How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper

About this book

Thoroughly updated throughout, this classic, practical text on how to write and publish a scientific paper takes its own advice to be "as clear and simple as possible".

"The purpose of scientific writing", according to Barbara Gastel and Robert A. Day, "is to communicate new scientific findings. Science is simply too important to be communicated in anything other than words of certain meaning."

This clear, beautifully written, and often funny text is a must-have for anyone who needs to communicate scientific information, whether they're writing for a professor, other scientists, or the general public. The thoughtfully revised 9th edition retains the most important material – including preparing text and graphics, publishing papers and other types of writing, and plenty of information on writing style – while adding up-to-date advice on copyright, presenting online, identifying authors, creating visual abstracts, and writing in English as a non-native language.

A set of valuable appendixes provide a ready reference, including words and expressions to avoid, SI prefixes, a list of helpful websites, and a glossary. Students and working scientists will want to keep How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper at their desks and refer to it at every stage of writing and publication.

- Provides practical, easy-to-read, and immediately applicable guidance on preparing each part of a scientific paper from the title and abstract to each section of the main text to acknowledgements and references
- Explains step-by-step how to decide to which journal to submit a paper, what happens to a paper after submission, and how to work effectively with a journal throughout the publication process
- Includes key advice on other communication important to success in scientific careers, such as giving presentations, writing proposals, and writing for a general audience
- Presents updated information throughout and new material on timely topics like copyright and presenting online

Contents

Preface
A word to international readers
Acknowledgments

Part I. Some Preliminaries:
1. What is scientific writing?
2. Historical perspectives
3. Approaching a writing project
4. What is a scientific paper?
5. Ethics in scientific publishing
6. Where to submit your manuscript

Part II. Preparing the Text:
7. How to prepare the title
8. How to list the authors and addresses
9. How to prepare the abstract
10. How to write the introduction
11. How to write the materials and methods section
12. How to write the results
13. How to write the discussion
14. How to state the acknowledgments
15. How to cite the references

Part III. Preparing the Tables and Figures:
16. How to design effective tables
17. How to prepare effective graphs
18. How to prepare effective photographs

Part IV. Publishing the Paper:
19. Rights and permissions
20. How to submit the manuscript
21. The review process (how to deal with editors)
22. The publishing process (how to deal with proofs) - and after publication

Part V. Doing Other Writing for Publication:
23. How to write a review paper
24. How to write opinion (letters to the editor, editorials, and book reviews)
25. How to write a book chapter or a book
26. How to write for the public

Part VI. Conference Communications:
27. How to present a paper orally
28. How to prepare a poster
29. How to write a conference report

Part VII. Scientific Style:
30. Use and misuse of English
31. Avoiding jargon
32. How and when to use abbreviations
33. Writing clearly across cultures and media
34. How to write science in English as a foreign language

Part VIII. Other Topics in Scientific Communication:
35. How to write a thesis
36. How to prepare a curriculum vitae, cover letter, and personal statement
37. How to prepare grant proposals and progress reports
38. How to write a recommendation letter - and how to ask for one
39. How to work with the media
40. How to provide peer review
41. How to edit your own work
42. How to seek a scientific-communication career

Appendix 1. Selected journal title word abbreviations
Appendix 2. Words and expressions to avoid
Appendix 3. SI (Système International) prefixes and their abbreviations
Appendix 4. Some helpful websites

Glossary
References
Index

Customer Reviews

Biography

Barbara Gastel, MD, is professor of integrative biosciences and of medical humanities at Texas A&M University, College Station, where she coordinates the graduate program in science communication.

Robert A. Day was professor emeritus of English at the University of Delaware, Newark.