Basic Concepts of Scientific Writing.ppt

8/14/2019 Basic Concepts of Scientific Writing.ppt

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Academic and Scientific Writing:Some Basic Principles

Elias Sukardi


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Academic writing

versus

scientific writing?


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What makes a good piece of writing

It answer the question set.

It demonstrates understanding and clarity of thought.

It provides evidence of reading and research.

It supports any assertions by evidence. It is well structured.

It is written in an appropriate style.

It flows logically from one section to another, and from

one paragraph to another. It is appropriately referenced.

It is interesting to read.


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The maxim for scientific writing

Write clearly to clarify your own thinking(Writing for clarity)


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Words

Sentences

Paragraphs

to produce a clear and

coherent story


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Scientific English

Avoiding superfluous words and phrases

Choosing a better word

Identifying imprecise words and phrases

Using the active and passive voices

appropriately

Using the tenses properly

Applying the punctuation correctly.

Writing paragraphs

Understanding & compiling references


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Word choice

Renal blood flow was drastically

compromisedwhen the aorta was

obstructed. (greatly reduced/decreased)

The salicylates are rapidly absorbed witha

peak plasma concentration within 2 hours.

(reaching/attaining)

Fentanyl was administeredintravenously

(given)


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Sentence Structure

Express the core of the message in the

subject, verb, and completer.

Avoid noun clusters

Write short sentences

Appropriate use of the tenses.

Use clear pronoun Put parallel ideas in parallel form


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Express the core of the message in the

subject, verb, and completer

The patient showed no change in symptoms.

The patient's symptoms did not change.

The patient's symptoms were unchanged.

The patient was begun on 0.6 g of aspirin daily

and had resolution of the arthritis

After the patient began taking 0.6 g aspirin daily,his arthritis resolved.

Aspirin 0.6 g daily resolved the patient's arthritis.


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A progressive decrease in the death rate

occurred.

The death rate decreased progressively.

The death rate progressively decreased.


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Prolongation of life for uremic patients has

been made possible by improved conservative

treatment and hemodialysis.

The lives of uremic patients have beenprolonged by improved conservative treatment

and hemodialysis.

Improved conservative treatment and

hemodialysis have prolonged the lives ofuremic patients.


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Avoid noun clusters

One noun is commonly used to modifyanother noun in English, e.g. "blood flow",

"protein metabolism", "lung function",

"kidney disease", "oxygen therapy"

"blood volume", etc.

Filament length variabilityVariability of the length of the filaments

Variability of filament length


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Write short sentences

Short sentences are easier to understand

than long sentences. Do not pack too

many ideas into one sentence. Avoid

overloaded sentences!

Use the active and passive voices appropriately!


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Using the tenses appropriately

The structure of research paper

Introduction usually in the past tense

Materials andmethods

Results usually in the past tense

Discussion

References

Figures legends in the present tense


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Smith reports that (present tense)

(Refers to just-published paper of currentimportance)

Smith has reported that (present perfect tense)

(Refers to recent past and implies'continuing intellectual importance')

Smith reported that (past tense)

(Refers to a past & completed event )


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Use clear pronoun

"To decrease blood volume by about 10%

in a few minutes, blood was pooled in the

subjects' legs by placing wide congesting

cuffs around the thighs and inflatingthem to diastolic brachial arterial pressure.

the cuffs.


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Put parallel ideas in parallel form

Parallel ideas are ideas that are equal in

logic and importance.

Examples: ideas that are joined by "and"

"or" or "but" or ideas that are being

compared.


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Cardiac output was less in the E. coli group

than the pseudomonas group.

Cardiac output was less in the E. coli groupthan in the pseudomonas group.

Left ventricular function was impaired in thedogs that received endotoxin but not the control

dogs

Left ventricular function was impaired in the

dogs that received endotoxin and not inthe

control dogs


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The children with arteriovenous shunts

had the shunts opened, heparin injected,and the arterial and venous sides of the

shunt clamped.

In the children who had arteriovenous

shunts, the shunts were opened, heparin

was injected, and the arterial and venous

sides of the shunt were clamped.


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An increased in heart rate occurred.

Heart rate increased.

The new drug caused a decrease in

heart rate.

The new drug decreased heart rate.


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Evaporation of ethanol from themixture takes place rapidly.

Ethanol evaporates rapidly from themixture.


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Tumors greater than 10 cm indiameter are associated with poor

prognosis..

Patients with tumors greater than

10 cm in diameter are associated

with poor prognosis.


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The etiology of delusion ofpregnancy is likely to beheterogeneous.

The etiology of delusion ofpregnancy is likely to bemultifactorial.


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The first study was abandoned dueto poor patient compliance.

Owing to poor compliance by thepatients the first study wasabandoned.


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The study involved 15 consentinghealthy adult males.

Fifteen consenting and healthysubjects took part in the study.


