20160926 edanz ramathibodi_landing
TRANSCRIPT
Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
26 September 2016
Writing Research Manuscripts That Have Impact
Download at: edanzediting.com/ramathibodi2016
Trevor Lane, PhDEducation Director, Edanz
Be an effective communicator
Your goal is not only to publish, but also to be widely read and highly cited
Plan well before you begin writing Understand IMRaD manuscript structure Know IMRaD manuscript language Edit your work carefully Edanz–Ramathibodi Hospital collaboration:
services available to you
Planning well
Section 1
Download at: edanzediting.com/ramathibodi2016
Researchers face challenges on the path to publication success
Preparation
Journal Selection
WritingSubmission
Peer Review
Publication Success
• Read/manage references
• Write outline• Authorship• Peer feedback• Present at
conferences
• Assess research impact
• Compare journals/publishers
• (Pre-)Submission strategy
• Write/edit in English without plagiarism
• Writing process• Follow journal
& reporting guidelines
• Publication ethics
• Display items, supplemental material
• Ethics declarations
• Abstract & cover letter
• Select reviewers• Navigate
submission systems
• Navigate review process
• Understand editor & reviewers
• Revise paper• Respond to
reviewers, point by point
• Resubmit or submit elsewhere
• Archive/share• Promote work
to (non)-academic community
• Next project/budget/grant
• Collaborators• Track citations
and altmetrics• Technology
transfer• Update CV
Researchers need continued help on the path to publication
success
Preparation
Journal Selection
WritingSubmission
Peer Review
Publication Success
• Training in reading papers, ethics, writing, presenting
• Expert Scientific Review
• Expert Scientific Review
• Journal Selection & submission strategy
• Training in ethics, writing, presenting
• Revising• Editing• Reformatting
• Training inethics, writing
• Editing• Abstract
Development• Cover Letter
Development• Reviewer
Recommendation
• Training in navigating peer review
• Review Editing• Point-by-point
checking• Response Letter
Development• Reformatting
• Press release, news writing
• Media & presentation training
• Training for early and mid career researchers
• Training in writing grant proposals
• Grant proposal editing
Patenting Engagement
Planning well Publishing plan (1)
1. Identify trends: reviews, editorials, theme issues, Calls for papers, “most read”…organize journal clubs
2. Read the primary literature
3. Identify an important question, or incorrect or incomplete knowledge/evidence• Do you have the expertise/resources?• Is the question focused?• What is new? How is the study useful?• What is the best/most practical study design?
Planning well Impact and study design
Systematic reviews of RCTs
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
Non-randomized controlled trials
Observational studies (cohort, case-control, surveys/audits/interviews, diagnostics)
{Secondary research
Primary research{ }Experimental
(exposure assigned)*
}
} Non-experimental
Register clinical trials in advance!Use international reporting guidelines!
Case studies, case series, technical notes,computer models (in silico), animals (in vivo), in vitro
Planning well Evaluating impact
Assess your findings objectively
How new/important are your findings? How strong is the evidence?
How large is your scientific advancement?Low or high impact journal
Novelty
How broadly relevant are your findings?International or regional journal
General or specialized journal
Relevance/Application
Planning well
Is my study novel?
Trial registries/ databases
Medical forums,
websites
Medical & general online
searches
Use ICD codes from WHO or MeSH keywords for consistency, but also try synonyms
Sign up for eTOCs and eAlerts
Publishing plan (2)
Planning well
S
Get feedback at conferences• Check novelty, relevance, interest level• Check methods, data, illustrations, conclusions
Pre-submission “publication” OK if:• Abstracts in conference proceedings• Clinical trial summaries in online registers• Own web? Preprint servers (bioRxiv)?
Dissertation/thesis? Check the target journal!
• Organize pre-submission peer review• Know what editors are looking for
Publishing plan (3)
Planning well What editors are looking for (1)
Submissions
No plagiarism
No data manipulation
Authorship
Submit to only one journal; do not republish an article; no salami; do not manipulate peer review
Paraphrase/summarize/synthesize & cite all sources
Do not fabricate or falsify dataDo not manipulate parts of images
(1) Study design or data acquisition/analysis; (2) Writing/revising; (3) Approval; (4) Accountability
Conflicts of interest
State funding source and any financial/personal relationships that could bias the work
Safety Ethics board approval; for humans: signed consent, data privacy; animal & environmental safety
Planning well
Always follow ethics guidelines
Committee on Publication Ethics, COPE
Good Publication Practice 3, GPP3
International Committee of Medical Journal Editors , ICMJE
What editors are looking for (2)
Planning well
Declare in your cover letter…
Not submitted to other journals
Research ethics
All authors agree and contributed
Original and unpublished
Funding & potential conflicts of interest Possible reviewers
Clinical journals: authorship, COI, ethics approval & consent, ©
What editors are looking for (3)
Planning well
“Journal Impact Factor” = No. citations ÷ No. articles
Original and novel research
Well-designed,well-reported,
transparent studyNews, importance,
innovation, timelinessHigh scientific & technical quality,
sound research & publication ethics
Logical, engaging contents; correct
formattingHigh readability &
interest, informative
Useful message
Clear, real-world relevance, influence
1 2
3 4
What editors are looking for (4)
Planning well Choosing a journal
v
Which factor is most important to you?
Aims & scope, Readership
Publication speed/frequency
Online/Print,Open access
Indexing, Rank,Impact factor
Acceptance rate/criteria
Article type / evidence level
“Luxury” / Traditional / Megajournal
Subscription / Open access / Hybrid
Planning well
THINK Trusted and appropriate?
SUBMIT Only if OK
thinkchecksubmit.org
CHECK Do you know the journal?
Trustworthy journals
Planning well Journal Selectorwww.edanzediting.com/journal_sele
ctor
Insert your proposed abstractor keywords
Planning well Journal Selectorwww.edanzediting.com/journal_sele
ctor
Matching journals
Filter/Sort by:• Field of study• Impact factor, SCI• Open access• Publishing
frequency
Journal’s aims & scope, IF,
and publication frequency
Planning well Journal Selectorwww.edanzediting.com/journal_sele
ctor• Author guidelines• Journal website
Are they currently publishing similar articles?
Similar published articles
Have you cited any of these articles?
Planning well Choose your journal first!
