How to write a
scientific article?
Professor Antti Räsänen
University of Joensuu, Finland
The Annual Symposium of the Finnish Graduate School of
Theology
Friday 24th October 2008
To write a scientific text is very
easy –
when you know what to write and how to do
it!
substance, essence or stuff
formal and structural questions of a
scientific paper
Agenda
acquaintance you to four magical letters
IMRD
some remarks
Title and abstract
For every person who reads the
whole of a scientific paper, about
500 read only the title (Kerkut
1983)
Title; What is important?
Instead of a neutral title, use
declarative title
? Question mark ?
Keyword/-s
Running head or running foot
Abstract
An abstract can be defined as a
summary of the information in a
document.
An Abstract should:
state the principal objectives and scope
of the investigation
describe the methodology employed
summarize the results
state the principal conclusions
heading abstracts
the conventional abstract or the
structured abstract
Introduction
Reading a scientific article isn’t the
same as reading a detective story.
We want to know from the start
that the butler did it.
Two purposes
1.
2.
sufficient background information
Introduction should provide the
rationale for the present study
Four (4) rules
Nature and scope
Review the relevant literature
State the method of the investigation
The principal results of the investigation
Method
Try to find a middle course between too much
and too little information
Answer question HOW
The main purpose of the methods section is
to provide enough detail
A good reviewer will read this section very
carefully
Describe research materials, data, source of
information etc. with great care
Present methods in chronological order
You can use subheadings
Results
The great tragedy of Science – the
slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by
an ugly fact. (T. H. Huxley)
The core of the paper
Two ingredients:
Overall description, ”big picture”
Detailed results
Short and sweet
The role of this section
Discussion
The reader should notice how
much sunshine appears in the
forest
Discussion is the hardest section of the
whole paper
”squid technique” not allowed
Guidelines of the components
of discussion section
Present the principles, relationships and
generalizations shown by the results
Define unsettled points, point out any exceptions
Show how your results and interpretations agree or
contrast with previously published work
Discuss the theoretical implications of your work,
as well as any possible practical applications. Don’t
be shy!
Summarize your evidence for each conclusion
“Never assume anything except 6 % mortage”
Hit List
Chase up!
conferences, seminars etc your own field of research
Send!
abstracts to conferences
Prepare!
competent conference papers
Network!
networks, contacts are important (contacts are built up in conferences)
Enlarge!
text to an article
No jargon!
Publish together!
with colleagues (contracts are important)
Try again!
References
Cremmins, E.T. (1982) The art of abstracting.
Philadelphia: Institute for Scientific Information.
Day, R. (1995) Scientific English: a Guide for
Scientists and other Professionals. Phoenix: Oryx
Press.
Day, R. (1998) How to write and publish a scientific
paper. Phoenix: Oryx Press.
Gustavii, B. (2008) How to write and illustrate a
scientific paper. New York: Cambridge University
Press.
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