How To Write A Research Paper
Your work and career as a scientist will ultimately be judged on the manuscripts you publish. So, the skill of writing clear and concise manuscripts that can successfully navigate the peer review process and make an impact once published is essential. Over these five sessions, we will cover the most important practicalities of creating a research paper that will perform for you.
The anatomy of a research paper
All research papers have certain elements in common: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Conclusion. How can you structure your introduction to best frame the research question for your readers? Must the methods section read like a laundry list of reagents? Can you be dramatic in the results without losing objectivity? Is there any room in the concluding section to pose new conflicts? In this session, we will delve deeper into each of these sections to show you how to tailor them to your audience.
In this session you will learn:
- The parts and their function in a scientific article
- The essential information that must be included in your introduction
- How to inject interest into your results section without losing objectivity
Common Problems With Research Papers And How To Overcome Them
The best way to solve a problem is to avoid it in the first place. While journals can and do reject articles for scientific reasons, the also reject articles for structural issues. By taking a few simple steps, you can learn how to circumvent these difficulties for a smooth process.
In this session you will learn:
- Structural reasons that scientific journals reject articles
- How to solve common structural issues
- Extra steps you can take to help your journal reviewers
Understanding The Publication Process
You’ve written your article. What now? Your research can only have an impact if someone reads it. So, you must submit your article to a journal for publication. This session will teach you the nuts and bolts of the publication process. We will take you step-by-step through the whole process from selecting a journal, the online submission process (and how to make that activity easier), and finally how to respond to reviews (even critical ones!).
In this session you will learn:
- How to select a journal, including tools available to help in that decision
- How to make the journal submission process go more smoothly
- How to take critical reviews and turn them into positives in your re-submission
Telling Your Story — A System For Writing Research Papers
Rarely do we consider writing a scientific paper as a creative exercise. But what if that could change? The best way to communicate anything is through stories. The scientific process has all the elements inherent in storytelling: a rich background, a problem or conflict to solve, and a resolution. In this session, we will reframe the writing process to help you clearly and concisely communicate your research with great impact.
In this session you will learn:
- The elements of a scientific story—and how those generate interest
- A new enjoyment for the process of writing
- How zero drafts can improve your writing