Scientific Writing Lecture 1

Scientific Writing Lecture 1

• The lecture was presented by Dr. Ahmed Hamdy El-Said
• Key elements of publishing include ethical issues, style and language, paper structure, components of papers, article submission/journal selection, and publisher's process/peer review.
• Ethical issues include disclosure of conflict of interest, acknowledgment of funding sources, image manipulation guidelines, online submission of supplemental information (datasets, videos), and submission of clinical trials to a central registry.
• Guidelines on publishing ethics are available at http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/Publicationethics/
• For style and language, refer to journal author guidelines for style notes. Some authors write their paper with a specific journal in mind, while others adapt their writing.
• Objective is clear and concise reporting of findings and conclusions.
• If English is not your first language, use a native English speaker to review before submission. Find a colleague or editor to review content and language.
• Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for Biomedical Publication are available at http://www.icmje.org/
• Scientific writing follows a rigid structure developed over hundreds of years. Papers can be read at different levels, from title to abstract to detailed understanding.
• Scientific papers are for sharing original research or reviewing research conducted by others. They are usually published in journals.
• Components of a scientific paper include sections such as Title, Authors, Abstract, Keywords (in some journals), Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Acknowledgements, References, and Appendices (in some journals). Each section has a specific purpose.
  • Title: Clearly describes the paper's content, acts as an advertisement for the article, avoids abbreviations, and is centered at the top.
  • Authors: Only includes individuals who made intellectual contributions or will publicly defend the data and conclusions. Order can vary by discipline; corresponding author often first.
  • Abstract: Briefly summarizes the problem, method, results, and conclusions, allowing readers to decide if they need to read more. Usually about 150 words.
• Avoid using too many self-citations.

Elements of a Paper

• Introduction: Clearly states the problem being investigated, background explaining the problem, and the reasons for the research. Summarizes relevant research, explains how the current work differs from earlier studies, and identifies the questions addressed.
• Method: Provides enough detail so others can replicate your research. Explains how the problem was studied, the followed procedures, and new methodologies used. Cite previously published methods. Includes data recording frequency and types of recorded data.
• Result: Objectively presents findings and explains the results. Shows how the work adds to the body of scientific knowledge. Presesnts findings logically (tables, figures) based on the question or hypothesis. Figures should be accompanied by legends.
• Discussion/Conclusion: Describes the meaning of the results in the context of existing knowledge, shows how results relate to previous research, and explains the significance of the research. Avoids undue speculation and outlines further research.
• References: Acknowledge sources. Recognizes cited information that is not common knowledge. Format for references follows journal guidelines. Avoid difficult-to-find references and those not important.
• Reference Style: Different reference styles exist (Harvard, Vancouver). Use the style specified in the target journal when submitting your work.

Explore key elements of scientific writing covered in Dr. Ahmed Hamdy El-Said's first lecture. Learn about ethical issues, styles, paper structure, and the publication process, including peer review and journal selection. This lecture provides essential guidelines for effective writing and publishing in academia.