http://www.farsonink.com Scientific & Medical Writing & Editing Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:06:35 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 http://www.farsonink.com/how-to-write-a-scientific-journal-manuscript-part-vi-the-abstract http://www.farsonink.com/how-to-write-a-scientific-journal-manuscript-part-vi-the-abstract#comments Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:03:10 +0000 Deb Farson http://www.farsonink.com/?p=5195
It is the first thing that the Journal editor will read to determine appropriateness for that journal.
It is the first thing the reviewers will read and it will set the tone for them.
If the manuscript is published it is the one thing that will be available ...]]> http://www.farsonink.com/how-to-write-a-scientific-journal-manuscript-part-vi-the-abstract/feed 0 http://www.farsonink.com/how-to-write-a-scientific-journal-manuscript-part-iv-the-discussion-and-references http://www.farsonink.com/how-to-write-a-scientific-journal-manuscript-part-iv-the-discussion-and-references#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:50:09 +0000 Deb Farson http://www.farsonink.com/?p=5187 Potential points of discussion:

Papers that used similar methods. Did you get similar results? If not, why?
Papers asking similar questions. Explain why, given your results, you agree or ...]]> http://www.farsonink.com/how-to-write-a-scientific-journal-manuscript-part-iv-the-discussion-and-references/feed 1 http://www.farsonink.com/how-to-write-a-scientific-journal-manuscript-part-iii-the-introduction http://www.farsonink.com/how-to-write-a-scientific-journal-manuscript-part-iii-the-introduction#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 03:34:15 +0000 Deb Farson http://www.farsonink.com/?p=5184 The Introduction should cover the following points:

Place the topic in context. For instance if is an assay for adenovirus aggregation, then cite the increased use of adenoviruses for gene delivery in clinical trials.
State ...]]> http://www.farsonink.com/how-to-write-a-scientific-journal-manuscript-part-iii-the-introduction/feed 0 http://www.farsonink.com/how-to-write-a-scientific-journal-manuscript-part-ii-materials-methods http://www.farsonink.com/how-to-write-a-scientific-journal-manuscript-part-ii-materials-methods#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:04:34 +0000 Deb Farson http://www.farsonink.com/?p=5177 Most likely different scientists were involved in producing the data, so start collecting the methods when you collect the data; each graph or table needs a corresponding section in Methods. Gather these ...]]> http://www.farsonink.com/how-to-write-a-scientific-journal-manuscript-part-ii-materials-methods/feed 0 http://www.farsonink.com/how-to-write-a-scientific-journal-manuscript-part-i http://www.farsonink.com/how-to-write-a-scientific-journal-manuscript-part-i#comments Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:14:30 +0000 Deb Farson http://www.farsonink.com/?p=5160
Title page
Abstract
Introduction
Methods
Results: Tables, Graphs, Pictures, Flow charts, Legends
Discussion
References

The best place to start is with your data. Gather it all together and ask the following questions:

What was your original premise?
Did you have to alter direction part way through? Why?
Is there a story here that no one else has told?
Are the experiments reproducible?

Once you are ...]]> http://www.farsonink.com/how-to-write-a-scientific-journal-manuscript-part-i/feed 0 http://www.farsonink.com/scientific-editing-improves-your-manuscript http://www.farsonink.com/scientific-editing-improves-your-manuscript#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:37:09 +0000 Deb Farson http://www.farsonink.com/?p=5149 As a general copy editor I will clean up your manuscript in a number of ways:

Correct spelling errors
Check the ...]]> http://www.farsonink.com/scientific-editing-improves-your-manuscript/feed 0