Structuring Your Paper
Dec 21, 2015
Structuring Your Paper
How do I put it all together?
Information Flow
• One idea per paragraph
• Ideas should follow each other in a logical sequence.
• Two ways to order results:1. Chronological “First we did x, then y, then z.”2. Thematic Whatever order makes most
sense
Outline ≈ Skeleton
W. Li G. Doczi
Ref: J. Dorman
Creating an Outline
• Summarizes the major points• Can help you write the paper:
- Each point -> the first or last sentence of paragraph
• Use your figures to make an outline - add key words to your figures
Ref: Penrose & Katz & J. Dorman
W. Li
Kuna indians: no hypertension of cardiovascular diseasesMigration from Ailigandi to Vera Cruz results in higher BPAiligandi Kuna diet: 10 x more cocoa-beverage, 4x more fish, 2x more fruit than Vera Cruz Kuna; no difference in salt
Figure Outline
Table 1. Description of subjects in the study
Figure 2. Results from the study
- Intake of Fruit- Intake of Meat/Fish- Intake of Salt, Sweets, Fat- Intake of Beverages
Figure Outline
Writing From the Figures
Demographic and health characteristics of Demographic and health characteristics of participants from Ailigandi and Vera participants from Ailigandi and Vera Cruz are shown in Table 1.Cruz are shown in Table 1. Individuals studied in Ailigandi were slightly older than those interviewed in Vera Cruz. Both study samples were comprised of approximately two-thirds women (more women were available to study because they were at home during the day). Blood pressure levels were lower on Ailigandi, although hypertension was uncommon in both groups. The Kuna residing in Vera Cruz weighed more than those in Ailgandi, but the difference in body mass index did not achieve statistical significance.
Writing From the Outline
Writing From the Outline
Demographic and health characteristics of participants from Ailigandi and Vera Cruz are shown in Table 1. Individuals Individuals studied in Ailigandi were slightly older studied in Ailigandi were slightly older than those interviewed in Vera Cruz.than those interviewed in Vera Cruz. Both study samples were comprised of approximately two-thirds women (more women were available to study because they were at home during the day). Blood pressure levels were lower on Ailigandi, although hypertension was uncommon in both groups. The Kuna residing in Vera Cruz weighed more than those in Ailgandi, but the difference in body mass index did not achieve statistical significance.
Writing From the Outline
Demographic and health characteristics of participants from Ailigandi and Vera Cruz are shown in Table 1. Individuals studied in Ailigandi were slightly older than those interviewed in Vera Cruz. Both Both study samples were comprised of study samples were comprised of approximately two-thirds women (more approximately two-thirds women (more women were available to study because women were available to study because they were at home during the day).they were at home during the day). Blood pressure levels were lower on Ailigandi, although hypertension was uncommon in both groups. The Kuna residing in Vera Cruz weighed more than those in Ailgandi, but the difference in body mass index did not achieve statistical significance.
Writing From the Outline
Demographic and health characteristics of participants from Ailigandi and Vera Cruz are shown in Table 1. Individuals studied in Ailigandi were slightly older than those interviewed in Vera Cruz. Both study samples were comprised of approximately two-thirds women (more women were available to study because they were at home during the day). Blood Blood pressure levels were lower on Ailigandi, pressure levels were lower on Ailigandi, although hypertension was uncommon in although hypertension was uncommon in both groups.both groups. The Kuna residing in Vera Cruz weighed more than those in Ailgandi, but the difference in body mass index did not achieve statistical significance.
Writing From the Outline
Demographic and health characteristics of participants from Ailigandi and Vera Cruz are shown in Table 1. Individuals studied in Ailigandi were slightly older than those interviewed in Vera Cruz. Both study samples were comprised of approximately two-thirds women (more women were available to study because they were at home during the day). Blood pressure levels were lower on Ailigandi, although hypertension was uncommon in both groups. The Kuna residing in Vera The Kuna residing in Vera Cruz weighed more than those in Cruz weighed more than those in Ailgandi, but the diAilgandi, but the difffference in body mass erence in body mass index did not achieve statistical index did not achieve statistical significance.significance.
Title
Function of a Title
Catch reader’s interest- Title will be read by 1,000’s- Few will read your entire paper
Identifies paper’s main topic or message
Indexing tool
Ref: R. Day and M. Zeiger
How to Write an Effective Title
Design it so your colleagues will find it Summarize your main point Be concise Be specific Running title
Writing the Title
Should briefly answer the question you addressed with your experiments
State your major finding
Create a “working title” before you write- You can change it later if you discover new
interpretations of your data as you write
Ref: V. McMillan
Data vs. title
Different kind of data = different title
- What kind of paper are you presenting?
Methods
Descriptive
Hypothesis
Titles of Methods Papers
State:• The method you developed, improved, or characterized• What the method is used for
Example: Rapid Subtyping of Dengue Viruses by Restriction Site-Specific (RSS)-PCR
Ref: M. Zeiger
Titles of Descriptive Papers
State: • What is being described and where• If relevant, its significance or function
Example:Clinical, Epidemiologic, and Virologic Featuresof Dengue in the 1998 Epidemic in Nicaragua
Hip1, a Novel Co-chaperone Involved in the Eukaryotic Heat Shock Response
Ref: M. Zeiger
Titles of Hypothesis Papers
State:• The variable that was manipulated or modified• The dependent variable that you measured or observed• The study organism or location
Example: Growth Inhibitory Effect of Triclosan on Equine and Bovine Babesia Parasites
Ref: M. Zeiger
Example: “Oct-3 is a maternal factor required for
the first mouse embryonic division”
Good Titles: Be Concise
• Title ≠ sentence; remove filler words• Remove verbs that are too definitive, too
assertive:
Ref: R. Day and M. Zeiger
X
Better: “The requirement of maternal factor Oct-3 for the first mouse embryonic division.”
A Good Title
• What is a good title?
“The fewest possible words that adequately describe the contents of the paper.”
• Be specific and concise!
Ref: R. Day
Good Titles: Be ConciseWordy: A Preliminary Study of the
Prevalence of Viruses in Three Storm Drains During Wet and Dry Weather in Southern California as Assessed by RT-PCR Detection of Viral RNA
Ref: V. McMillan
Concise: RT-PCR Detection of Viral RNA in Three Southern Californian Storm Drains During Wet and Dry Weather
Use Few Abbreviations• Confusing to reader!
• Consider how a researcher would search for the word in PubMed: – By the abbreviation or by spelling it out?– You want people to find your paper!
• Use only very common abbreviations– RNA, DNA, etc.– See Journal’s “Instructions to Authors”
Ref: R. Day and V. McMillanRef: R. Day and V. McMillan
Title: Be Specific
Vague: Detection of Viruses in Storm Drains
Ref: V. McMillan
Specific: Detection of Enteroviral and Hepatitis AViral RNA by RT-PCR in Three Storm Drains in Southern California
Vague: Detection of malarial DNA in
mosquitoes by PCR
Ref: V. McMillan
Specific: Detection of Plasmodium falciparum DNA in Anopheles gambiae by PCR (i.e., taxonomic information)
Title: Be Specific
• For a methods paper:– No need to say “New” method for…..– If it is an improved method, say what the
improvement is:
Rapid Phenol-Free Method for DNAExtraction from Anopheles gambia Larvae
Ref: M. Zeiger
Title: Be Specific
Running Title
• Shorter version of title
• Appears as a short phrase- At bottom or top of every page of paper
• Includes key words
Ref: M. Zeiger
Running Title: Example
Title: Widespread Atypical Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Caused by Leishmania chagasi in Nicaragua
Running Title: Atypical Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Nicaragua