Scientific writing 101
From Shiu Lab
Recipe
This is based on PI's experience in writing manuscripts see disclaimer below.
- Experiment/analysis phase
- Get all figures and tables made.
- Generate a rough outline for the results with each point roughly represent a section in the manuscript, attach the figures and tables to the outline.
- Expand/revise/reshuffle each section of the outline for a coherent, logical presentation.
- For each result section, answer the following questions:
- How does this section connect with the previous one?
- What is the major question/objective/significance for this section?
- What are the approaches taken?
- What have you found?
- What is your interpretation?
- How do the findings relate to what's known (discussion)?
- What are the implications (discussion)?
- Unanswered question to connect to the next section.
- Identify deficiencies and incomplete sections, go back to 1 to get more analysis done
- Check overall flow between result sections
- Write discussion if not writing it together with results, including:
- What are the major findings?
- For each finding:
- What is the implication/significance?
- How does the finding compared to what's known?
- Are they consistent or contradictory?
- If contradictory, why do you think they are different?
- What is the caveats of the approaches taken? Why do you think this should be published given the caveats?
- How does the finding push the field forward?
- What need to be done in the future?
- Write introduction, focus on what we know that are relevant to the analysis and results. Starting general and then specific. Need to provide a good representation of what's known on the major questions addressed in the manuscript.
- Write abstract, a concise representation of:
- Background: The question and significance.
- Approaches taken and major findings.
- Implication and significance of findings.
Disclaimer
The use of the following guideline is at your own risk. These tips are provided "AS IS" and "as available" for use, without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. We makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, usefulness or completeness of any of the information contained here.That is, if your paper is rejected using the guideline above, I am not responsible in any way whatsoever...
