How to Write a Paper

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How to Write a Paper

• Carl Che
• 2002.9

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Outline

• Introduction
• Steps to Write a Paper
• Market
• Concept
• Embodiment
• Details
• Bibliographies

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Introduction

• Guidance in Writing a Paper
• Just Frame (Mike Ashby)
• Not Content (Hang Li)
• Not Publication (Ya-Qin Zhang)
• Whats Good Written Papers?
• Readable, Remembered, Cited
• Wanna Write Something

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Outline

• Introduction
• Steps to Write a Paper
• Market
• Concept
• Embodiment
• Details
• Bibliographies

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Market

• Market is Readers!
• Thesis
• Examiners Details of All Research
• Paper
• Skilled Referees Check
• Scientifically-literate Public Extract
  Information
• Research Proposal
• Funding Agency Judge
• Popular article
• Intelligent but Un-informed Public

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Concept

• Making Concept-Sheet (Slides)
• Structure Thinking
• Freedom of thought
• Range over Entire Paper
• De-focus Forget Details
• The most satisfying Step of Writing

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Concept-Sheet
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Embodiment First Draft

• Do it in Any Order
• Title
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Method
• Result
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• Figures

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How to Read a Paper

• Title
• Abstract
• Conclusion
• Figures
• And Move on

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Title

• Meaningful and Brief
• Consists of Keywords
• Avoid Using Abbreviation

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Abstract

• Try for One Sentence each on
• Motive
• Method
• Key Results
• Conclusions
• Dont exceed 3 sentences on Anyone
• Whether to Read on

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Conclusion

• Most important results
• List any reservations or limitations
• Dont duplicate the Abstract
• Summing up of the advances
• Bullet-Pointed List

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Figures

• Reproduced or imitated by others
• Self-Contained
• Title
• Labeled Axes
• Defined Units

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Introduction

• Whats the problem and whys it interesting?
• Who are the main contributors?
• What did they do?
• What novel thing will you reveal?
• State you will do a new thing!

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Method

• Easy to write
• Allow to be repeated by someone else
• But no more
• Keep results for the next section

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Results

• Easy to write, too
• Present the Output
• Concise and Meaningful
• Dont mix with Discussion

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Discussion

• Extract Principles, Relationships,
  Generalizations
• Present Analysis, Model or Theory
• Show relationship between the results and
  analysis, model or theory
• Clear and Concise

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Details

• Grammar
• Spelling
• Punctuation
• Style

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Style

• Be Clear
• Write from an appropriate design
• Define everything
• Avoid empty words
• Revise and rewrite
• Do not overstate, over-emphasize or apologize

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Style (Cont.)

• Avoid being patronizing, condescending or
  eccentric
• Use appropriate language
• Good first sentence
• Seek helpful examples and analogies
• Linking
• Observe good writing
• Finally

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Outline

• Introduction
• Steps to Write a Paper
• Market
• Concept
• Embodiment
• Details
• Bibliographies

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Bibliographies

• How to Write a Paper
• Mike Ashby
• Some Notes on English Technical Writing
• Hang Li
• How to Publish a (good) Paper?
• Ya-Qin Zhang
• Efficient Reading of Papers in Science and
  Thchnology

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Reading makes a full manconference a ready
manand writing an exact man --- Francis Bacon
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Thanks!