How To Write A Scientific Paper

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How To Write A Scientific Paper

• by Michael LaRocca
• http//www.chinarice.org
• 085 618 7735
• larocca.michael_at_gmail.com

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• Who Cares About Style?

• Simplicity and clarity are the features of good
  scientific writing.
• The meaning must be readily understood.
• Clear thought can be expressed clearly.
• In other words, most writers are failing to
  communicate the object of writing in the first
  place.

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• Watson and Crick show how its done

• We wish to suggest a structure for the salt of
  deoxyribose nucleic acid (D.N.A.). This
  structure has novel features which are of
  considerable biological interest.
• Why is this a good example?

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• Watson and Crick show how its done

• We wish to suggest a structure for the salt of
  deoxyribose nucleic acid (D.N.A.). This
  structure has novel features which are of
  considerable biological interest.
• Why is this a good example?
• It is direct. We wish to suggest not In this
  communication is made a suggestion.

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• Watson and Crick show how its done

• We wish to suggest a structure for the salt of
  deoxyribose nucleic acid (D.N.A.). This
  structure has novel features which are of
  considerable biological interest.
• Why is this a good example?
• It comes straight to the point. They could have
  started with a general statement about DNA
  Deoxyribose nucleic acid is a nucleotide that has
  been isolated from many species. We wish to
  suggest. To write this would have reduced the
  impact.

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• Watson and Crick show how its done

• We wish to suggest a structure for the salt of
  deoxyribose nucleic acid (D.N.A.). This
  structure has novel features which are of
  considerable biological interest.
• Why is this a good example?
• They make two simple statements in two short
  sentences. They could have linked the sentences
  We wish to suggest a structure for the salt of
  DNA that has novel features that are of
  considerable biological interest. This version
  is more clumsy and also ambiguous it is not
  clear now whether it is the suggested structure,
  or the salt of DNA itself, that has the novel
  features.

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• Watson and Crick show how its done

• We wish to suggest a structure for the salt of
  deoxyribose nucleic acid (D.N.A.). This
  structure has novel features which are of
  considerable biological interest.
• Why is this a good example?
• They are not afraid of using the same word,
  structure, twice. Many writers would have
  started the second sentence with a pronoun, such
  as It, or used a synonym, such as This
  configuration neither device would have been as
  effective as repeating structure.

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• Watson and Crick show how its done

• We wish to suggest a structure for the salt of
  deoxyribose nucleic acid (D.N.A.). This
  structure has novel features which are of
  considerable biological interest.
• Why is this a good example?
• Every word is necessary We wish to suggest a
  structure for the salt not We propose a
  possible structural hypothesis concerning the
  salt. They even avoid molecular structure,
  there being no other type of structure to which
  they could be referring. And, while most writers
  would probably write We would like to they use
  the elegant We wish to.

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• Watson and Crick show how its done

• We wish to suggest a structure for the salt of
  deoxyribose nucleic acid (D.N.A.). This
  structure has novel features which are of
  considerable biological interest.
• Why is this a good example?
• Every word is the correct word, particularly
  novel (of new kind or nature, strange, hitherto
  unknown.) They write features which are of
  considerable biological interest not features
  associated with considerable biological interest.

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• Ways to improve your English

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• Ways to improve your English

Practice Every Day!!
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• Writers Show How Its Not Done

Studies indicate that 25 (OH) vitamin D is most
likely transferred by a passive or facilitative
process transplacentally.
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• Writers Show How Its Not Done

Studies indicate that 25 (OH) vitamin D is most
likely transferred by a passive or facilitative
process transplacentally. Studies indicate
that 25 (OH) vitamin D is most likely transferred
passively or actively across the placenta.
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• Writers Show How Its Not Done

Thus, it would seem reasonable that shortening of
10 cm at skeletal maturity or predicted
shortening of this amount when the child reaches
adulthood would be sufficient to consider Syme
amputation.
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• Writers Show How Its Not Done

Thus, it would seem reasonable that shortening of
10 cm at skeletal maturity or predicted
shortening of this amount when the child reaches
adulthood would be sufficient to consider Syme
amputation. A Syme amputation should be
considered for a shortening or predicted
shortening of 10 cm at skeletal maturity.
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• Writers Show How Its Not Done

If the organism demonstrates to be a staph on the
gram stain, one may consider drilling the femoral
neck for prophylactic decompression as this may
be secondary to a metaphyseal osteomyelitis.

