Manuscript Writing for Research Students

Scientific writing
• How to write a research manuscript.
• How to prepare tables and figures.
• Some advices for writing and publishing a scientific paper

• What is the right time to start writing?
• What is the right style of writing?
• What is the basic step of writing?
• What is the reasonable approach to write a scientific manuscript?

Title page Conclusion
Abstract References
Introduction
Review of literature
Material and Method
Figure and Table
Result
Discussion & conclusion

Length of the manuscript
look at the journal's Authors Guideline, but an ideal length for a manuscript is 25 to 40 pages,
double line spaced, including all essential data. Here are some general guidelines:
• Title: Short and informative
• Abstract: 1 paragraph (<250 words)
• Introduction: 2 pages
• Methods: 3 pages
• Results: 8 pages
• Discussion: 6 pages
• Conclusion: 1 paragraph
• Figures: 6-8 (one per page)
• Tables: 4-5 (one per page)
• References: 20-50 papers (2-4 pages)

Steps to organizing your manuscript
• .
1. Compose a Title.
2. Write the Abstract.
3. Select Keywords for indexing.
4. Write a introduction.
5. Write the Methods.
6. Write the Results.
7. Write the Discussion. Finalize the Results and Discussion before writing the introduction. This is
because, if the discussion is insufficient, how can you objectively demonstrate the scientific significance of
your work in the introduction?
8. Write a clear Conclusion.
9. Write the Acknowledgements.
10. Write the References
11. Prepare the figures and tables.

A reasonable approach to writing a scientific
manuscript may be the following

before write a paper, there are two important things you should do that will set the groundwork for
the entire process.
• Define your hypothesis and objectives (These will go in the Introduction.)
• Review the literature related to the topic and select some papers (about 30) that can be cited in
your paper (These will be listed in the References and discussion.)
Finally, keep in mind that each publisher has its own style guidelines and preferences, so always
consult the publisher's Guide for Authors.

Define your hypothesis and objectives
• Write down questions for
everything you’re curious about.
• Why? When? In what
ways?
•
• How? Where? What?
• Are? Who? Do?
• Under what circumstances?

Literature review on diabetes remission on bariatric patient
Full references
Doi, PMID
Method
Sample size
Result Conclusion
Stacy A. Brethauer, Ali Aminian, Héctor Romero-
Talamás, Esam Batayyah, et al. Can Diabetes Be
Surgically Cured? Long-Term Metabolic Effects of
Bariatric Surgery in Obese Patients with Type 2
Diabetes Mellitus. Annals of Surgery Volume 258,
Number 4, October 2013
doi: 10.1097/SLA.0b013e3182a5034b
PMID: 24018646
217 patients with T2DM who
underwent bariatric surgery
between 2004 and 2007 and had
at least 5-year followup were
assessed. y (Rouxen-Y gastric
bypass, n = 162; gastric banding, n
= 32; sleeve gastrectomy, n = 23)
Complete remission was defined as
glycated hemoglobin (A1C) less
than 6% and fasting blood glucose
(FBG) less than 100 mg/dL off
diabetic medications. Changes in
other metabolic comorbidities,
including hypertension,
dyslipidemia, and diabetic
nephropathy, were assessed.
Long-term complete and partial remission
rates were 24% and 26%, respectively,
whereas 34% improved (>1% decrease in
A1C without remission) from baseline and
16% remained unchanged. Shorter duration
of T2DM (P < 0.001) and higher long-term
EWL (P = 0.006) predicted long-term
remission. Recurrence of T2DM after initial
remission occurred in 19% and was
associated with longer duration of T2DM (P
= 0.03), less EWL (P = 0.02), and weight
regain (P = 0.015)
Bariatric surgery can induce a significant
and sustainable remission and
improvement of T2DM and other
metabolic risk factors in severely obese
patients

Step 1: Write the Methods
• This section responds to the question of how the problem was studied?
• If your paper is proposing a New method, you need to include detailed
information so reader can use the experiment.
• However, do not repeat the details of Established methods; use
References and Supporting Materials to indicate the previously
published procedures. Broad summaries or key references are
sufficient.

This section includes information such as:
• A standard operating procedure.
• Your hospital name, address and identifying details.
• Project start and end dates for task.
• Sample number, inclusive and exclusive criteria.
• A description of the work to be conducted.
• Which statistic you used for analysis? Which version you used?

