# Presentation: 910594

## Introduction to Scientific Writing

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

## Outline

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

## 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

## Main Structure of a Thesis

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

## Thesis Sections #1

- Title:
- As short as possible
- Should give a clear indication of the paper’s 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

## 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

## 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?

## I Have a Great Idea –                     Let’s 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?

## 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.

## Writing Hints #2

- Write a draft and leave a day or two before rereading to polish.
- When ready to send the paper, don’t. Wait a day and read it once more. You will almost certainly find errors you had missed.
- Read aloud what you have written.

## 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

## 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