5. Answer the following questions:
-
What questions does your paper answer?
What is the knowledge gay your paper fills? One or more questions? What is the overall objective? What are sub-objectives? Write objectives in one separate paragraph
16. Structuring the manuscript
Structural elements
Title Headings + paragraphs Keywords Discussion Conclusion Acknowledgements
Abstract
Introduction Methods Results
Guideline: Objectives
4. Objectives should have a clear focus
-
rather narrow than broad
better answer 1 question well than 3 superfically
Guideline: Objectives
II. Rules on how to write
15. Defining paper objectives
16. Structuring the manuscript 17. Manuscript title 18. Keywords 19. The Introduction 20. The methods section 21. The results section
22. The discussion section
Guidelines: Discussion
Search your paper for the following aspects:
1.
2. 3. 4. 5.
What can be generalized from your results?
What are unexpected results? What are methodological limitations? How do own results relate to other findings? What are theoretical/practical implications?
Guidelines: Discussion
• Collect several points for each aspect
•
• •
Systematize your collection (=draft discussion)
Include strongest points in final discussion Use references (refer to state-of-the-art)
4.
5.
Identify information that can be displayed in figures and tables
Fill in each heading, describe results short and precisely
6. Do not discuss results, do not present new methods
Guidelines: Introduction
Write down the following six headings:
1.
What is the background of the topic?
2. Why is the topic important? 3. What has been done already in the field? 4. What knowledge is currently missing? 5. What is my paper offering to fill this gap? 6. Which terms do I need to define? • Fill in 2-3 sentences below each heading
IMRAD
I M R A D
= Introduction = Methods = Results = And = Discussion (+ Conclusion)
ILRAD
I L R A D
= Introduction = Literature = Review = And = Discussion (+ Conclusion)
List them one by one, start with the most important (these are your draft conclusions)
Guidelines: Conclusion
• State your overall objective in one sentence again
24. The acknowledgements
22. The discussion section 23. The conclusion 24. The acknowledgements 25. The references section 26. The appendix 27. Figures, tables & graphs 28. The abstract
19. The introduction
Include
a. Background – what is the problem?
b.
c. d. e. f.
Motivation – why is it important?
State-of-the-art – what has been done before? Knowledge gaps – what is currently missing? Aims & objectives – what is the paper doing? Definitions – what unfamiliar terms does the paper use?
18. Keywords
Guidelines: keywords
• • • identify 5-10 words that help to characterize your paper content use synonyms avoid duplication with title
•
test your keywords in a keyword search/database
•
•
be as precise and concise as possible
provide exact numbers where possible
21. The results section
Writing results
Style:
•
• •
Write sequentially
Be short and precise Avoid verbosity
15. Defining paper objectives
Guideline: Objectives
1. Start a new paragraph
2. Start with an explicit statement: “the objectives of this paper are …” “This paper aims at …”
used for indexing the manuscript
REF section
Includes:
•
• • •
acknowledgements
author statement references/bibliography appendix
Manuscript structure
Research paper INDEX IMRAD REF Review paper INDEX ILRAD REF
= your conclusion!
Guidelines: Conclusion
• Go through your results & discussion sections
•
•
Collect the most important conclusions and their implications
•
Remove the headings
20. The methods section
Guidelines: Methods
• • • describe what you have done in such a detail as needed so that it is replicable by a colleague follow chronological order use sub-headings to describe individual steps
23. The conclusion
Conclusion in 2 min
• • tell a colleague/friend in 2 minutes what the main message of your paper is what can be learned from your paper?
•
• • •
State your key message
Write conclusions according to your list Should be understandable when read in isolation Give to a colleague to read and comment