question/
problem
Set limits to your research
Every task you undertake should begin with you checking your research problem and asking “will this help me address this problem?”
You may need to revise your research problem as you go along
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• 3. Plan effectively the research
Writing a research proposal (detailed description
of the project). Suggested outline:
• Topic: this project will study...
• Question/problem: to find out...
• Significance: so that more will be known about...
• Primary resources: the main data will be...
• Secondary sources: additional data comes from...
How to write a dissertation
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• 3. Plan effectively the research
Writing a research proposal (detailed
description of the project). Suggested outline:
• Methods: the research will be conducted as
follows...
• Justification: the method is most appropriate
because...
• Limitations: there are some matters that this
methodology may not help me to explain. These
might include...
Source: Booth, Williams, & Colomb (2003). The craft of research. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
How to write a dissertation
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• 4. Be organised and methodical
The role of the supervisor: to help you shape your ideas and
give you advice on how to conduct the research for your dissertation
How to write a dissertation
Agree a timetable of meetings
Send something that can form the basis of a discussion about your progress to your supervisor before each meeting (research plan, early results of your data collection or draft chapters)
Meeting must have a focus e.g. “setting a research problem”, “analysing the data”
Turn up on time to each meeting you have arranged
Agree on tasks until the next meeting
Keep a record of what you decide in supervision sessions
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Collect data (Consider how you are going to store
and retrieve your data)
You should set up a system that allows you to:
How to write a dissertation
Retrieve data quickly and efficiently
Record data accurately as you collect it
Analyse and compare the data you collect
Create appropriate outputs for your dissertation e.g. tables and graphs, if appropriate
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• 5. Report the research (the writing process)
How to write a dissertation
Define a time to start writing
Take a break from your research and analyse what you have
Speak to your supervisor
You can not achieve everything
Section where you discuss ‘Further Work’ at the end of your dissertation…
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Check out what is required
• Word limit (maximum and minimum) and if include, or not,
tables, reference list, abstract…
• Which chapter are expected to be included, and in which
order
• The content appropriate to appendices instead in main text
• The marking space and elements presentation
• The style of citation and references
How to write a dissertation
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Traditional structure – short guide (check departmental and course regulations)
Title page Opportunity to tell the potential reader what your research is about. You will need it to be succinct, specific, descriptive, and representative of the research you have done.
Abstract Summary of the research. It should be able to stand alone in representing why and how you did what you did, and what the results and implications are. It is often only one page long, and there may be a word limit to adhere to. The Abstract is an important element of the thesis, and will become a document in its own right if the thesis is registered within any database. It can be best to write the Abstract last.
Acknowledgements
This is your opportunity to mention individuals who have been particularly helpful.
Contents page(s), and figure andtable lists
Presents the structure of the dissertation. If need, you can create sections or sub-sections. Useful check if you need to change it.
Introduction Two main roles: to expand the material summarised in the abstract, and to present the content of the rest of the dissertation. Should be written last.
Literature review (or context of study)
Important to acknowledge research done in your area and its current state. In
addition to the research context, there may be other relevant contexts to present for example: theoretical context; methodological context; practice context; and political context. Take time to develop a logical structure that will help you later in yourdiscussion chapter.
How to write a dissertation
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How to write a dissertationMaterials and methods
Description of how you have done your research. Depending on the subject, how you used equipment, processes or materials. Be precise with the description for reproducibility purposes.
Results or Findings
You will need to check which style of reporting is preferred in your field.
Discussion Review your own research in relation to the wider context in which it is located. You can refer back to the rationale that you gave for your research in the literature review, and discuss what your own research has added in this context. It is important to show that you appreciate the limitations of your research, and how these may affect the validity or usefulness of your findings. Given the acknowledged limitations, you can report on the implications of your findings for theory, research, and practice.
Conclusions This chapter tends to be much shorter than the Discussion. It is not a mere ‘summary’ of your research, but needs to be ‘conclusions’ as to the main points that have emerged and what they mean for your field.
References Needs to include all of your references in the required referencing style. As you edit and rewrite your dissertation you will probably gain and lose references that you had in earlier versions. It is important therefore to check that all the references in your reference list are actually referenced within the text; and that all the references that appear in the text appear also in the reference list.
Appendices You need to check whether or not the appendices count within the word limit for your dissertation. Items that can usefully go in the appendices are those that a reader would want to see, but which would take up too much space and disrupt the flow if placed within the main text. Again, make sure you reference the Appendices within the main text where necessary.
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Designing your dissertation structure
Make a comprehensive and unstructured list of all elements to include,
from chapter heading to notes or list the main chapter headers in
appearance order
Under each heading, list important sub-headings (example: a literature
review chapter may be split into a review of several literature segments
Under sub-headings, create a list of the contents to include
As you go, you can slot ideas, references, conclusions,…
Check that the structure assures you balance of your text and a logical
and coherent description of the research
Take feedback from your supervisors and peers
How to write a dissertation
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Constructing an argument
You need to develop arguments about:
Why the topic you studied is important?