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• Writers Show How Its Not Done

If the organism demonstrates to be a staph on the
gram stain, one may consider drilling the femoral
neck for prophylactic decompression as this may
be secondary to a metaphyseal osteomyelitis. If
the gram stain shows staphylococci, consider
drilling the femoral neck to drain the
metaphyseal abscess.
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• Writers Show How Its Not Done

A 3-year-old female presented with pain and
swelling of the right elbow and was noted to have
decreased use of the arm.
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• Writers Show How Its Not Done

A 3-year-old female presented with pain and
swelling of the right elbow and was noted to have
decreased use of the arm. A 3-year-old girl
had pain and swelling of her right elbow and
decreased use of her arm.
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• Writers Show How Its Not Done

It has been suggested that the utilization of
surgical intervention be deferred until
attenuation of the infectious symptomatology.

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• Writers Show How Its Not Done

It has been suggested that the utilization of
surgical intervention be deferred until
attenuation of the infectious symptomatology. J
ones recommends that surgery be delayed if the
patient has an infection.
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• Writers Show How Its Not Done

It is common for the need to voluntarily evacuate
the pouch to occur on one occasion nightly more
frequent defecation interfering with the
patients sleep has not been encountered in our
continent patients.
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• Writers Show How Its Not Done

It is common for the need to voluntarily evacuate
the pouch to occur on one occasion nightly more
frequent defecation interfering with the
patients sleep has not been encountered in our
continent patients. Patients who are continent
need only empty their stomach pouches once each
night.
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• Writers Show How Its Not Done

The study confirmed the hypothesis that clinical
instructors of undergraduate medical students
would choose instructional techniques limiting
active student involvement in patient care
activities when faced with problematical
situations.
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• Writers Show How Its Not Done

The study confirmed the hypothesis that clinical
instructors of undergraduate medical students
would choose instructional techniques limiting
active student involvement in patient care
activities when faced with problematical
situations. .....wait for it.....
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• Writers Show How Its Not Done

The study confirmed the hypothesis that clinical
instructors of undergraduate medical students
would choose instructional techniques limiting
active student involvement in patient care
activities when faced with problematical
situations. Medical teachers of undergraduates
tend not to let students look after difficult
patients.
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Writers Show How Its Not Done
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• Writers Show How Its Not Done

As he is examining each word and checking its
meaning, the author can also delete redundant
words such as in colour, in size, in number
from such descriptions as red in colour, small
in size, few in number, and pompous
expressions such as adult human organism, which
the reader has to waste time and concentration on
translating for himself.
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• Writers Show How Its Not Done

Passive (weak) An appendectomy was
performed. Active (better) We performed the
appendectomy. Passive (weak) The thigh is then
abducted and the clunk of the femoral head
reduction is felt. Active (better) Abduct the
thigh to feel for the clunk of the femoral
head reduction. Passive (weak) It is thought
that this technique might carry a high risk of
infection. Active (better) We found this
technique carries a high risk of infection. o
r Preliminary results indicate this technique
may carry a high risk of infection.
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• Writers Show How Its Not Done

The passive voice is appropriate and useful when
you need to emphasize the action or object of
action rather than the doer. An example of
acceptable use of the passive voice The
patient has been shot in the abdomen. (Who did
the shooting is not relevant to the medical
information.) An 18-gauge needle is inserted
through the skin wound and advanced through the
renal parenchyma. (The emphasis is on method.)
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• Spend some time thinking before you start writing
  your rough draft.

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• Spend some time thinking before you start writing
  your rough draft.
• Compile a list of your ideas as you are thinking.

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• Spend some time thinking before you start writing
  your rough draft.
• Compile a list of your ideas as you are thinking.
• Place the list in some order that makes sense to
  you.

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• Spend some time thinking before you start writing
  your rough draft.
• Compile a list of your ideas as you are thinking.
• Place the list in some order that makes sense to
  you.
• Write the rough draft.

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• Spend some time thinking before you start writing
  your rough draft.
• Compile a list of your ideas as you are thinking.
• Place the list in some order that makes sense to
  you.
• Write the rough draft.
• Write a final draft that shows some changes from
  the initial draft.

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• Spend some time thinking before you start writing
  your rough draft.
• Compile a list of your ideas as you are thinking.
• Place the list in some order that makes sense to
  you.
• Write the rough draft.
• Write a final draft that shows some changes from
  the initial draft.
• Read what you write aloud to yourself and you
  will hear mistakes and find a way to correct
  them.