Author guidelines• Manuscript structure• Word limits, References • Format, Procedures
Aims and scope• Topics• Readership• Be sure to emphasize
• Check journal requirements• Check relevant references• Check novelty, importance & usefulness
Planning well Always cite
• Cite at end of relevant word/phrase/sentence in ( ): Harvard = (Name, year) or Vancouver = (Ref. No.)
• Can put Author name in sentence, but avoid “lists”; name up to 2 surnames (but only one, “Author1 et al”, if >2 authors); for Harvard, papers of same year use letters: “Author et al (2016a, 2016b, 2016c) reported…”
• Quote if exact words or sentence; use … to omit words and [sic] to note wrong/special words (“…use the write [sic] order”)
• Check journal guidelines or past papers for quoting; e.g., indent paragraph for a block quote of >3 sentences
• Prefer paraphrasing, summarizing, synthesizing
Planning wellReference
management software
EndNote Most established*Styles easy to find on journal websites
Which one to use?
RefWorks Web-based*Widely used
Mendeley Newer (and free!)*Allows collaborations
Papers Easy-to-use interface (like iTunes)Great for article management
*Has plug-in app for MS WordOthers: Docear, Zotero, Citavi…
Activity 1
Please see Activity 1 in your workbook
Section 2
Understanding manuscript structure
Download at: edanzediting.com/ramathibodi2016
Manuscriptstructure
Link your ideas logically
General background
Aims
Methodology
Results and figures
Summary of findings
Conclusion/implications
Relevance of findings
Problem in the field
Current state of the fieldIntroduction
Methods
Results
and
Discussion
IMRaD
Manuscriptstructure
What reviewers are looking for
The science
The manuscript
Relevant hypothesis Good experimental design Appropriate methodology Good data analysis Valid conclusions
Logical flow of information Manuscript structure and formatting Appropriate references High readability Peer review is a positive process!
Manuscriptstructure Drafting process
Where to start?
Your findings form the basis of your manuscript
First organize your findings
Logic, then English language
Figure 1
Figure 2
Table 1
Figure 3
Logical flow• Time order• Most least
important• General specific• Simple complex• Whole parts
Is anything missing?
?Additional analyses?
Manuscriptstructure Writing 1st outline
1. Important reason for study
2. Research Q / Hypothesis
3. Aim & approach4. Main methods5. Display items &
key findings6. Major conclusion
Write down key ideas in bullet points (topic sentences)
Then, draft a very rough title/abstract
Use the Edanz Journal Selector to find similar articles
Manuscriptstructure Writing 2nd outline
1. IntroductionA. General backgroundB. Related studiesC. Problems in the fieldD. Aim & approach
2. MethodsE. Subjects/Samples/MaterialsF. General & specific methodsG. Statistical analyses
3. ResultsH. Key points about Figure 1I. Key points about Table 1J. Key points about Figure 2
4. DiscussionK. Major conclusionL. Key supporting findingsM. Relevance to published studiesN. Limitations; unexpected resultsO. ImplicationsP. Future directions
Expand on ideas, as bulletsDraft article using IMRaD Get feedback & revise each
sectionRevise content/logic before
language
List information from your reading in the appropriate section: Paraphrase with citations!
Manuscriptstructure
How does your study contribute to your field?
What did you find?
What did you do?
Why did you do the study?
Title/Abstract
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
Drafting your manuscript
Manuscriptstructure
Drafting your manuscript
Title/Abstract
IntroductionMethods (can be at end or
mostly online or in legends)
Results
Discussion(=IMRaD)
Title/Abstract
Methods
Results
Discussion
Introduction
Abstract /Title
write
Manuscriptstructure
International reporting guidelines
http://www.equator-network.org/
PRISMA Systematic reviews & Meta-analyses
STROBE Observational studies
CARE Case reports
CONSORT Randomized controlled trials
ARRIVE Animal studies
QOREC Qualitative studies
Register trials in advance, at:clinicaltrials.gov; who.int/ictrp/network/en; controlled-trials.com; www.clinicaltrials.in.th
Manuscriptstructure Title and abstract
First impression of paper:clear/concise/convincing
Importance of your results
Validity of your conclusions
Relevance of your aims
Promote your work: Readers judge your style & credibility
Gain attention and encourage readers to read full version
Your title & abstract summarize your study
Manuscriptstructure Title and abstract
Title
Important points
Only the main idea Accurate, simple Include keywords Fewer than 20 words Include key variable,
population, model, or study type
Avoid
Unneeded words (A study of)Complex or sensational wordsComplex word orderAbbreviations“New” or “novel”
Manuscriptstructure Title and abstract
QuestionCan ischemic preconditioning
improve prognosis after coronary artery bypass surgery?
Topic / Variables
Prognostic effects of ischemic preconditioning in coronary artery
bypass patients
…. + Method (hanging title)
Xxxxxxx: randomized controlled trial
Statement of conclusion
Ischemic preconditioning improves prognosis after coronary artery
bypass
Title
Check journal style
Manuscriptstructure Title and abstract
Context Background, problem, aim
Results Outcomes, effects,properties, statistics
Conclusion Relevance, implicationsLearning points, future
Methods Patients/materials/animalsTreatments, measurements
No references, unusual abbreviations, figures/tablesClinical: usually “structured abstract” with subheadings
& funding & trial registration number after abstract
Abstract
Manuscriptstructure
“Unstructured” abstract
Numerous systemic treatment options exist for patients with mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS); however, the comparative efficacy of these treatments is unclear. We performed a retrospective analysis of our cutaneous lymphoma database to evaluate the treatment efficacy of 198 MF/SS patients undergoing systemic therapies. The primary end point was time to next treatment (TTNT). Patients with advanced-stage disease made up 53%. The median follow-up time from diagnosis for all alive patients was 4.9 years (range 0.3‒39.6), with a median survival of 11.4 years. Patients received a median of 3 lines of therapy (range 1‒13), resulting in 709 treatment episodes. Twenty-eight treatment modalities were analyzed. We found that the median TTNT for single- or multiagent chemotherapy was only 3.9 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.2‒5.1), with few durable remissions. α-interferon gave a median TTNT of 8.7 months (95% CI 6.0‒18.0), and histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) gave a median TTNT of 4.5 months (95% CI 4.0‒6.1). When compared directly with chemotherapy, interferon and HDACi both had greater TTNT (P < .00001 and P = .01, respectively). In conclusion, this study confirms that all chemotherapy regimens assessed have very modest efficacy; we recommend their use be restricted until other options are exhausted.
