CURSO

REDACCION DE MANUSCRITOS
CIENTIFICOS EN INGLES
- FUNDAMENTOS

Welcome!
Instituto de Capacitacin Instel & Seguridad,
Irigoyen 2180, Corrientes
 CURSO
REDACCION DE MANUSCRITOS
CIENTIFICOS EN INGLES
- FUNDAMENTOS

1 Planning your paper and drafting an outline

1.1. The structure of scientific papers
1.2. Before starting to write a paper
1.3. Writing an outline

Brigitte Marazzi
Instituto de Botnica del Nordeste (CONICET-UNNE), Corrientes
 1.1. The structure of scientific papers

Most common kinds of scientific publications:

Journal article (= papers)
Oral presentation
Poster presentation
(Grant application)

Type of text organization for most scientific papers:

IMRAD
= Introduction, Methods, Results, And, Discussion
 1.1. The structure of scientific papers

Experimental process Section of Paper

What did I do in few words? Abstract
What is the problem? Introduction
How did I solve the problem? Materials and Methods
What did I find out? Results
What does it mean? Discussion
Who helped me out? Acknowledgments (optional)
Whose work did I refer to? Literature Cited
Extra Information Appendices (optional)
 1.1. The structure of scientific papers

Experimental process Section of Paper

What did I do in few words? Abstract
What is the problem? Introduction
How did I solve the problem? Materials and Methods
What did I find out? Results
What does it mean? Discussion
Who helped me out? Acknowledgments (optional)
Whose work did I refer to? Literature Cited
Extra Information Appendices (optional)
 1.1. The structure of scientific papers

Exercise in class 1.1.

Search in the internet 1-2 peer-reviewed journals of your
interest and find out:
- What kinds of articles do they accept?
- What structure is requested?
Discuss your findings with the class group.
 1.2. Before starting to write your paper

Have an idea about:

The GOAL of your work

About what are you going to write?
(Your research? A review article?)
Its intended AUDIENCE

Who is going to read your work?
(Experts, scientifc community, general public?)
Its ULTIMATE FORM

Where do you want to publish your work?
(list journal options and respective instructions)
TIME AVAILABLE: Do you have any deadline?
 1.2. Before starting to write your paper

When you know the WHAT, FOR WHOM, WHERE, and

HOW MUCH TIME, a good place to begin is with an
outline.

Why?
Confused thoughts lead to confused writing

ORGANIZATION
 1.2. Before starting to write your paper

Benefits of an outline:
- Helps the author to identify the most important
aspect of the study
- Guides the writing process
- Helps organize ideas
- Shows relationships among ideas
- Helps identify areas where more information or
research is needed
- Provides a way to break larger topics into smaller
sections
 1.2. Before starting to write your paper

Reminder:
LOGIC
to actually be able to think in scientific terms!
CLARITY
to communicate successfully your research to
others.
SIMPLICITY
to be understood effectively.
 1.2. Before starting to write your paper

Logical and clear thoughts result in good sentences

(= logical, clear, and simple).
Sentences form paragraphs. Paragraphs form
chapters. Chapters form the final paper.
However, confused thoughts will lead to confused
writing.

The path to logical, clear, and simple writing

is organization.
 1.2. Before starting to write your paper

Central aspects of scientific writing:

LOGIC
CLARITY
SIMPLICITY
+ ORGANIZATION
 1.2. Before starting to write your paper

Organize your outline following the paper structure:

Experimental process Section of Paper
What did I do in a nutshell? Abstract (AT THE END)
What is the problem? Introduction
How did I solve the problem? Materials and Methods
What did I find out? Results
What does it mean? Discussion
Who helped me out? Acknowledgments (optional)
Whose work did I refer to? Literature Cited
Extra Information Appendices (optional)
 1.3. Writing an outline

How you can write your paper outline:

1. For each section of the paper list the topics you would
like to write about.
2. You can write these topics as if they were short titles.
3. Order them in the logic according to the section.
4. Ask yourself: Are the topics telling a logical story?
5. Start to write down some details for each short title.
6. Each short title should finally correspond to a
paragraph.
 1.3. Writing an outline

A sentence is the basic unit of communication.

A paragraph consists of one or more sentences on
essentially the same subject or topic.
If each set of closely related sentences is packaged in
its own paragraph, the reader has no difficulty
following related items.
With the start of a new paragraph, the reader is
automatically prepared for a new set of thoughts.
An effective paragraph should have an obvious
beginning, middle, and end.
 1.3. Writing an outline

1. The beginning = The topic sentence

- The beginning should state clearly the subject of the
paragraph in form of a compelling topic sentence.
- Make sure you ask yourself:
a) Is the rest of the paragraph about the topic
sentence?
b) If you go through your manuscript, highlighting just
the topic sentences, is the manuscript still coherent?
 1.3. Writing an outline

2. The middle part

- The middle should consist of the evidence in support
of or describing the subject.
- Because the topic sentence raises expectations, here
you write a set of logically connected sentences that
clearly and concisely builds your case.
- Add an example. Remember, you are teaching your
reader about something. Without a compelling
example that connects in multiple ways to your logic,
your argument risks being a perfect, abstract thing.
 1.3. Writing an outline

3. The final sentence

- The final sentence usually provides a conclusion or a
summary of what has been said in the paragraph. It is
an opportunity to introduce some repetition precisely
where your reader is expecting it.
- Or, it provides a transition to the next paragraph. point
the reader to where you want to go next. (The best
science writers do both in a single provocative
sentence.)

In short, the topic sentence telegraphs your
manuscripts logic, but the summary sentence gives
your manuscript its flow.
 1.3. Writing an outline

Remember that the best manuscripts are built one

paragraph at a time.
Writing an effective paragraph is perhaps the single
most important communication skill to acquire.
It is a skill that the best scientists refine and one that
we all universally admire.

It is a big step toward getting your ideas out there.
 1.3. Writing an outline

Exercise in class 1.3.

Write your paper outline:
- Main paper sections?
- Subsections?
- Key elements of each section/subsection?

Suggestion: In the Introduction, start with your goals.
Make sure that you address each goal in the other
sections of the paper, in the same order.

Remember: Be logic, clear, simple, and organized.