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• Planning

• What was I trying to do?
• Why did I think it was worthwhile to do it?
• How did I do it?
• What did I show?
• What do I need to stress?
• What excuses do I need to make?
• What is my message?
• What would I like to do next?

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Twenty Steps in Planning, Writing and Publishing
a Paper

• Decide on the message of the paper. Can you
  state it in a single sentence? With case reports
  and reviews, you may not be sure of the exact
  message until you have searched the literature.
• Decide whether the paper is worth writing. Have
  similar findings been reported? Is there a need
  for another report? With case reports and
  reviews, has your literature search turned up
  similar cases or reviews?
• Decide on the importance of your paper. Apply
  the so-what test how would the paper change
  concept or practice?
• Decide on the audience for the paper apply the
  who-cares test.
• Select the journal for which you will prepare the
  paper.
• Search the literature For a firm decision on
  writing the paper and on its message for
  documentary materials.
• Decide on authorship.
• Assemble the materials needed to write and
  eventually publish the paper. If you are writing
  an invited review paper or editorial, make sure
  you know the conditions accompanying the
  invitation and request any you feel should be met
  before you accept it.
• Look up the manuscript requirements for the
  journal.
• Consider the proper structure for the paper
  before you begin to outline it and write the
  first draft.
• Develop a sketch or outline for the first draft.
• Write the first draft.
• Revise the first draft and subsequent drafts
  (with any coauthors) until you are fully
  satisfied with the content of the paper.
• Revise your prose for fluency, clarity, accuracy,
  economy, and grace.
• Make sure that the details of scientific style
  are correct.
• Prepare the final choices and right presentations
  for tables and illustrations.
• Review, and revise if necessary, the last
  complete draft and get it typed for the final
  manuscript.
• Assemble the manuscript copies and accompanying
  materials to send to the journals editor with a
  submission letter.
• Respond to the editors decision Revise a
  provisionally accepted paper as requested send a
  rejected paper to another journal after making
  needed revisions or give up trying to get the
  paper published.

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• Article Format

• Title
• Excess words Report on the Destruction of Renal
• Calculi by Use of
  Ultrasound

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• Article Format

• Title
• Excess words Report on the Destruction of Renal
• Calculi by Use of
  Ultrasound
• Better Ultrasonic Destruction of Kidney
  Stones

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• Article Format

• Title
• Excess words Prior Study to Access the
  Incidence of
• Coronary Artery
  Disease in a Group of
• High School
  Football Coaches

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• Article Format

• Title
• Excess words Prior Study to Access the
  Incidence of
• Coronary Artery
  Disease in a Group of
• High School
  Football Coaches
• Better Coronary Artery Disease in High School
  Football Coaches

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• Article Format

• Introduction
• Materials and Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Summary and Conclusion
• Abstract
• Appendix
• References
• The Cover Letter

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• Be Your Own Editor

I now believe that much of what I do can be done
by the author, either by himself or in
collaboration with an interested colleague. If
the colleague will ask the author to explain
exactly in his own words what he means by each
sentence, and even each word, the article will
become steadily shorter and clearer as
unnecessary words are crossed out and simple
words and constructions replace complicated
ones. Articles that have had this time-consuming
treatment, sometimes more than once, are much
easier for an editor to accept and for a language
supervisor to make sound English without changing
the meaning. I try to make it clear that my
changes are only suggestions, not Holy Writ, and
I make them in pencil so that they can be rubbed
out if the author disagrees with them. At the
same time I do not hesitate to comment on the
length, the layout, or the logic. I am also
convinced that articles by English and American
authors would invariably benefit from scrutiny by
colleagues. Not only articles but many expensive
medical books are far too long and turgid to read
because they get no such treatment from their
authors or publishers. I appreciate that many
articles submitted in English have been written
in another language and then translated. The
colleague treatment can be applied to the draft
in the original language and, if possible, to the
English translation also.
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• Grammar
• http//www.chinarice.org

Active and Passive Voice Article Usage Sentence
Fragments Prepositions of Location At, In, On
Prepositions of Direction To, On, In
Prepositions of Time, Place and to Introduce
Objects Spatial Relationships of Prepositions
Adverb Order Colon and Semicolon Usage Common
Writing Mistakes Commonly Confused Words
Participles as Adjectives, and Exercises
Participles as Adjectives - Answers Summary of
Verb Forms
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• Where To Send Your Article

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• Question and Answer Session