Jake Blanchard – University of Wisconsin – August 2007
 Writing the paper
 Getting it published
 What happens after you submit the paper
 “How to Write and
Publish a Scientific
Paper” by Robert Day,
5th Edition, Oryx Press,
1998
 “A scientific experiment…is not completed
until the results are published.”
 “…only thus can new scientific knowledge be
authenticated and then added to the existing
database that we call scientific knowledge.”
 “…the research scientist…must provide a
document showing what he or she did, why it
was done, how it was done, and what was
learned from it. The key word is
reproducibility.”
 Archive journals
 Conference publications
 Reports
 “A scientific paper is a written and published
report describing original research results.”
 They usually contain:
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Title-fewest possible words that describe content
Abstract-brief summary of main aspects of paper
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusions
References
Acknowledgements – significant technical
contributors and funding agents
 Nature and scope of problem investigated
 Literature review
 Method of investigation
 Principal results
 Principal conclusions
 Principles, relationships, and generalizations
inherent in Results section
 Exceptions or unsettled points
 Implications of results
 The format of the paper is determined by the
journal
 Check their web site for information
 Some key differences from one journal to
another include:
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Citations, eg. [15], 15, (Jones, 1981)
Reference list (Use RefWorks or EndNote)
Where to put tables and figures
1-column or 2-column
 Order varies by discipline: alphabetical, most
important first, most important last, etc.
 Each author should have made an important
contribution to the research being reported
 Be clear and concise
 Passive voice is OK
 Make sure fonts in graphs are large enough
 Check spelling and grammar
 Avoid jargon
 Again, refer to the journal web site
 Most are electronic/email
 Cover letter
 Be careful with Word files
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Remove metadata (iscrub, MS hidden data
removal tool, ezclean, etc.)
Turn off fast saves and track changes
 Journal editor will arrange for reviews
 Comments will be returned to you
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Make adjustments and attach explanation
Don’t feel obligated to make all recommended
changes
Don’t take comments personally
Be polite in all correspondence
 Return to editor
 Proofs will arrive later – check them carefully
 Most journals make us sign copyright form
 This transfers copyright to journal
 Technically, we can’t reproduce article
without permission, even though we wrote it
 Look for journals with more liberal copyright
policies
 Feel free to contact me with questions
 Copyright http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlissues/scholarlycomm/scholarlycom
municationtoolkit/faculty/facultyauthorcontrol.cfm
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_journal
 Writing and Presentations:
http://writing.eng.vt.edu/
Jake Blanchard
blanchard@engr.wisc.edu