Modified from: Cannegieter et al. Blood. 2015; 125: 229‒235.
Use signal phrases and IMRaD order
Manuscriptstructure
“Unstructured” abstract
Modified from: Cannegieter et al. Blood. 2015; 125: 229‒235.
Numerous systemic treatment options exist for patients with mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS); however, the comparative efficacy of these treatments is unclear. We performed a retrospective analysis of our cutaneous lymphoma database to evaluate the treatment efficacy of 198 MF/SS patients undergoing systemic therapies. The primary end point was time to next treatment (TTNT). Patients with advanced-stage disease made up 53%. The median follow-up time from diagnosis for all alive patients was 4.9 years (range 0.3‒39.6), with a median survival of 11.4 years. Patients received a median of 3 lines of therapy (range 1‒13), resulting in 709 treatment episodes. Twenty-eight treatment modalities were analyzed. We found that the median TTNT for single- or multiagent chemotherapy was only 3.9 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.2‒5.1), with few durable remissions. α-interferon gave a median TTNT of 8.7 months (95% CI 6.0‒18.0), and histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) gave a median TTNT of 4.5 months (95% CI 4.0‒6.1). When compared directly with chemotherapy, interferon and HDACi both had greater TTNT (P < .00001 and P = .01, respectively). In conclusion, this study confirms that all chemotherapy regimens assessed have very modest efficacy; we recommend their use be restricted until other options are exhausted.How does your study contribute to your field?
What did you find?
What did you do?
Why did you do the study?
Activity 2
Please see Activity 2 in your workbook
Break
Any questions?
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Access our resourcesedanzediting.com/ramathibodi2016
Section 3
Writing the Methods section
Download at: edanzediting.com/ramathibodi2016
Methods Methods
How the study was done
• Processes, treatments, measurements
• Variables (direct/proxy)• Outcome/endpoints (1o, 2o)
• Data conversions• Statistical tests (& P level)• Consult a statistician
Who/what was studied
• Design rationale; “power”, N• Participants, controls; sampling• Materials, surveys, ethics
Data analysis
Describe all aspects of the design
Methods Methods
Established techniques
• Cite previously published studies• Briefly state modifications• Use flow chart/table* if needed
• Give rationale; systematically evaluate• Give enough detail for reproducibility• Use Supplementary Information
Organization• Arrange in (titled) subsections• Keep parallel to the display items• Use topic sentences
New techniques
*Summary of study settings, flow of participants, data/text selection, variables, chronology of analyses…
Methods
CONSORT
http://www.equator-network.org/
International reporting guidelines
• Trial design• Participant eligibility• Setting• Interventions• Outcomes• Sample size• Randomization• Blinding• Statistics
Methods
Johansen et al. BMC Psychiatry. 2013;13:201.
Figure 1 Study data flow of participant contact points.
Method flow chart
Methods
Transparency in study design
Sample size not large enough (no power calculation, 1-b)
Patient enrollment, exclusion, & randomization unclear
Interventions and assessments not clearly described
Unclear how missing data (lost to follow-up) were handled
Ethical approval and informed consent not clear
Consult a statistician
Use flowchart
Reproducibility
Imputation methods
Always required
Common mistakes in the Methods
Methods
Distribution of data affects analysis and presentation
• Parametric tests (e.g., t test and ANOVA) can be used only with continuous & normally distributed data with a large enough sample size
• Use the mean ± SD only for normally distributed data
Simple guide:• If SD is ≥ mean, most likely not normally distributed• If SD is > 0.5 × mean, may not be normally distributed
Use Shapiro-Wilk’s W test for normality
Wrong statistical tests
Use appropriate tests
Methods
2 categorical endpoints
Paired (within sample)
Unpaired (between sample)
McNemar’s test
Fisher’s exact test2 treatment groups
Chi-square test>2 treatment groups
du Prel et al. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2010; 107: 343–8.
Use appropriate tests
Methods
Continuous endpoints
Parametric Nonparametric
Paired Unpaired Paired Unpaired
2 groups:Paired t test
>2 groups:Repeated-
measures ANOVA
2 groups:Unpaired t test
>2 groups:ANOVA (F test)
2 groups:Wilcoxon signed-
rank test>2 groups:Friedman
one-way ANOVA
2 groups:Mann–Whitney U test (Wilcoxon
rank-sum test )
>2 groups:Kruskal–Wallis
test
Lang and Secic 1997; 71.
Use appropriate tests
Methods Ensure high readability
Use short sentences15–20 words
One idea per sentence; use short words
Use active voiceSimpler, more direct, and easier to read
Recommended by most writing style guides and journals!“Nature journals prefer authors to write in the active voice”
(http://www.nature.com/authors/author_resources/how_write.html)
Methods
To ascertain the efficaciousness of the program, all of the program participants were interrogated upon
participant program completion.
To determine the efficacy of the program, we interviewed all participants.
Prefer active voice and shorter words/sentences
Methods
“A number of studies have shown that the new regimen...”
“...as described in our previous study.”
“...at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min.”
“As a matter of fact, such an adverse drug reaction…”
“That is thus another reason why, we believe…”
“It is well known that most of the trial participants...”“It is well known that Most of the trial participants...”
“As a matter of fact, such a This adverse drug reaction…”
“A number of studies have shown that The new regimen...”
“That is thus another reason why Therefore, we believe…”
“...as described previously in our previous study.”
“...at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min.”
Delete unnecessary words
Methods Delete unnecessary words
AvoidAt a concentration of 2 g/LAt a temperature of 37CIn order toIn the first placeFour in numberGreen colorSubsequent toPrior to
PreferredAt 2 g/LAt 37CToFirst FourGreenAfterBefore
Methods Avoid complex words
PreferredEnoughClearDetermineBeginTrySizeKeepEnoughUse
AvoidAdequateApparentAscertainCommenceEndeavorMagnitude*RetainSufficientUtilization
*OK in certain fields (magnitude of earthquakes)
Methods Active voice
Sentences written in the active voice are:
simple direct clear easy to read
The mechanisms regulating enzyme activity were investigated.Passive
We investigated the mechanisms regulating enzyme activity.Active
Methods Passive voice
(1) The doer is not important or not known; making generalizations [English is spoken in many countries]
(2) Avoiding We...We...We... in Methods (3) If the authors did not themselves do a step in the Methods
(but a technician did, and is named in the Acknowledgments)
(4) Some journals use passive in the Methods or Abstract(5) Avoiding top-heavy subjects [All patients were examined by
the same specialist, who had been thoroughly trained in the modified X method]
When to use the passive
Methods Use strong verbs
Avoid nominalizations: Find verbs inside nouns
Estimate EstimationDecide DecisionAssess Assessment
We made a/an… We conducted a/an…Extra verb
We decided… Clear, short, and direct
Methods
“We used grounded theory methodology to explore the mentoring process among medical students.”
