Writing Scientific Research Articles: Strategy and Steps

Front Cover
John Wiley & Sons, Jun 4, 2013 - Science - 240 pages

This book shows scientists how to apply their analysis and synthesis skills to overcoming the challenge of how to write, as well as what to write, to maximise their chances of publishing in international scientific journals.

The book uses analysis of the scientific article genre to provide clear processes for writing each section of a manuscript, starting with clear ‘story’ construction and packaging of results. Each learning step uses practical exercises to develop writing and data presentation skills based on reader analysis of well-written example papers. Strategies are presented for responding to referee comments, and for developing discipline-specific English language skills for manuscript writing and polishing.

The book is designed for scientists who use English as a first or an additional language, and for individual scientists or mentors or a class setting. In response to reader requests, the new edition includes review articles and the full range of research article formats, as well as applying the book’s principles to writing funding applications.

Web support for this book is available at www.writeresearch.com.au

 

Contents

Research article structures
11
Reviewers criteria for evaluating manuscripts
17
turning data into knowledge
25
Writing about results
33
vi
37
field of scientific research
43
as possible but be concise
65
Getting your manuscript published
89
Developing disciplinespecific English skills
123
Writing funding proposals
139
Provided example articles
145
BrittonSimmons and Abbott 2008
159
Ganci et al 2012
171
Answer pages
185
47
209
Measures of journal impact and quality
213

How to respond to editors and reviewers 99 vii
99
A process for preparing a manuscript
109
Developing your writing and publication skills further
115

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About the author (2013)

Margaret Cargill is an applied linguist with over 20 years experience as a research communication educator. Her current research centres on innovative collaborative methods for helping scientists develop high-level skills for communicating their research findings effectively in the international arena. She has worked extensively in Australia, Europe and Asia with scientists of many language and cultural backgrounds.

Patrick O’Connor is a research ecologist, environmental consultant and science educator. His work over the last 15 years has focussed on the use of scientific principles in designing and evaluating environmental programs for governments and statutory authorities in Australia. His research interests and scientific publications span fields of terrestrial ecology and detection of change in plant and animal communities.

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