Introduction to Scientific Writing

1
Introduction to Scientific Writing

• Dr. Kurt Stockinger
• Scientific Data Management Group
• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

2
Outline

• How to write a thesis?
• How to write a scientific paper?
• Writing hints
• Life as a (computer) scientist

3
Main Points of a Thesis

• Should contain original contribution
• Use scientific methods
• Start with hypothesis collect evidence to
  support/deny it
• Exploratory, e.g. case study
• Critical thinking
• Analysis and concepts are most important
• Lessons learned
• Every statement must be supported either by a
  reference to published literature or by original
  work

4
Main Structure of a Thesis

• Title
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Definitions/Methods
• Conceptual Model (not necessarily)
• Experimental Measurements/Results
• Discussion
• References

5
Thesis Sections 1

• Title
• As short as possible
• Should give a clear indication of the papers
  content
• Abstract
• Some 100-200 words
• Describe purpose, techniques, results and
  implications.
• No details of methods
• Introduction
• Place the study in the context of previous
  research
• Motivate the main idea of the paper

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Thesis Sections 2

• Methods
• Should be presented as simple as possible
• Make figure legends self contained
• Discussion
• Begin by summarizing the main findings
• Interpret the findings in relation to the
  introduction
• Finally draw conclusions
• References
• Use the style of referencing that the journal
  requires
• Ensure all cited items are listed and no listed
  references are un-cited in the text

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Why do we Write Papers?

• Communicate an idea to people (to carry the idea
  further make other good use of it)
• What is the idea?
• New way of looking at objects (model)
• New way of manipulating objects (technique)
• New facts concerning objects (results)
• What is the relevant community?

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I Have a Great Idea Lets
Write a Paper

• Are the ideas in the paper new?
• Are you familiar with the state-of-the-art?
• Can you state the new idea concisely?
• What exactly is the problem being solved?
• Are the ideas significant enough to justify a
  paper?
• Is the work significantly different from existing
  related work?
• Is all important related work properly
  referenced?
• Are comparisons with previous work clear and
  explicit?
• What is the oldest paper you referenced? What is
  the newest?

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Writing Hints 1

• Write coherent paragraphs (one idea per
  paragraph).
• Write with an economy of words and keep sentences
  short
• replace based upon the fact that and for the
  purpose of with because and to
• He advanced an argument for the proposition
  that vs. He argued that
• Use active voice.
• Empress Elizabeth was shot by an Italian
  anarchist in 1898.
• An Italian anarchist shot Empress Elizabeth in
  1898.
• Do not overuse adjectives.

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Writing Hints 2

• Write a draft and leave a day or two before
  rereading to polish.
• When ready to send the paper, dont. Wait a day
  and read it once more. You will almost certainly
  find errors you had missed.
• Read aloud what you have written.

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Life as a (Computer) Scientist

• Reading literature
• Making models
• Interacting with application scientists
  (physicists, chemists, biologists)
• Programming
• Discussing ideas with colleagues
• Writing papers
• Going to conferences getting new ideas
• Reviewing other papers for conferences and
  journals
• Giving presentations, tutorials, lectures,
• Writing funding proposals

12
Bibliography

• O. Goldreich, How to Write a Paper
• R. Levin, D. Redel, How (and How Not) to Write a
  Good Systems Paper
• P. Wenderoth, How to Write a Scientific Research
  Paper