Wename of
technique investigate
name of process/
issue.study
measure
confirmdetermine
used to
Method------------------------------Purpose
Method – Purpose
Purpose statements
Methods
“To explore the mentoring process among medical students, we used grounded theory methodology.”
wename of
technique.
used
Purpose-----------------------------Method
Purpose – Method
investigate
name of process/
issue,study
measure
confirmdetermine
To
Purpose statements
Methods Describing processes
PVA
PVA solutionTitanium and
niobium powder
Dry body
The PVA and water were mixed to form a PVA solution.
Implant
The PVA solution and titanium and niobium powder were mixed to form a mixed paste.
The mixed paste was dried to form a dry body.
The dry body was heated to produce the orthopedic implant.
Water
Mixed paste
Methods Describing processes
A PVA and water solution (10 mL, 1:1 v/v ratio) was mixed with titanium and niobium powder (Ti:Nb 4:1, 2 g) to form a paste. The paste was stored overnight at 25°C to form a dry body, which was then heated at 450°C for 8 h to produce the orthopedic implant.
Add full details
The PVA and water were mixed to form a PVA solution. The PVA solution and titanium and niobium powder were mixed to form a mixed paste. The mixed paste was dried to form a dry body. The dry body was heated to produce the orthopedic implant.
Avoid redundancy
Add manufacturer’s details for special products: (company, city, [state,] country)
Activity 3
Please see Activity 3 in your workbook
Section 4
Writing the Results section
Download at: edanzediting.com/ramathibodi2016
Results Results
• Efficacy/safety• Group/subgroups• Uni-/bi-/multivariable
• Each (titled) subsection relates to one figure/ method
• 1o, 2o ; check figure Nos.
• What you found, not what it means
• Upload as Supplementary Materials
• Data accessibility
Logical presentation
Subsections
Factual description
Present results logically and factually
Results Display items
Time trends, relationships
Comparisons of values, rangesProportions of
100%
Process
Line graph, scatter plot
Bar graph/chart, histogram (parametric); box plot (non-parametric)
Pie chart, stacked bar chart
Flow chart, (process) flow diagram, schematic
Appearance Photograph, drawing, exploded-view diagram, map, medical image
Specific numbers Table (especially with multiple groupings)
Results FiguresClear, objective figure legend
Kindlin-2 knockdown and focal adhesion localization. Confocal immunofluorescent microscopy with anti-β1 integrin and anti-paxillin on C2C12 cells transfected with RNAi and then changed to differentiation media for 2 days. Control cells show linear staining consistent with localization to costameres (arrows), as well as punctate focal contact staining (arrowheads). Focal contact proteins in the kindlin-2 RNAi cells fail to form linear structures and instead are concentrated in unusual appearing puncta (*). (Scale bar = 20 μM).
Dowling et al. BMC Cell Biol 2008; 9:36.
Clear indicators
Title of the experiment
Brief methodology
Key findings
Results Tables vs. graphs
Type A Type B Type C012345678
AluminumGold
Figure 1. Additional 50-year projected life expectancy
Addi
tiona
l yea
rs
Who will have a longer life in 50 years’ time?
Women
Men
Country 1 Country 2 Country 3
Results Tables vs. graphs
Type A Type B Type C012345678
AluminumGold
What is the highest number of projected additional years?
?
Addi
tiona
l yea
rs
Women
Men
Figure 1. Additional 50-year projected life expectancy
Country 1 Country 2 Country 3
Results
Country Population No. of yearsCountry 1 Women 4.3Country 2 Women 3.4Country 3 Women 6.7Country 1 Men 1.4Country 2 Men 2.4Country 3 Men 3.8
Tables vs. graphs
Table 1. Additional projected life expectancy in the next 50 years
What is the highest number of projected additional years?
Results
Independent variables
Table formatting
Raj et al. PLoS ONE. 2014; 9: doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0106210.
Symbols defined
Dependent variable;
N numbers given
Table 1. Demographic profile of ever-married women aged 20–24 years for most recent Demographic Health Survey data from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
Clear and concise table title
Results What’s wrong with this line graph?
Results Line graphs
Kennedy et al. Reprod Health. 2011;8:11.
Figure 2. Proportion of births to women aged 15-49 spaced less than 18 months for A. 'ever-married women' and B. 'all women' (married and unmarried) (%). Cambodia, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vietnam do not include data for adolescents for this indicator because of too few non-first births in the 15-19 age group.
Use colors and shapes to differentiate lines
Figure title and notes usually go below
Independent variable
Dependent variable
Results Bar graphs
Modified from: Waters et al. SAGE Open. 2014; doi: 10.1177/2158244014529779.
Figure 3. Impediments to choosing elective music versus sport. Note. Impediment items were phrased in negative where appropriate, meaning that a high mean (SD) score indicates strong agreement with the opposite valence compared with strong agreement with the corresponding item. *p < .05.
Dependent variable
Independent variable
Statistical significance
No.
of i
mpe
dim
ents
Error bars
Results Box plots
Hijikata et al. Hum Genetics. 2012; 131: 675−682.
Figure 2 Dual luciferase reporter assays. The ratios of Firefly luciferase activity (signal S) to Renilla luciferase (control C) are displayed using box and whisker plots…
Minimum25%
Median75%
Maximum
Results Sentence logic (1)
Check the logic of punctuation
The GFP tags appeared green and blue, yellow and green and yellow and blue.The GFP tags appeared green and blue, yellow and green, and yellow and blue.
The patient said he admired his parents, Prince Charles and Lady Diana.
The patient said he admired his parents, Prince Charles, and Lady Diana.
The variables included family size, personal and household incomes.
The variables included family size and personal and household incomes.
Results Sentence logic (2)
Use parallel terms
The values were higher in group 1 than for group 2.
