How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper

Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Contents
Preface
A Word to International Readers
Acknowledgments
Part I: Some Preliminaries
	1. What Is Scientific Writing?
		The Scope of Scientific Writing
		The Need for Clarity
		Receiving the Signals
		Understanding the Signals
		Understanding the Context
		Organization and Language in Scientific Writing
	2. Historical Perspectives
		The Early History
		The Electronic Era
		The IMRAD Story
	3. Approaching a Writing Project
		Establishing the Mindset
		Preparing to Write
		Doing the Writing
		Revising Your Work
	4. What Is a Scientific Paper?
		Definition of a Scientific Paper
		Organization of a Scientific Paper
		Shape of a Scientific Paper
		Other Definitions
	5. Ethics in Scientific Publishing
		Ethics as a Foundation
		Authenticity and Accuracy
		Originality
		Credit
		Ethical Treatment of Humans and Animals
		Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
	6. Where to Submit Your Manuscript
		Decide Early, Decide Well
		Prestige and Impact
		Access
		Avoiding Predatory Journals
		Other Factors to Consider
		Using Instructions to Authors
Part II: Preparing the Text
	7. How to Prepare the Title
		Importance of the Title
		Length of the Title
		Need for Specific Titles
		Importance of Syntax
		The Title as Label
		Abbreviations and Jargon
		More About Title Format
	8. How to List the Authors and Addresses
		Definition of Authorship
		The Order of the Names
		Defining the Order: An Example
		Specifying Contributions
		Proper and Consistent Form
		Solutions: ORCID and More
		Listing Affiliations and Addresses
	9. How to Prepare the Abstract
		Definition
		Types of Abstracts
		Clarity and Conciseness
		Akin to Abstracts
		Keywords
		Visual Varieties
	10. How to Write the Introduction
		Guidelines
		Reasons for the Guidelines
		Exceptions
		Citations and Abbreviations
	11. How to Write the Materials and Methods Section
		Purpose of the Section
		Materials
		Methods
		Headings
		Measurements and Analysis
		Need for References
		Tables and Figures
		Correct Form and Grammar
	12. How to Write the Results
		Content of the Results
		How to Handle Numbers
		Strive for Clarity
		Avoid Redundancy
		A Supplement on Supplementary Material Online
	13. How to Write the Discussion
		Discussion and Verbiage
		Components of the Discussion
		Noting Strengths and Limitations
		Significance of the Paper
		Conclusions
		Defining Scientific Truth
	14. How to State the Acknowledgments
		Ingredients of the Acknowledgments
		Being Courteous
	15. How to Cite the References
		Rules to Follow
		Checking Against the Original
		Electronic Aids to Citation
		Citations in the Text
		Reference Styles
		Titles and Inclusive Pages
		Journal Abbreviations
		Some Trends in Reference Format
		Examples of Different Reference Styles
		Citing Electronic Material
		One More Reason to Cite Carefully
Part III: Preparing the Tables and Figures
	16. How to Design Effective Tables
		When to Use Tables
		How to Arrange Tabular Material
		Exponents in Table Headings
		Following the Journal’s Instructions
		Titles, Footnotes, and Abbreviations
		Additional Tips on Tables
	17. How to Prepare Effective Graphs
		When Not to Use Graphs
		When to Use Graphs
		How to Prepare Graphs
		Symbols and Legends
		A Few More Tips on Graphs
		Beyond Graphs
		Sources Offering Further Assistance
	18. How to Prepare Effective Photographs
		Photographs and Micrographs
		Submission Formats
		Cropping and Combining
		Necessary Keys and Guides
		Color
Part IV: Publishing the Paper
	19. Rights and Permissions
		What is Copyright?