Step 2: Prepare the Figures and Tables
• Remember that “A figure is worth a thousand words”
• Figures and tables, are the most efficient way to present your results.
• Your data are the driving force of the paper.
How do you decide between presenting your data as tables or figures?
• Tables give the actual experimental results with value.
• While figures are often used for comparisons of experimental results
with calculated/theoretical values (Figure 1).

Menopause
status
Percentage MMP2 MMP9
category % Median Median
Patient 100 1200 39.00
PreM 61.90 1225 39
periM 00 00 00
PostM 38.10 1107.5 36.75
Control 100 1650.0 46
PreM 58.06 1643.75 47
PeriM 19.35 1567.5 46
PostM 22.58 1760 44.5
Incidence of menopausal status
• Another important factor: figure and table must be self-
explanatory.
Percentage of menopausal status in patient
PreM periM PostM
61.9
38.1
0
Percentage of Menopausal status in
control
PreM PeriM PostM
58.06
19.35
22.58

When presenting your tables and figures
• Avoid crowded plots (Figure 3), using only three or four data sets per figure.
• Include clear symbols and data sets that are easy to differentiate.
• Never include long boring tables. You can include them as supplementary material.

• If you are using photographs, each must have a scale marker or
good quality.
• In photographs and figures, use color only when necessary.
• If different line styles can clarify the meaning, never use colors or
other thrilling effects or you will be charged with expensive fees.
• For many journals, you can submit duplicate figures: one in color
for the online version of the journal and pdfs, and another in black
and white for the hardcopy journal (Figure 4).

Figure:4
Percentage of menopausal status in patient
PreM periM PostM
61.9
38.1
0
Percentage of Menopausal status in
control
PreM PeriM PostM
58.06
19.35
22.58

Another common problem is the misuse of lines and
histograms.
• Line joining data only can be used when presenting time
series.
• when there is no connection between samples or
gradient, you must use histograms (Figure 5).

Figure:5
Lines joining data Histograms

Sometimes, fonts are too small for the journal. You must take this
into account, or they may be illegible to readers (Figure 6).

Finally, you must pay attention to the use of decimals, lines,
etc. (Figure 7)
Figure 7. (above table)
- Inadequate use of lines
- decimal separators (use always dots, not commas)
and
- position of units
use (below table) for a more clear table.

Step 3: Write up the Results
• This section responds to the question "What have you found?“
• Give description of your table and figure.
Statistical rules
• Indicate the statistical tests used with all relevant parameters:
• e.g., mean and standard deviation (SD): 44% (±3);
• Median and Interpercentile range: 7 years (4.5 to 9.5 years).
• Use Median and interpercentile range to report skewed data.
• For numbers, use two significant digits unless more precision is necessary
(2.08, not 2.07856444).
• Never use percentages for very small samples e.g., "one out of two"
should not be replaced by 50%.

Use sub-headings to keep results of the same type together, which is
easier to review and read.
Interprets data in a logical order that tells a clear story and makes it
easy to understand.

Step 4: Write the Discussion
• Here you must respond to “what the results mean?”
“ Probably it is the easiest section to write, but the hardest section to
get right.”
• This is because it is the most important section of your article.
• Huge numbers of manuscripts are rejected because the Discussion is weak.
• You need to make the Discussion according to the Results, but do not repeat th
results.
• Here you need to compare the published results with your result.(using some
of the references included in the Introduction).
• Never ignore work in disagreement with yours, in turn, you must challenge it
and convince the reader that you are correct or better.

- Avoid unspecific expressions such as "higher temperature", "at a
lower rate", "highly significant". Quantitative descriptions are always
preferred (35ºC, 0.5%, p<0.001, respectively).
-Avoid sudden introduction of new terms or ideas.

• How do these results relate to the original question or objectives outlined in the
Introduction section?
• Do the data support your hypothesis?
• Are your results consistent with what other investigators have reported?
• Discuss weaknesses and similarity.
• If your results were unexpected, try to explain why?
• What further research would be necessary to answer the questions raised by your results?
To achieve good interpretations think about:

Step 5: Write a clear Conclusion
• This section shows how the work advances the field from the present state of knowledge.
In some journals, it's a separate section; in others, it's the last paragraph of the Discussion section.
• Without a clear conclusion it will difficult to judge your work.
A common error in this section is
-Repeating the abstract
-Just listing experimental results.
You should provide a clear scientific justification for your work in this section. Moreover, you can suggest
future experiments and point out those that are underway.
• You can present scientific conclusions, in relation to the objectives included in the introduction.

Step 6: Write a Introduction
This is your opportunity to convince readers that you clearly know why
your work is useful.
A good introduction should answer the following questions:
• What is the problem to be solved?
• Are there any existing solutions?
• Which is the best?
• What is its main limitation?
• What do you hope to achieve?