The values were higher in group 1 than in group 2.The values were higher for group 1 than for group 2.
Writing involves many skills: planning, preparing, drafting, and you need to check carefully.
Writing involves many skills: planning, preparing, drafting, and careful checking.
Results Sentence logic (3)
Use “respectively” for parallel lists
The two values were 143 and 21, respectively.
The values for groups A and B were 143 and 21, respectively.
The two values were 143 and 21.
Results
Drug A reduced tumor volume by 32.7%, increased blood pressure by 12.3%, and increased the patient’s weight by 7.3 kg.
Drug B reduced tumor volume by 22.3%, increased blood pressure by 15.6%, and increased the patient’s weight by 2.4 kg.
Drug C reduced tumor volume by 38.1%, increased blood pressure by 6.9%, and increased the patient’s weight by 9.2 kg.
Describe relationships among your results
Results
Patients treated with Drug C showed the greatest reduction in tumor volume (38.1%) compared with those treated with Drug A (32.7%) or Drug B (22.3%).
Drug C also had the lowest increase in blood pressure (6.9%) compared with that seen after treatment with Drug A (12.3%) or Drug B (15.65).
However, patients treated with Drug C had the highest weight gain among the three groups (Drug A, 7.3 kg; Drug B, 2.4 kg; Drug C, 9.2 kg).
Describe relationships among your results
Results Common mistakes in the Results
1 2 3 4 505
101520253035404550 Over 5 days of blood pressure
monitoring during the new diet, the daily rise in resting blood pressure increased from 32 ± 10 mmHg to 43 ± 17 mmHg (Figure 2). This rise in blood pressure may be explained by…
Do you agree with this interpretation?
Time (days)
Incr
ease
in b
lood
pre
ssur
e (m
mHg
), m
ean/
SD
Is this real?
Results Common mistakes in the Results
“Drug A significantly reduced LDL cholesterol by 28% (p<0.05). Therefore, Drug A is effective in reducing cholesterol levels…”
• How much is 28%? Is this clinically relevant?
Statistical significance does not equal clinical significance!
Results Common mistakes in the Results
“Drug A significantly reduced LDL cholesterol levels from 4.7±0.3 mmol/L to 3.4±0.6 mmol/L (p=0.02, 95% CI: 0.8–1.8). Because a minimal reduction of 1.4 mmol/L is required to be clinically effective, the efficacy of Drug A is still unclear.”
• Use absolute values• State exact P-value• State 95% CI and minimal clinically relevant difference
Results
Patient parameters…improved significantly; it is significant that…X was caused by YThe risk of developing X in this case-control study…
Patient variables…improved considerably/markedly; it is important that…X was associated with/related to/linked to YThe odds of developing X in this case-control study…
Don’t misuse statistical words
Common mistakes in the Results
Activity 4
Please see Activity 4 in your workbook
Lunch
Any questions?
Follow us on Twitter@EdanzEditing
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Access our resourcesedanzediting.com/ramathibodi2016
Section 5
Writing the Discussion section
Download at: edanzediting.com/ramathibodi2016
Discussion Discussion
Summary of findings
Relevance, importance
Conclusion
Similarities/differencesUnexpected/negative resultsLimitations; unanswered/new Q
Implications
Previous studies
Currentstudy
Future studies
Specific
General
How do you advance your field?
DiscussionDiscussion:
beginning and end
This randomized, open-label, Phase 3 controlled trial compared PFS rate in pre-menopausal women with ER-positive advanced breast cancer after 24 weeks of treatment with 3-monthly goserelin 10.8 mg or monthly goserelin 3.6 mg. The results of the primary efficacy analysis showed that goserelin 10.8 mg demonstrated non-inferiority to goserelin 3.6 mg….
Re-introductionMain finding
Future & importance
Modified from: Noguchi et al. Breast Cancer. 9 Sept 2015; doi:10.1007/s12282-015-0637-4.
In conclusion, this study demonstrated that 3-monthly goserelin 10.8 mg is non-inferior to monthly goserelin 3.6 mg in pre-menopausal women with ER-positive advanced breast cancer by assessment of PFS rate at 24 weeks. As such, this formulation may represent an alternative and more convenient treatment option for pre-menopausal women with ER-positive advanced breast cancer.
Conclusion in context
Why is your study important?
Discussion
Discussion: beginning
for a long paperState the major conclusion of the study
Most health professionals, including dental students, require rudimentary introduction to health economics. The pedagogical challenges of teaching health economics in dentistry arise from the fact that health economics is a nondental subject that requires deep understanding. In this study, we found that debate when used to teach health economics to dental students enhanced their interest and reinforced their knowledge of the topic and improved organizational thinking.
Re-introduction
Conclusion
Modified from: Khan et al. J Dent Educ. 2012;76: 1675–1683.
Problem
Discussion
Compare your findings with those published by others
Discussion: middle
Modified from: Rimfeld et al. Transl Psychiatry. 2015;5:e638.
Comparison with previous studies
Current finding
Potential reasons
We found that most individual differences in second language achievement are accounted for by genetic differences, rather than school, family, and other environmental influences. Our heritability estimates are higher than those in our earlier study [3], which might be because different measures were used. In the present study we used standardized examination scores at the end of compulsory education, as compared with teacher ratings of academic achievement in our earlier report.…
Discussion
What do you want people to remember?
Conclusion
May be a separate section
May be a “Future work” section
We have demonstrated here that genes explain a larger proportion of differences between children in second language achievement than do shared environmental influences of school and home. Our bivariate results for twins demonstrate a general genetic factor of language achievement in the sense that achievement in English and second language is influenced to a large extent by the same genes. It is important to note that genes not only influence aptitude and achievement, but also appetite for knowledge. Such genotype–environment correlation may be increasingly important during adolescence. Our future research thus involves longitudinal study of second language achievement.
Conclusion
Key finding
Implications
Future directions
Modified from: Rimfeld et al. Transl Psychiatry. 2015;5:e638.
Discussion
Describe limitations and negative results
Why?