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Punctuation

Some Rules of Punctuation

A semi-colon (;) is almost a full stop;

Use a colon (:) to introduce a list;

Separate the items on a list by commas (,) not

semi-colons (unless the items could

themselves be sentences or have commas

within them);

Never separate a subject from its verb by asingle punctuation mark.


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Period (full stop).(.)

Quotation mark (single or double) '' ""

Question mark: ?

Exclamation mark: !

Slash: / Dash: Hyphen: -

Apostrophe: '


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Writing Paragraph

Send a clear message and tell a clear

story

Organization: Deductive paragraph

Continuity

Emphasis: emphasize important

information and de-emphasize less

important information


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NutritionNutrition is the science of food and its relationship to health.

Nutrients are chemicals in foods that are used by the body

for growth, maintenance, and energy. Nutrients that cannot

be synthesized by the body and thus must be derived from

the diet are considered essential. They include vitamins,

minerals, some amino acids, and fatty acids. Nutrients that

the body can synthesize from compounds, although theymust also be derived from the diet, are considered

nonessential. Macronutrients are required by the body in

relatively large amounts; micronutrients are needed in

minute amounts.Lack of nutrients can result in deficiency syndromes (e.g.

kwashiorkor, pellagra) or other disorders. Excess intake of

macronutrients can lead to obesity; excess intake of

micronutrients can be toxic.


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Questions

1) How manyparagraphs are found in the

passage?

2) What is main message/thought/ideaof

each paragraph?

3) How isparagraph 1constructed?

Explain your answer!

4) What do you think about the construction

ofparagraph 2? Explain your answer!


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Suggested answers

1) Two paragraphs

2) Paragraph 1: The concepts of nutrition

3) Paragraph 2: Clinical patterns of nutritional disorders

4) Paragraph 1: Deductive paragraph

Function of nutrients

Types of nutrient: essential/nonessential nutrients;

macro/micro-nutrients

Paragraph 2: Topic sentence is missing, but themain thought is implicit in the message of the paragraph.

It resembles a (modified) deductive paragraph.


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Nutrition

Definition of nutrition (Food)

Nutrients (Chemicals)

Types of nutrients (Types of chemicals)

Essential and nonessential nutrients

Macronutrients and micronutrients

Deductive Paragraph


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Write a deductive paragraph!

Specific

General

Specific Specific Specific


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Why should we learn to write well?

Becoming a better physician/clinician

As part of our professional carrier

Competing in the job market Fame

Lifestyle


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The Anatomy of Thesis

or Research Paper

Title

Abstract

Introduction Materials and Methods

Results

Discussion

(Summary)

References


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Basic principles for writing the sections

Title: Insulin Increases Hepatic Glycolysis and

Glucoce Uptake of Myocyte

Introduction

The question or problem to be answered Brief, 2-3 paragraphs

Aim and scope of the paper

Purpose for undertaking the work How your investigation moves from closely

related previous works

Try to gain and keep the attention of the readers


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Materials and Methods

How the answer was sought(Credibility evidence)

Justify your choice of the materials and

methods used State the premises and assumptions made

Audience: Colleagues with similar researchexperience

Give the genus, species, race, strain, breed ofthe experimental animals used


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Results

Comprehensible and coherent

Present your results in a logical order

Report negative results of possible

importantance to other workers

Describe the measurements obtained

Use tables and diagrams as needed


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Discussion

A discussion is a disquisition in whichsubject is treated from different sides

Write this section only after you have

thought long and hard about your ownand other peoples findings

You may criticize the scientific basis of

other peoples workDo not conceal negative results or

discrepancies


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Citing references

Norcini JJ. Peer assessment of

competence. Med Educ 2003;37:539-43.

Chang JT, Hays RD, Shekelle PG, et al.

Patients' global ratings of their health care

are not associated with the technical

quality of their care. Ann Intern Med2006;144:665-72.


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Chemotherapeutic options in chronic lymphocytic

leukemia: a meta-analysis of the randomized trials. CLL

Trialists' collaborative Group. J Natl Cancer Inst1999;91(10):861-8. (PUBMED Abstract)

Maddock-Christianson K, Slager SL, Zent CS, et al: Risk

factors for development of a second lymphoid

malignancy in patients with chronic lymphocyticleukemia. Br J Haematol 2007;139(3):398-404. (PUBMED

Abstract)

Robertson LE, Pugh W, O'Brien S, et al: Richter

syndrome: a report on 39 patients. J Clin Oncol1993;11(10):1985-9. (PUBMED Abstract)


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Further reading

OConnor M, Woodford FP: Writing scientificpapers in English. Amsterdam: ExcerptaMedica, 1977

Goodman NW, Edwards MB: Medicalwriting: A prescription for clarity. Cambridge:Cambridge University Press, 2nded. 1997

Murrell G, Huang C, Ellis H: Research inmedicine: Planning a project - writing athesis.2nded. Cambridge: CambridgeUniversity Press,1999

Basic Concepts of Scientific Writing.ppt

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