		Copyright of Unpublished Materials
		Creative Commons Licenses
		Obtaining Permissions
	20. How to Submit the Manuscript
		Checking Your Manuscript
		Submitting Your Manuscript
		The Cover Letter
		Sample Cover Letter
		Electronic Cover Letters
		Confirmation of Receipt
	21. The Review Process (How to Deal with Editors)
		Functions of Editors, Managing Editors, and Manuscript Editors
		The Review Process
		The Editor’s Decision
		The Accept Letter
		The Modify Letter—And How to Respond to It
		The Reject Letter
		Editors as Gatekeepers
	22. The Publishing Process (How to Deal with Proofs)—and After Publication
		The Copyediting and Proofing Processes
		Why Proofs Are Sent to Authors
		Misspelled Words
		Marking the Corrections
		Additions to the Proofs
		Addition of References
		Proofing the Illustrations
		When to Complain
		Reprints
		Publicizing and Archiving Your Paper
		Celebrating Publication
Part V: Doing Other Writing for Publication
	23. How to Write a Review Paper
		Characteristics of a Review Paper
		Preparing an Outline
		Types of Reviews
		Writing for the Audience
		Importance of Introductory Paragraphs
		Importance of Conclusions
		Additional Tips for Writing Review Articles
	24. How to Write Opinion (Letters to the Editor, Editorials, Book Reviews, and Essays)
		Writing Informed Opinion
		Letters to the Editor
		Editorials
		Book (and Other Media) Reviews
		Essays
	25. How to Write a Book Chapter or a Book
		How to Write a Book Chapter
		Why (or Why Not) to Write a Book
		How to Find a Publisher
		How to Prepare a Book Manuscript
		How to Participate in the Publication Process
		How to Help Market Your Book
	26. How to Write for the Public
		Why Write for General Readerships?
		Finding Publication Venues
		Engaging the Audience
		Conveying Content Clearly
		Emulating the Best
Part VI: Conference Communications
	27. How to Present a Paper Orally
		How to Get to Present a Paper
		A Word of Caution
		Organization of the Paper
		Presentation of the Paper
		Slides
		Presenting Online
		Making a Mini-Presentation
		The Audience
		A Few Answers on Questions
	28. How to Prepare a Poster
		Popularity of Posters
		Organization
		Preparing the Poster
		Presenting the Poster
	29. How to Write a Conference Report
		Definition
		Format
		Presenting New Ideas
		Editing and Publishing
Part VII: Scientific Style
	30. Use and Misuse of English
		Some Basics
		Some Finer Points
		On a Lighter Note
	31. Avoiding Jargon
		Definition of Jargon
		Mumblespeak and Other Sins
		Bureaucratese
		Special Cases
		Mottoes to Live By
	32. How and When to Use Abbreviations
		General Principles
		Good Practice
		Units of Measurement
		Special Problems
		SI (Système International) Units
		Other Abbreviations
	33. Writing Clearly Across Cultures and Media
		Readable Writing
		Consistency in Wording
		Serving International Readers
		A Few Words on Email Style
		Writing for Online Reading
	34. How to Write Science in English as a Foreign Language
		English as the International Language of Science
		The Essentials: Content, Organization, and Clarity
		Cultural Differences to Consider
		Some Common Language Challenges
		More Strategies for English-Language Writing
		More Resources
Part VIII: Other Topics in Scientific Communication
	35. How to Write a Thesis
		Purpose of the Thesis
		Tips on Writing
		When to Write the Thesis
		Relationship to the Outside World
		From Thesis to Publication
	36. How to Prepare a Curriculum Vitae, Cover Letter, and Personal Statement
		What’s a Curriculum Vitae? What’s It Good For?
		What to Put in (and What to Leave Out)
		Other Suggestions
		Preparing a Cover Letter
		Writing a Personal Statement
	37. How to Prepare Grant Proposals and Progress Reports
		Preparing a Grant Proposal
		Writing a Progress Report
	38. How to Write a Recommendation Letter—and How to Ask for One
		Deciding Whether to Write the Letter
		Gathering the Information
		Writing Letters
		A Light Aside
		If You’re Seeking Recommendation Letters
	39. How to Work with the Media
		Before the Interview
		During the Interview
		After the Interview
	40. How to Provide Peer Review
		Responding to a Request for Peer Review
		Peer-Reviewing a Scientific Paper
		Providing Informal Peer Review
		For More on Reviewing
	41. How to Edit Your Own Work
		Preparing to Edit Your Work
		Items to Notice: 8 Cs
		A Good Choice: Checklists
		Finding and Working with an Author’s Editor
	42. How to Seek a Scientific-Communication Career
		Career Options in Scientific Communication
		An Admittedly Unvalidated Quiz
		Career Preparation
		Entering the Field and Keeping Up
Appendix 1: Selected Journal Title Word Abbreviations
Appendix 2: Words and Expressions to Avoid
Appendix 3: SI (Système International) Prefixes and Their Abbreviations
Appendix 4: Some Helpful Websites
Glossary
References
Index