Scientific Writing Lecture Notes PDF

SCIENTIFIC WRITING (NP 201 – NPC 201) BY DR. AMR MOHAMED EMAM LECTURER OF PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY PHD. CAIRO UNIVERSITY REASONS TO PUBLISH YOUR RESEARCH Thought, structure, and style The three basic aspects to effective scientific writing are thought, structure, and style....

SCIENTIFIC WRITING (NP 201 – NPC 201) BY DR. AMR MOHAMED EMAM LECTURER OF PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY PHD. CAIRO UNIVERSITY REASONS TO PUBLISH YOUR RESEARCH Thought, structure, and style The three basic aspects to effective scientific writing are thought, structure, and style. Thought is a matter of having some worthwhile results and ideas to publish. You need some new results to publish, and you need to be able to interpret them correctly. Structure is simply a matter of getting the right things in the right place. Style is a matter of choosing the fewest and most appropriate words and using the rules of good grammar.  It is unethical to accept a grant from a funding body and then fail to publish the results of the research that you conducted using the funds. Failure to publish reflects badly on your reputation as a scientist and is likely to have a significant influence on your future career and your ability to attract further funding.  On the other hand, success in publishing contributes to rewards such as job promotion and professional recognition. A scientific article that is published in a well-respected, peer-reviewed journal is an important goal for any researcher and remains one of the ultimate markers of research success. For this reason, it is important to write your paper well so that it has clear messages, is readily accepted for publication, and is something that you can always be proud of.  A well-written paper is one that is easy to read, tells an interesting story, has the information under the correct headings, and is visually appealing. It is a sad fact of life that few researchers read a journal article from beginning to end. Most readers want to scan your paper quickly and find the relevant information where they expect it to be. If you want the information in your paper to be read and to be used, you must be certain that you have presented it in an organized and accessible format.  In the current academic climate, publications are important for career advancement and the economic survival of research departments. In many institutions, the number of successful publications is used as a measure of research productivity. In addition, other attributes of publications, such as the number of collaborators, the number of resulting citations, and the impact factor of the journal, are often considered. As such, publications are a fundamental marker of accountability.  Having good scientific writing skills can not only bring career success but also brings many other personal rewards. Writing time is more productive and less frustrating Your research is more likely to lead to publications Your grant applications are more likely to be funded Your expertise will help you to become a good reviewer or editor  Finally, we can say that : It is unethical to conduct a study and not report the findings You have some results that are worth reporting You want to progress scientific thought or improve health outcomes You want to give credibility to your research team  You want your work to reach a broad audience Your track record will improve You will add credibility to your reputation You will improve your chance of promotion You are more likely to obtain research grants  A well-written paper is one that is very publishable, adds credibility to your reputation, and is much more likely to be read in its entirety and thus taken seriously by the scientific community. Bad science is not usually publishable (although it happens) but good science reported well is more highly respected than good science reported badly.  True or False The journal impact factor and number of citations are insignificant factors for publishing your paper.