• Editors like to see that you have provided a perspective consistent with the
journal scope.
• You need to introduce the main scientific publications on which your work is
based, citing a couple of original and important works, including recent review
articles.
• However, editors hate improper citations of too many references irrelevant to the
work, or inappropriate judgments on your own achievements. They will think you
have no sense of purpose.

Here are some additional tips for the introduction:
• Never use more words than necessary (be concise and to-the-point).
• Don't make this section into a history lesson. Long introductions put readers off.
• We all know that you are keen to present your new data. But do not forget that
you need to give the whole picture at first.
• Hypothesis and objectives must be clearly remarked at the end of the
introduction.

Step 7: Write the Abstract
• The abstract tells what you did? and what the important findings in your research
were.
• Together with the title, it's the advertisement of your article. Make it interesting
and easily understood without reading the whole article. Avoid using uncommon
abbreviations and references.

Abstract should answer the following questions:
• Why did you decide to do this study or project?
• How did you conduct your research?
• What did you find?
• Why is this research and your findings important?
• Why should someone read your entire essay?

Step 8: Select keywords for indexing
• While defining a keyword, ask yourself what your need?
• What problem you are trying to resolve?
• What words do you use to explain your problems?

• Keywords are used for indexing your paper.
They are the label of your manuscript
When looking for keywords, avoid words which
• Broad meaning (Bacteria, medicine etc)
• Already included in the title.
• Included in journal name.(journal name obesity surgery)
• Avoid abbreviations which are not broadly used (e.g., TOC, CTD)

Step 9: Compose a concise and descriptive
title
• The title must explain what the paper is broadly about.
• It is your first opportunity to attract the reader's attention. In this way,
remember that the first readers are the Editor and the referees. Also,
readers are the potential authors who will cite your article, so the first
impression is powerful!
• Readers don't have time to read all scientific production. They must
be selective, and this selection often comes from the title.

• Reviewers will check whether the title is specific and whether it
reflects the content of the manuscript.
• Editors hate titles that make no sense or fail to represent the subject.
So, keep the title informative and concise (clear, descriptive, and not
too long).
• Here you can see some examples of original titles, and how they
were changed after reviews and comments to them:

Example 1
• Original title: MMP-2 in glioma.

• Revised title: Role of Matrix matalloproteinesis in glioma as
prognostic marker.
• Comments: Title is too much short and it doesn’t reflect
manuscript subject, Remove abbreviations.

Example 2
Original title: Action of antibiotics on bacteria

Revised title: Inhibition of growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
by streptomycin
Comments: Titles should be specific. Think about "how will I
search for this piece of information" when you design the title.

Step 10: Write the Acknowledgements
• Here, you can thank people who have contributed to the manuscript
but not to the extent where that would justify authorship.
• For example, here you can include technical help and assistance with
writing and proofreading. Probably, the most important thing is to
thank your funding agency or the agency giving you a grant or
fellowship.

Step 10: Write up the References
• Typically, there are more mistakes in the references than in any other part of the
manuscript.
• It is one of the most annoying problems, and causes great headaches among
editors.
• Now, it is easier since to avoid these problem, because there are many available
tools.

• You can use any software, such as EndNote or Mendeley, to
format and include your references in the paper.
• Most journals have now the possibility to download small files
with the format of the references, allowing you to change it
automatically.
•
• Also, Elsevier's Your Paper Your Way program waves strict
formatting requirements for the initial submission of a
manuscript as long as it contains all the essential elements being
presented here.

Do not include
- Excessive citations of publications from the same region.
- Unpublished observations,
- Manuscripts submitted but not yet accepted for publication,
- Publications that are not peer reviewed,
- Articles not published in English.

• Make the reference list and the in-text citation conform strictly to the style given in the
Guide for Authors.
• Remember that presentation of the references in the correct format is the responsibility of
the author, not the editor.
Finally, check the following:
• Spelling of author names
• Year of publications
• Usages of "et al."
• Punctuation
• Whether all references are included

In general, verb tense should be in the
following format
• Abstract--past tense [the summary description of what I did]
• Introduction--present tense [I am describing the study to you now]
• Literature Review--past tense [the studies I reviewed have already
been written]
• Methodology--past tense [the way I gathered and synthesized data
has already happened]
• Results--past tense [the findings have already been discovered]
• Discussion--present tense [I am talking to you now about how I
interpreted the findings]
• Conclusion--present tense [I am summarizing the study for you now]

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