How to Write Papers!
Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra
ECE Department
IIT Guwahati
© Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra
Plan
• Why to write paper
• Where to write
• How to write
© Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra
Why to write paper?
• Disseminate what you have done
• Addition to knowledge
• Get acclaimed
© Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra
Where to write paper?
• Conferences:
– There are loads of junk conferences: be-aware
– Thumb rule: anything whose archive is genuine
• Journals:
– ISI indexed journals
– IEEE/Elseiver journals
• How to choose:
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Review time-line
Impact factor
Publication cost (if any)
Where you found your references
© Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra
How to start?
• Finish 70% of your research (for the paper)
• Look around for journals where most of your
references can be found
• Make the skeleton first
• Start with introduction!
• Look at existing new papers to know what to
put and how to put
© Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra
The structure
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Abstract
Introduction
Modus-operandi
Observations
Conclusions
References
© Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra
Abstract
• Write it twice:
– Once when you start writing the paper
– Once when you have finished
• Keep your sentences short
• Three parts:
– Introduce your field
– What’s already been done
– What’s new here
– How its better
© Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra
Introduction
• THE MOST IMPORTANT PART
• “putting your work in context”
• Thumb rule: >90% of your references cited
here
• Four parts:
– The subject
– The past
– The lacuna/the novelty here
– Plan of rest of the paper
© Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra
Modus-operandi
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Theory (don’t elaborate if you don’t have to)
Refer and cite
Database used
Mathematical notations! (consistency)
Figures of merit
© Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra
Observations
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This is pure business: selling your work
Visual tools: tables and graphs
No table/graph should be left without remarks
Refer the figure before you put it
© Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra
Conclusions
• Note all your contributions
• Say how great they are!
• Note limitations if any
© Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra
References
• See the journal instructions for style
• Best: use Latex (you just have to change the
*.sty file in the folder!)
• IMP: try to put 3-5 references from the journal
where you are submitting your paper (Why?)
© Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra
Some more guidelines
• English: keep it simple
• Grammar: Double check it
– A remedial grammar for foreign students
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Doubtful about a phrase? Use Google!
Keep your sentences short
Avoid adjectives!
Double check on jargons
Read twice before you give it to your supervisor
(if you don’t want him to act as a spell-checker!)
© Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra
In nutshell!
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Most imp: INTRODUCTION
Choose right journal
Proper references
HIGHLIGHT your contributions/novelties
© Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra
Writing papers is an art! Learn it and enjoy it!!
© Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra