Scientific writing
Petr Kubíček
kubicek@geogr.muni.cz
Laboratory on Geoinformatics and Cartography (LGC)
Institute of Geography
Masaryk University
Czech Republic
Aim
• To enable beginning researchers/writers
to have the well-founded confidence to
submit their scientific articles to impact
factor journals and complete
dissertations that will pass first time.
2Friday, 13 March 2015
Objectives
• To enable participants to:
– Apply the skills of good scientific essay
writing; argument and evidence, clarity,
brevity, structure, flow, coherence;
– Write compelling introductions,
conclusions and structured abstracts;
– Write a research paper using the AIMRDC
structure.
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Publication strategy in geography
• „scientometry“ – all around Europe.
• Even for PGS
• Connected with – accreditation and
department future.
• Why is this relevant for Ph.D. students??:
• Dissertation thesis – monograph x article
series (+ intro + conclusion).
• Money talks – Specific research, category A
for IF and Scopus publications (15 – 45 K).
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How to …?
• Quality vs. quantity
• No points – conference proceedings
(work in progress, discuss the
preliminary results), journal (CZ +
EU).
• Minimum – SCOPUS journals (AIMT,
Annals of GIS, …)
• WoS – journals with IF
• Geography (67 journals indexed on
WoS).
• Multidisciplinary research.
Where do I start?
Key Elements of Good Scientific Writing
(Kathleen Fahy )
– Have an argument: (hypothesis, thesis)
– Use evidence to support your argument
– Achieve clarity & brevity with:
•careful and consistent word choice
•short sentences with subject first
•Clear and logical structure, flow
•Coherence and avoidance of extraneous ideas or
data.
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Word Choices
• Accuracy
– Define your key terms
– Choose precise words and use the same word consistently
each time
• Brevity
– Use the fewest words possible
• Clarity
– Use simple words so that an educated reader can
understand you
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Accuracy in Word Choices
Word Definition Example
Affect (noun) To act upon or to influence The environment negatively
affected the wellbeing
Effect (verb) The result of a cause Failure to progress is an effect of
an epidural
Practise (verb) To do repeatedly in order to
gain a skill
The practise of midwifery
Practice (noun) The exercise of a profession Midwifery practice
Its (possessive
pronoun)
Its, like hers and his, does not
have an apostrophe
Nursing has its problems
It’s (contraction) It’s = it is It’s a lovely day today
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Simplicity in Word Choices
Poor Word Choices Better Word Choices
Utilised Used
Acquired Got
Ascertained Made sure
Subsequent Next
Voluminous Large, full, big
Remainder Rest
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Scientific Sentences
A sentence is a group of words about a
single idea, which contains a least one
subject and at least one verb. SVOMPT
(word classes).
Scientific sentences are short. The subject
of the sentence comes first.
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Write Short Sentences
Poor Sentence
When tobacco smoke is inhaled it takes 10-20
seconds for nicotine to be delivered to the
central nervous system via the arterial
circulation.
When tobacco smoke (not the main subject) is
inhaled it takes 10-20 seconds for nicotine to
be delivered (passive verb) to the central
nervous system via the arterial circulation.
Improved Shorter Sentence
Nicotine (main subject) takes 10—20 seconds
to reach (active verb, simple language) the
brain after inhalation.
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Use Active (not passive) Voice
• In the active voice the subject names the
actor
Example: Passive
• Participants under aged 14, who did not get
parental consent, were not recruited.
Improved: Active
• I decided not to recruit participants under
age 14 unless they had parental consent.Friday, 13 March 2015
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Characteristics of Good Paragraphs
Paragraph begins with a topic sentence (i.e.
the main idea) and the paragraph has:
• Unity: Each sentence is on the topic of the
paragraph.
• Coherence: The relationship between the
sentences is clear and logical.
• Development: The main idea of the paragraph is
well supported with specific evidence, examples
and details.
• Length: Paragraphs should be a minimum of 3
sentences
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What is wrong with this paragraph?
Women who have an episiotomy more frequently report
painful intercourse and marital problems six months after
birth. Compared to women who had a 1st or 2nd degree
tear, episiotomy is associated with higher rates of perineal
trauma in subsequent births. Episiotomy is associated with
long-term morbidity. Urinary incontinence is preventable.
Problems:
– Topic sentence is 2nd last
– Last sentence is not related to the topic of the paragraph
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Improved Paragraph
Episiotomy is associated with long-term morbidity.
Compared to women who had a 1st or 2nd degree tear,
episiotomy is associated with higher rates of perineal
trauma in subsequent births. Women who had an
episiotomy were more likely to report painful intercourse
and ongoing marital problems six months after birth.
Better because:
– Topic sentence first and gives overview
– Supporting sentences give detail and support
– All sentences relate to the topic sentence
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Generic Structure of Scientific Paper: AIMRDC
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion
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References
1. ICMJE (2013) Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly
Work in Medical Journals. Available at: www.icmje.org Accessed September 8th, 2013.