Reporting transparency• Allows complete evaluation of your study• Prevents others from repeating those experiments• Allows others to modify those experiments• Prevents funding agencies from wasting money
Data repositories
Discussion: middle
Discussion
Readers use sentence structure to determine emphasis
• Stress position• Main clause vs. subordinate clause• Clause length
Useful in the Discussion Vary emphasis of your interpretations
Contrasting ideas
Discussion Contrasting ideas
Main vs. subordinate clause
Although the study design is not perfect, you deserve funding.Subordinate Main
Linking word• Although• Even though• Whereas(Despite/inspite of)
Subordinate clauses say 2 things:
• Idea may not be important• There is a contrasting idea coming
Discussion Discussing limitations
Although this study was limited by its small sample size, our survey demonstrates that women commonly cite experiencing signs and symptoms of postnatal depression within the first 6 months of delivery.
Although our survey demonstrates that postnatal depression is common, the study was limited by its small sample size.
Bad news = Subordinate clause at the start
Bad news = Main clause in stress position
Bad news = Subordinate clause at startGood news = LONG main clause in stress position
Discussion
Do not restate your results
We showed that tumor volumes in Groups A, B, and C were 34.6, 74.2, and 53.9 mm3, respectively, after a 4-month drug treatment, reflecting only a 8.6% decrease. However, after a 12-month drug treatment, the tumor volumes in Groups A, B, and C were 16.3, 18.7, and 16.9 mm3, respectively, which reflects a 45.2% decrease (p<0.05). The results demonstrate that 12 months of treatment is necessary for Drug X to effectively reduce tumor size among the three groups.
The results presented in this study demonstrate that Drug X more effectively reduces tumor size after 12 months of treatment (45.2% reduction) than it does after 4 months (8.6% reduction).
Common mistakes in the Discussion
DiscussionCommon mistakes in the Discussion
Do not overgeneralize your findings
In this study, we demonstrated that Drug A effectively reduced tumor growth. Therefore, this drug should have therapeutic applications in breast cancer treatment.
In this study, we demonstrated that Drug A effectively reduced the growth of various breast cancer cell lines. Our findings suggest that this drug may have therapeutic applications in breast cancer treatment.
Result: Drug A reduced breast cancer cell growth in vitro
Use appropriate “hedging” words
Discussion Comparisons
Compared with is for saying how similar things are different
The toxicity of the new scaffold was reduced compared to the previous scaffold.
The toxicity of the new scaffold was reduced compared with that of the previous scaffold.
The toxicity of the new scaffold was lower than that of the previous scaffold.
Discussion Comparisons
Compared to is for saying how different things are similar
The extracellular matrix can be compared with a scaffold.
The extracellular matrix can be compared to a scaffold.
Discussion
Fix stacked and misplaced modifiersThe final analyzed test sample only appeared blue temporarily because we had added the especially
prepared reagent that we were testing slowly.
The final sample that we analyzed appeared blue only temporarily, because we had slowly added the test
reagent.
Avoid ambiguity
Discussion Avoid ambiguity
Be careful of time wordsWhile many people read e-books, some still prefer real books.Although/Whereas many people read e-books, some still prefer real books.
The patient had no appetite since he had eaten breakfast.
The patient had no appetite because he had eaten breakfast.
The plants were harvested as they flowered.
The plants were harvested because/once they had flowered.
Activity 5
Please see Activity 5 in your workbook
Section 6
Writing the Introduction section
Download at: edanzediting.com/ramathibodi2016
Introduction
Aim
Introduction
Current state of the field
Background information
Specific aim/approach
Problem in the field
Previous studies
Currentstudy
General
Specific Importance, Research Q/ hypothesis, variables
Worldwide relevance?Broad/specialized?
Recent, InternationalNot too many self-cites
Why is your study needed?
Introduction
“Health workforce shortages may be felt most keenly by developing nations, but are a concern for all. Developed nations are particularly worried about the number of general practitioners (GPs) available to service their ageing populations…”
BMC Family Practice: Worldwide relevance
Dwan et al. BMC Fam Prac. 2014; 15: 154.
International journal – Writing the Introduction
Effect of ageing populations on healthcare workforce
Introduction
“All citizens in Japan are covered by a national health insurance system in which there are no official “gatekeepers”. Patients can freely choose between attending a local physician’s office (clinic) or a hospital and Japanese physicians can freely practice internal medicine. But recently, Japan has faced the problems of a rapidly aging population…”
Asia-Pacific Family Medicine: Regional focus
Tsukamoto et al. Asia Pac Fam Med. 2014; 13: 9.
Regional journal – Writing the Introduction
Effect of ageing populations on healthcare workforce
Introduction
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in the developed world, and atherosclerosis is the central underlying pathology. Atherogenesis is a life-long process involving a range of mechanisms including lipid peroxidation and inflammation affecting the vascular wall. The clinically most relevant results of this pathology are myocardial infarction and stroke. Evidence for acute cardiovascular effects of air pollution has substantially increased in recent years…
PLOS ONE: ‘atherosclerosis and pollution’
Künzli et al. PLoS ONE 2010; 5: e9096.
Broad-focused journal – Writing the
Introduction
Broad background information Important for context
Introduction
Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease that accounts for nearly 50% of deaths in western societies. Initiation of atherosclerotic plaque formation is a complex process. It involves secretion of chemokines such as the Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein–1 (MCP-1) and expression of adhesion molecules on the surface of monocytes and endothelial cells. Circulating monocytes are recruited to sites of injured endothelial cells, adhere to them, and migrate into the subendothelial space. Monocytes in the arterial wall differentiate into activated macrophages…
BMC Cardiovascular Disorders: ‘atherosclerosis and pollution’
Adar et al. BMC Cardiovas Disord. 2013; 10: e1001430..
Specialized journal – Writing the Introduction
Broad background information not necessary
Introduction Background
Scaffold-based tissue engineering involves the combination of cells, bioactive factors and structural scaffolding materials to promote repair and regeneration of tissues.1-3
Field of research
Use citations appropriately
Materials for scaffolds must have appropriate mechanical properties for specific injury sites. The scaffold should support cell attachment and growth.
Aspects that you will focus on
General background
Specific background
Beginning should demonstrate relevance/interest
Match journal’s Aims and Scope
Introduction
Integrating electrospun scaffolds with cells remains challenging. It is often difficult for cells that are cultured on electrospun fibers to penetrate into pores.
Indicating problems
difficult
howeverexpensivetime consuming
problemalthough
General Problem
challengedespite
challengingdifficulty
Introduction Indicating problems
However, the fabrication of these scaffolds was complex and very sensitive to the reaction conditions giving irreproducible results.