Why the way you conduct your research is good?
Why the methods applied are adequate?
Why the interpretations and conclusions are reasonable?
How to write a Dissertation
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Review the structure and content
Editing dissertation draft is essential to improve it
To do it temporarily write links between sections to show how they
relate to each other or analyse paragraph to paragraph to see if
their inclusion are justified
Choose review your draft by the standpoint of a dissertation
examiner and answer questions that might came up
Mark all the words, sentences and paragraphs that can be cut and
the points that can be expanded
Write the abstract and introduction and check citations, reference
list, contents page and prepare the appendices… and check all
once again with critical eyes
How to write a Dissertation
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TIPS
How to write a Dissertation
Take your time to plan the structure of your dissertation
Present your argument effectively
Detail your findings, consider word limit when editing/revising
Write as you go along as part of the research process
Expect to edit and re-edit your material several times as it moves towards its final form
Leave time to check and proofread
Use a reference manager (e.g. Mendeley, Endnote, Zotero)
Be critical
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• an oral presentation (in brief)
How prepare for
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How to prepare for an oral presentation?P
lan
nin
g • Objectives: set your tone and your design based on what you want to achieve
• Audience: adjust your presentation based on your audience. How much the audience knows about your topic?
• Venue and visual aids
• Assumption: Are you presenting in a conference or seminar? How much time do you have?
Ch
oo
sin
g to
pic
s • Don’t over elaborate
• Stick to 2 or 3 main points
• Allocate time for introduction and conclusion
Ch
oo
sin
g su
pp
ort
ing
info
rmat
ion • Graphics or
images should support what you are saying
• Videos or other media should add to your argument and not distract
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TIPS
Always introduce yourself
State your goal with your presentation
Inform your audience you are willing to answer questions and engage in a
discussion
Make the take-home message persistent
Be logical
Practice and time your presentation
Less is more (only talk when you have something to say)
Engage with your audience
Use visual effects sparingly but effectively
Review Audio and/or Video of Your Presentations
Provide appropriate acknowledgments
How to prepare for an oral presentation?
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Further information
Science Communication vs. Science Writing: different audiences and different styles (Oct
29, 2013)
http://ian.umces.edu/blog/2013/10/29/science-communication-vs-science-writing-
different-audiences-and-different-styles/
Scientific writing: a key competency (Jul 24, 2013)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3pvQCFNhEs [4:45]
Fresno State Graduating Writing Studio. Scientific writing tips (July 8, 2016)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mavQsd5iNM [3:01]
Schembri, P. (2007). The different types of scientific literature.
https://www.um.edu.mt/__data/assets/file/0006/42981/The_different_types_of_scientifi
c_literature.pdf
Cornell University Library. Evaluating Web Pages: Questions to Consider: Categories,
http://guides.library.cornell.edu/evaluating_Web_pages
Further information
Wintec Library (Nov 16, 2016). The CRAAP test
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5EXUS-c5ag [3:03]
Columbus State Library (Jul 18, 2013). Evaluating Sources.[4:49]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKaH7PlXx1Q
University of New South Wales. Note-taking skills
https://student.unsw.edu.au/note-taking-skills
How to take great notes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAhRf3U50lM [5:08]
Ducan, J. Developing na outline.
https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/ccds/sites/utsc.utoronto.ca.ccds/files/2.pdf
Editafge Insight (Mar 4, 2016). How to create an outline for your research paper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEQlqWAPD9A [3:31]
Poster Presentations (Mar 6, 2010). How to design a Poster presentation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m02leV4gxgE [3:06]
NCBI: Ten simple rules for a good poster presentation
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1876493/
AJE-American Journal Experts (Sep 19, 2016). Making a better research poster
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwMFhyH7_5g [3:53]
Ducan, J. Developing na outline.
https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/ccds/sites/utsc.utoronto.ca.ccds/files/2.pdf
University of British Columbia (Jul 30, 2014). Citing sources in scientific writing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6ba9FVFAXg [7:11]
How to write a scientific paper: a general guide (2010).
Authorship_Skills_Module_1_How_to_Write_a_Scientific_Paper_2010_04.pdf
10 tips for writing your dissertation (March 19, 2016).https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7Cv_jFdExw [4:16]
Microbiology Society (Feb 22, 2016). How to give a great oral presentation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swIWHuIpubI [2:43]
Further information
Academic Integrity
We are like dwarfs on the shoulders of giants, for we can see more things than they and more distant, not because of the acuity of our sight or the height of our body, but because we are held and raised by the stature of giants.Bernardo de Chartres, quoted by Jean
de Salisbury, Metalogicon, 1159 (III, 4)
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