A guide for scientific

writing for research papers

and proposals
JDS information session

Hirozumi Watanabe

Tokyo University of Agriculture and

Technology (TUAT)
Department of International,
Environmental and Agricultural Science
(IEAS)
22/09/10 JDS information session 1
 Communication Exercise
for International Environmental &
Agricultural Research 2012 Spring

• Class #3-4 　 April 25 and May 9 Outline

– A guide for scientific writing for proposals and
research papers
• Writing formats in scientific documents
– Research Papers
– Abstracts for IEAS student presentations
– Master thesis
– Assignment #2
» Citation of references
• Research proposals

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 Writing formats in scientific
documents
• Research Paper
– Formats 　
• Title
– clear and strong
• List of authors and addresses
– who will be the first and corresponding authors?
• Abstracts
• Introduction
– State clear objectives in the end of the section
• Materials and methods
• Results and discussion
• Conclusion
• Reference
• Acknowledgements
– An example, IF
• Agricultural Water Management 67 (2004) 47–62
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 Research Proposals
• What is a research proposal?
– Written statement of a plan to address a
particular research problem or area.
– Argument that the proposer are capable
of accomplishment of the objectives.
– Request for support of the project
– Can often form the basis for a research
contract.
– Response to a Call for Proposals

• JSPS proposal
• Julien Proposal
• SAKURA Project
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 Elements common to most
proposals 1
• Administrative details
– Who? Private, non-profit, public
• Title
– Clear
– Reflect work / needs

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 Elements common to most
proposals 2
• Abstract
– Brief overview “executive summary”
• Introduction
– General background, Review of
literature and problem statement
• Objectives
– Short term / long term
– Consistent with purpose of call

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 Elements common to most
proposals 3
• Materials and methods
– How will problem be approached?
– How will information be used?
• Expected Results
– Results reflecting to your objectives
– Probability of success
• Conclusion
– General remark for
• Reference
– A list of references cited in the text

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 Manuscript preparation
– Text 　
• Format, font, unit expression, citation style

• Citation: quote a source of information

– Increasing production of legumes without sacrifice of
rice in rice area was also possible through intercropping
of these crops with rice (Sengupta et al., 1985).
• References : a list of information sources
– Sengupta, K., Bhattacharya, K.K., Chatterjee, B.N.,
1985. Intercropping of upland rice with blackgram
(Vignamunga L.). J. Agric. Sci. Camb. 104, 217–221.

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 Citation of the references
• - - - for drought mitigation (Kar et al., 2004).
• Watanabe and takagi (2000a) reported that the pesticide –
• - - - for drought mitigation (1).

• (Watanabe, 2005) for single author,

• (Watanabe and Takagi, 2000b) for two authors,
• (Kar et al., 2004) for more than two
• -
• References: Auther(s), Year, Title, Journal, Vol., Page
– Kar G, Singh R., Verma H.N., 2004. Alternative cropping strategies for
assured and efficient crop production in upland rainfed rice areas of
eastern India based on rainfall analysis. Agricultural Water Management
67, 47–62
– Watanabe H and Takagi K, 2000a A simulation model for predicting
pesticide concentrations in paddy water and surface soil I. Model
development. Environ Technol Vol 21: 1379-1391.
– Watanabe H and Takagi K, 2000b. A simulation model for predicting
pesticide concentrations in paddy water and surface soil II. Model
validation and application. Environ Technol Vol 21: 1393-1404
– (1) Kar G, Singh R., Verma H.N., 2004. Alternative cropping strategies
for assured and efficient crop production in upland rainfed rice areas of
eastern India based on rainfall analysis. Agricultural Water Management
67, 47–62

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 Tables and Figures
• Captions usually placed above tables and below figures
• Fonts need to be clear in the text
• Period at the end of legend may or may not placed
• Follow the guidelines for required style

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 Equations

dhPW
 RAIN  IRR  DRAIN  LSEEP  PERC  ET (1)
dt
• where hPW is the depth of water in paddy field (cm), t is time
(day), A is the area of the paddy field (m2). RAIN is the average
rainfall rate during dt (cm day-1), IRR is the rate of irrigation
water supply (cm day-1), DRAIN is the surface drainage or
overflow rate (cm day-1), LSEEP is the rate of lateral seepage out
of the plot through levees or bunds (cm day-1), RERC is the rate of
vertical percolation (cm day-1), ET is the rate of
evapotranspiration (cm day-1).

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 A list of References 　
1. All publications cited in the text should be presented in a list of references
following the text of the manuscript. The manuscript should be carefully
checked to ensure that the spelling of author's names and dates are
exactly the same in the text as in the reference list.

2. In the text refer to the author's name(without initial) and year of

publication, followed - if necessary- by a short reference to appropriate
pages. Examples: "Since Peterson (1988) has shown that..." "This is in
agreement with results obtained later (Kramer, 1993, pp. 12-16)".

3. If reference is made in the text to a publication written by more than two

authors the name of the first author should be used followed by "et al.".
This indication, however, should never be used in the list of references. In
this list names of first author and co-authors should be mentioned.

4. References cited together in the text should be arranged chronologically.

The list of references should be arranged alphabetically on authors' names,
and chronologically per author. If an author's name in the list is also
mentioned with co-authors the following order should be used:
publications of the single author, arranged according to publication dates -
publications of the same author with one co-author - publications of the
author with more than one co-author. Publications by the same author(s)
in the same year should be listed as 1993a, 1993b, etc.

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5. Use the following system for arranging your references:

a. For periodicals
Tillman, R.W., Scotter, D.R., Clothier, B.E., White, R.E., 1991. Solute transport
during intermittent water flow in a field soil and some implications for irrigation and
fertilizer application. Agric. Water Manage. 20, 119-133.

b. For edited symposia, special issues, etc. published in a periodical

Iwata, M., Hirano, T., Hasegawa, S., 1982. Behavior and plasma sodium regulation
of chum salmon fry during transition into seawater. In: Bern, H.A., Mahnken, C.V.W.
(Eds.), Salmonid Smoltification. Proceedings of a Symposium, 29 June-1 July 1981,
at La Jolla, CA, U.S.A. Aquaculture 28, 133-142.

c. For books
Bartik, M., Piskac, A. (Eds.), 1981. Veterinary Toxicology, Developments in Animal
and Veterinary Sciences, 7. Elsevier, Amsterdam.

d. For multi-author books

Vermeer, J.G., Joosten, J.H.J., 1992. Conservation and management of bog and fen
reserves in the Netherlands. In: Verhoeven, J.T.A. (Ed.), Fens and Bogs in The
Netherlands: Vegetation, History, Nutrient Dynamics and Conservation. Geobotany,
18. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp. 433-478.
e. For unpublished reports, departmental notes, etc.
Dickson, J.W., Henshall, J.K., O'Sullivan, M.F., Soane, B.D., 1979. Compaction
effects under commercial and experimental cage wheels in comparison with rubber
types on loose soil. Scot. Inst. Agric. Eng., Dep. Note SIN/261 (unpubl.) 9 pp.

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• 6. Abbreviate the titles of periodicals mentioned in the list
of references according to International List of Periodical
Title Word Abbreviations.

• 7. In the case of publications in any language other than

English, the original title is to be retained. 　 However, the
titles of publications in non-Latin alphabets should be
transliterated, and a notation such as "(in Russian)" or "(in
Greek, with English abstract)" should be added.

• 8. In referring to a personal communication the two words

are followed by the year, e.g., "(J. McNary, personal
communication, 1990)".

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