Pack et al. have achieved promising cell penetration results in poly(glycolic acid) scaffolds after surface modifications.6
Discuss most recent and relevant primary literature
Potential solution
There is still a problem
Previous work
Problems in previous work
Cite relevant work from journal
Introduction Problem/knowledge gap
However, …an alternative approach… …a challenge…a need for clarification… …a problem/weakness with……has not been dealt with… …remains unstudied…requires clarification …is not sufficiently (+ adjective)
…is ineffective/inaccurate/inadequate/inconclusive/incorrect------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Few studies have… There is an urgent need to…There is growing concern that… Little evidence is available on…It is necessary to… Little work has been done on…
Key phrases
Introduction Writing the purpose
Your aims must directly address the problem 1
So far, most research has focused on the negative psychological impact of myocardial infarction. However, trauma can also produce psychological benefits. The identification of factors associated with post-traumatic growth after myocardial infarction is of importance.
AimsThe present study investigated the relative contribution of three possible factors to post-traumatic growth after myocardial infarction: personality, psychological health, and cognitive coping.
Problem
Modified from: Garnetski et al. J Clin Psychol Med Settings. 2008; 15:270–277 .
Introduction Writing the purpose
Your aims must directly address the problem 2
Currently, the standard procedure used to evaluate hepatic steatosis is the histopathological examination of cross-liver sections… …this is an invasive practice that presents inherent risks...Therefore, it is essential to establish new non-invasive approaches to accurately determine hepatic fat concentration…
Aims
The purpose of our prospective study…was to evaluate the potential of multi-echo MRI to quantitate the hepatic triglyceride concentration.
Problem
Jiménez-Agüero et al. BMC Med. 2014; 12:137.
Introduction Common mistakes in the Introduction
Ideas are not logically organized
Too long, like a literature review; aim is unclear
Topics in the Introduction do not match topics in the Results/Discussion
Cited studies are not up-to-date
Cited studies are geographically biased
Why study needs to be done?
Keep focused
Write last
<5 years
International
Introduction Link your ideas logically
General background
Aims
Methodology
Results and figures
Summary of findings
Final solution & Implications
Evaluation of findings
Problem in the field
Current state of the fieldIntroduction(2-4 para)*
Methods(5-10 para)*
Results(5-10 para)
Discussion(8-12 para)**
*10 Refs
Evidence for a
Solution
Evaluation/Comment
Title & Abstract
End matterReferences, Acknowledgments, Funding, Conflicts of interest, Previous publication/presentation, Ethics/Data sharing
Situation/Problem
Introduction
…predictive signatures through meta-analysis of publicly available gene-expression signatures are needed…
…few tests predict the probability of short-term prognosis following neoadjuvant chemotherapy…
…we identified two prognostic and TP53 mutation-driven signatures in breast cancer and one specific for prognosis prediction in patients with ER-negative tumors.
Background
Problem
Conclusion
Discussion
Introduction
Modified from: Lehmann et al. BMC Cancer. 2015; 15: 179.
To analyze the prognostic and predictive value of publicly available signatures, we performed a large-scale meta-analysis of cancer signatures…
Aim & Approach
Linking manuscript sections
Activity 6
Please see Activity 6 in your workbook
Break
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Section 7
Editing your work
Download at: edanzediting.com/ramathibodi2016
Editing Revising & Editing
Write your manuscript section-by-section– Get feedback after each section; set deadlines– Easier for your colleagues to review– Less stressful for everyone
Revise for content & overall logic (reporting guidelines)Revise for journal style (see guidelines/past papers)Edit for conciseness, clarity, consistency & accuracy:
read aloud / print out / search for common errorsGet feedback from pre-submission peer reviewGet language assistance
Editing Tips for editing Edit in multiple rounds Macro-edit
o Variables are consistent; check overall logico Paragraph messages are clear; sentences flowo Data match between text and figureso Abstract matches main text (without copying)
Micro-edito Spelling, punctuation, grammar, sentence logic (“it”)o Journal style; formality; no jargon or clichés; no repetitiono Headings, legends, references
Have a rest, then read the manuscript as a fresh reader: check readability, validity/reliability, certainty
Editing Tips for editing
Be aware: language has different levels of meaning Syntax and structureAt day end, we can’t rely on his study, Author1 et al (2015) was careless and forgot to include controls. =>
At the end of the day, Author1 et al (2015) were careless and forgot to include controls, so we can’t rely on their study.
Sentence meaningUltimately, Author1 et al (2015) failed to include controls, so the research community cannot rely on that study.
Social meaning (appropriate among researchers)There is only one published study on this topic (Author1 et al, 2015), but the lack of controls reduces the validity of that study’s conclusions.
Editing
Readers expect… verbs to closely follow their subjects Bottom heavy (not top heavy) sentences
Subject
The viral infection that was caught by the patient on a trip to an outbreak-prone area in Africa spread among the hospital staff quickly.
The patient caught a viral infection on a trip to an outbreak-prone area in Africa. This infection spread quickly among the hospital staff.
Verb
Improve readability
Editing Improve readability
1. You deserve the funding, but the study design is not perfect.
Which sentence suggests that you will get funding?
2. The study design is not perfect, but you deserve the funding.
Editing Improve readability
The study design is not perfect, but you deserve the
funding. The grant will be awarded in two stages.
Stress position
Topic position
Readers focus at the end of the sentence for what is important. Information in this stress position can also introduce
the topic of the next sentence (useful for explanations and processes).
Editing Improve readability
The local government has been striving to introduce Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education. In medical education, technology was introduced through the ICT-Connect-TED project. The program aimed at improving the quality of lecturers through the use of ICT. ICT-Connect-TED recently provided computers and a networking infrastructure to all medical colleges.
idea ideaideaidea
Topic link
sentence
Adapted from: Kafyulilo et al. Educ Inf Technol. 5 May 2015; DOI 10.1007/s10639-015-9398-0
Editing Improve flow (1)
Almost all participants indicated a high level of satisfaction with the content, sequence and relevance of the ICT professional development program they attended. Only a few lecturers reported that the duration of the professional development program was too short. However, the majority of the lecturers reported that they developed an understanding of what TPACK is, and the way technology can enhance teaching and learning of difficult medical concepts through the collaborative design of technology-enhanced clinic sessions in teams. “I developed an understanding of how TPACK can be applied in the design and teaching of a technology-enhanced lesson” said one of the pre-service lecturers. A lecturer from College C said if it was not the professional development he attended, he would not know how to use technology in teaching.