2. Cargill, M. O’Connor, P. (2009) Writing Scientific Research Articles: Strategy and Steps. WileyBlackburn.
West Sussex, UK
Title and Keywords
Title Guidelines
• Titles contain key words.
• Some are more important than others.
• Place key words near the start of the title
– makes it easier for reader to determine
what paper is about.
• Insert searchable keywords in your title.
• This makes it easier for your work to be
found using web‐based engine.
Compare – word search
• Interim Technical Report on progress from the ADAPPT
project.
• Optimising use of Pesticidal Plants against cattle ticks and
maize pests in Africa: ADAPPT Project interim report.
Compare – different titles (journal specific)
• Fat Rats: What Makes Them Eat?
– New Scientist.
• The role of Luteinising Hormone to Obesity in the Zucker
Rat
– Journal of Neuroendocrinology
• Rats hold the key to a gorgeous body.
– The Daily Mail.
The Keyword List
• opportunity to add words used by indexing
and abstracting services.
• They are often but not exclusively additional
to those in the title.
• Helps others find your work and cite it.
• All research quality now determined by
citation indices.
Research Abstracts
• Background (context)
• Purpose (aim or question)
• Methods (participants, setting, data
collection and analysis)
• Results (main findings, statistical
significance, effect size)
• Discussion/Conclusion (clinical significance,
recommendations, limitations)
• Abstract must accurately reflect the content of the article
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Elements of Effective Introductions to
Research Articles
Write in a way that Takes to Reader from
General to Specific, from the Known to the
Unknown.
1. Problem and broad context for present study
2. What is already known
3. Need for present study made clear
4. Purpose/Aim or Question for present study
5. Define key terms
6. Optional justification for the present study
!Cite only directly relevant research. Do not report data or
results from present study!
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Methods Section of Research Paper
• Purpose: to demonstrate that the
methods were scientifically
rigorous and thus give
confidence that the results of the
study are credible.
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Methods Section (Generic)
Statistical Methods
• Describe in enough detail for reader to be able
judge credibility
• Reference credible sources for methods of
collection and analysis
• Define statistical terms, abbreviations, and
most symbols
• Specify the statistical software package(s)
and versions used
• When possible, quantify findings and present
appropriate indicators of measurement error
(e.g. confidence intervals)
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Results (Generic)
• Only report results relevant to the
hypothesis/question in your Introduction
• Data are facts (numbers); they cannot stand alone
• Most data belong in figures, graphs and tables
• Statistics belong with data and therefore should
(mostly) be in the figures, graphs and tables
• Present data after stating the results they support.
• Results are the meaning of the data; they must be
stated
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Results (Generic)
• Emphasize only the most important results in text
• Put supplementary materials in an appendix
(online)
• Give numeric results, not just derivatives (e.g.
parentages)
• Specify how derivatives were calculated, and their
statistical significance
• Restrict tables and figures to those needed to
explain the argument
• Use graphs as an alternative to tables; do not
duplicate data.
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Discussion/Conclusion
• Purpose: “To emphasise the new and
important aspects of the study and the
conclusions that follow from them in
the context of the totality of the best
available evidence”.
• Briefly summarise the main findings
• Then explore possible explanations
• Then compare and contrast your results with results
from relevant studies
• Link the conclusions to the aim/s of your study
• Make recommendations (research, practice, theory)
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References
• Ensure that the formatting of the citations in the
text and reference list conform with the style of the
journal your article will be sent to.
• This really bugs editors – get it right!
• Laziness here could tempt a referee to assume
laziness elsewhere in carrying out the work or even
collating results.
• Every part of your written work gives an impression
of your overall scientific quality.
• Quote your colleagues (Citation Index – H) – if
relevant!
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Non native speakers specifics
• Direct English writing vs translation
• Carefully consider the quality!
• Proofreading:
– Grammar and overall legibility
– Terminology (content specific)
Reviewign process
• Time consuming (1 year +)
• Reviewer Blind Comments to Author:
– Please include specific, detailed comments
regarding the originality, scientific quality,
relevance to the field of this journal, and
presentation. Check the need for tables and
figures, and the adequacy of the references.
• Acceptance (with minor/major revision,
reject…)
• Even negative reviews can help!
• Do not hesitate do re-submit!
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Main Reasons Articles Rejected
PROBLEM SOLUTION
Novelty not explained Show how your results are different from current
knowledge
Results not explained Make the meaning of results clear
Too many results Focus on main results – remove others
Communicates only to a
specialist audience
Communicate to an audience including students and
journalists
Misuse of abbreviations Do not use abbreviations
Does not conform to journal
requirements
Follow the guide for authors to the letter
Outside the scope of the journal Select the correct journal by reading Aims and Scope
Poor English Use a professional English editor
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Good Writing is Hard Work
• Experienced, well published authors still take
weeks and months to write and refine their
papers.
• Expect 10-20 drafts to be written before
achieving an appropriate quality 
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