The pre-service lecturers had the opportunity to further develop learning about technology integration in teaching after the professional development program had finished. They were invited to use their TPACK knowledge in workshops organized by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training…
Topic sentence
Stress sentenceTopic sentence
Supporting sentences
Adapted from: Kafyulilo et al. Educ Inf Technol. 5 May 2015; DOI 10.1007/s10639-015-9398-0
Editing Improve flow (2)
Lecturers were positive about the effectiveness of technology in teaching. They reported the effectiveness of technology on students’ learning, and on simplifying their teaching process. Most of the lecturers reported to be comfortable and satisfied with the outcomes of the technology-integrated lessons they had developed and taught during the professional development program. One of the lecturers from College A said,…
idea ideaideaidea
Topic link
Adapted from: Kafyulilo et al. Educ Inf Technol. 5 May 2015; DOI 10.1007/s10639-015-9398-0
Information in the topic position can introduce the topic of the next few sentences
(useful for definitions, descriptions, and narratives).
Editing Improve flow (3)
Findings in this study are presented in four sections. The first section presents the continuation of technology use in teaching. The second section presents the factors affecting the continuation of use of technology in teaching among lecturers who participated in the study. The third section presents the college management view on the impact of the professional development program and the institutional challenges on using technology in teaching. Finally, the enabling and hindering factors affecting the continuation of technology are summarized.
idea ideaideaidea
Topic link
Adapted from: Kafyulilo et al. Educ Inf Technol. 5 May 2015; DOI 10.1007/s10639-015-9398-0
Information in the stress position can introduce the topic of the next few sentences
(useful for lists and describing whole/parts).
Editing
Logical connectors
Sequence
Cause-Effect
Contrast Although, Even though, Whereas, However, In contrast, Despite (+noun or verb -ing),…
Because (of), To (+verb), Owing to, So that, Therefore, Thus, Hence, Consequently,…
Until, After, Before, While, Since, When, Then, Next, First/Second/Third, Finally,…
Condition If, Even if, Unless, Whether (or not), Except, Provided that, Until, Without, Otherwise,…
Addition Furthermore…, In addition…, Additionally…, Moreover
Improve flow (4)
Editing
Making readers think other people’s words or ideas are your own
Copying published text without “ ” or indenting(even with a citation)
Stating ideas of someone else without citing the source
Plagiarism
Avoid self-plagiarism…If you use text that you have published before, you need to paraphrase, use “ ”, or indent, and give a citation; …or else, readers think you are presenting new ideas
Editing
Expressing published ideasusing different words (but cite as well!)
Paraphrasing
Tips on paraphrasing:
• Write the text first into another language, and then later translate back into English
• Verbally explain ideas to a colleague or record yourself
• Name a published method and cite it• Consider text location
– Introduction (general) vs. Discussion (data)
Editing Good paraphrasing
24. Llovet et al. N Engl J Med. 2008; 359: 378 –390.
“This trial shows that sorafenib improves overall survival by nearly 3 months in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.”
Sorafenib improves survival by almost 3 months in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.24
Sorafenib has been shown to prolong survival among hepatocellular carcinoma patients. 24
Editing Paraphrasing tips
How to vary sentence structure and avoid “listing”
Change voice, rhythm, style
Separate/join sentences
Discourse markers Coincidentally; Also in agreement; Indeed
Join 2 sentences (semicolon, colon for a reason/list, or by subordination);
alternate short/long sentences
Active passive, negative positive, invert word or sentence order
Sentence logic Either/or; Neither/nor; Not only,…but also
Introductory phrase According to X’s method,…; In X’s study,…; X showed/reported…; When X…
Change word class An altered direction -> A directional changePrefer to summarize several sources and find relationships
Editing Avoid mistakes (1)
Fix run-ons (comma splices) and fragmentsInefficiency is related to energy flow, however not all losses are because of energy flow.
Inefficiency is related to energy flow; however, not all losses are because of energy flow. (Or…However,)
Our modified assay rapidly screened many cDNA libraries. Which is why it should be a useful high throughput method.
Our modified assay rapidly screened many cDNA libraries. Hence, it should be a useful high-throughput method. (Or…Because our modified assay rapidly screened many cDNA libraries, it should be…)
Editing
Don’t use numbers to start a sentence
506 patients were recruited.
We recruited 506 patients. / In this study, 506 patients were recruited.
Five hundred and six patients were recruited.
Avoid mistakes (2)
Editing
Don’t use informal language
We didn’t get round to doing a review of everything!!
We did not perform an exhaustive review.
Avoid mistakes (3)
Editing Correct verb tense
Present simple
Present perfect
Past simple
Stating an accepted factor current implications
Referring to past studies that are still relevant
Reporting an account of what you did/showed
IntroductionDiscussion
IntroductionDiscussion
MethodsResults
“Hydrogels are a promising material for...”“Our findings have implications for…”
“Group therapy has been shown to increase...”“In this study, we have shown that…”
“We used RT-PCR to investigate gene expression…”“Sorafenib prevented tumor growth in HCC patients...”
Editing
[New paragraph] “We previously took the Raman profiles of…”
Referring to previous studies in the Introduction
“We have previously studied/reported the Raman profiles of…”
[Next sentence] “A red shift in the G and 2D peak positions is observed…”
“A red shift in the G and 2D peak positions was observed…”
“We observed a red shift in the G and 2D peak positions …”
Correct verb tense – Case study
Editing
“This result suggested that these peaks are from…”Referring to your implications in the Discussion
“This result suggests that these peaks originate from…”“This result suggests that these peaks originated from…”
“These Raman spectroscopy results confirmed that…”
“These Raman spectroscopy results confirm that…”
Signal words for implications of results: confirm, demonstrate, show, reveal, support, indicate, suggest, imply
Correct verb tense – Case study
Human report verbs: conclude, report, state, find, demonstrate, show, advise, recommend, suggest, argue, claim, contend
Activity 7
Please see Activity 7 in your workbook
Be an effective communicator
Your goal is not only to publish, but also to be widely read and highly cited
Plan well before you begin writing Understand IMRaD manuscript structure Know IMRaD manuscript language Edit your work carefully Edanz–Ramathibodi Hospital collaboration:
services available to you
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