Academic Writing and Publication
TREATREC ADVANCED TRAINING COURSE
Gustaf OlssonLund University, Sweden
Editor-in-Chief, Water Science & Technology 2005-2010IWA Distinguished Fellow
Universitat de Girona, September 2015
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Goals of the lectures (1)
• Why publish – to motivate you• Going from problem characterisation to
publication• How are results evaluated by scientists?
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Goals of the lectures (2)
• Formulating the key message– In writing– In presenting
• Defining who is the reader– Making your ideas understandable for the
reader
• Communicating the message• Writing the scientific paper• Publication process
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
”Having knowledge but lackingthe power to express it clearlyis no better than never having
any ideas at all.”Pericles
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• Any publication?• Working on a paper now?• Writing my PhD thesis now?• My professor / advisor is
urging me to write
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Table of Content - writing
• Why publish?• Communicate – with whom?• Language and style• Writing the paper
– Title and abstract– Introduction– Materials and methods– Discussion and conclusions– References
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Table of Content - publishing
• Editor’s view• Submitting the paper• Presenting the paper
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Table of Content - writing
• Why publish• Communicate – with whom?• Start writing!• Language and style• Writing the paper
– Title and abstract– Introduction– Materials and methods– Discussion and conclusions– References
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Why publish (1)?
• Publishing is the crucial quality test! • It is the condition for open research• You will get known• You meet other researchers and
can compare results• You do not buy knowledge –
you exchange it!• You get a network
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Why publish (2)?
If your research is not published
in a journal or a well-known conference
it does not exist!!
It must be possible to find it.
Most academic people are evaluated based on impact factors and
number of papers
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Why publish (3)?
Your paper becomes your
certificate of expertise
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Table of Content - writing
• Why publish?• Communicate – with whom?• Start writing!• Language and style• Writing the paper
– Title and abstract– Introduction– Materials and methods– Discussion and conclusions– References
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Exercise:
Make a 2 minute presentationof your work.
”What I am doing and why”No slide!!
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What is your vision?
• Your vision -- reason and purpose for writing
• Academic wisdom: publish or perish
• Real wisdom: “without vision, the people will perish”
Remember your vision!
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Who is the Reader?
• Which journal?– A specialist?– A wider audience?
• How does the paper influence the style?• What is the key message?
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What makes you read a paper?
• Title – is it informative?• Abstract – what is the message?• Why was the paper written – the
Introduction• Figures – are they informative?• Conclusions – what is the message?
After the first glance – will the reader (=you) still be curious?
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How to communicate your paper?
• Title – ask a friend (not your closest colleague!) if the title can be understood
• Why was the paper written – the introduction (can your non-specialist friend understand the reason for the paper?)
• Figures – do the captions give any information?
• Conclusions – will your sponsor (manager) be happy?
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015© Tova Lidbeck
Do not remain in your specialist silo!
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015© Tova Lidbeck
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015© Tova Lidbeck
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The TITLE
• Make it as short as possible – but still informative!
• The title ”sells” the manuscript• Express only one idea or subject in the
title• The important words are placed first• Avoid abbreviations• Does it make you interested to read the
paper?• Sometimes – use subtitle
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Table of Content - writing
• Why publish?• Communicate – with whom?• Start writing!• Language and style• Writing the paper
– Title and abstract– Introduction– Materials and methods– Discussion and conclusions– References
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Start writing now! (1)
• From the beginning of the project or the thesis: write!
• For the first iteration: just write down your ideas and do not worry about the style of the language!
• Write when your energy is high – not when you are tired!
• References – having read a paper, write the reference directly + your critical review of the papers
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Start writing now! (2)
• Write quickly. Don't worry about words at this stage, just ideas. Keep going. Leave gaps if necessary.
• Expressing yourself in your own way will help you to say what you mean
• Write without editing. Don't try to get it right the first time.
• Use the headings from your outline• Write the paper in parts. Don't attempt to
write the whole manuscript at once© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Start writing now! (3)
• Writing is a matter of practice!• The more you read and write the more you
know how to do it• Adapt to the style required – who is the
reader• Writing helps you to organize your
thoughts• Read the high level articles referring to
your research area!
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Some hints…..
• Shut down email, Facebook, etc. at least for 30 minutes
• Do this when you have a fresh mind• Close the door! You are not impolite!• Read some paper and Write something
about it!• EVERY DAY!
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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What is the central message?
1. Write down the three central points of your paper.
2. Summarize your paper in one sentence.
3. Describe your work to a colleague in one minute.
4. Why was the work done?
Spend time on this! It will pay off.
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Develop the outline of the paper
1. Develop a central message of the manuscript. Use 20-25 words
2. Define the materials and methods – the methods you used to carry out the study
3. Summarize the question(s) and problem(s). What was known before you started the study? List the key points. What did you do to answer the question(s)?
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Target a journal
• This will determine the style of the paper• The focus may be clearly stated within the
journal • Examine several recent issues of the
targeted journal.
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Many iterations….• First:
– Objective, a first outline of title, first outline of introduction
– Your vision, possible conclusion
• Continuously: – Materials, methods, results, references
• When the work is completed:– Abstract– Introduction (upgraded!)– Conclusions, the message– Final editing of the Title
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
It's not that I'm so smart; it's just that I stay with problems longer.
Albert Einstein
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Table of Content - writing
• Why publish?• Communicate – with whom?• Start writing!• Language and style• Writing the paper
– Title and abstract– Introduction– Materials and methods– Discussion and conclusions– References
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Language and style (1)
Writing clearly is the goal1. Determine what you’re trying to say
before writing it
2. Think in terms of an outline
3. Write direct sentences. Keep sentences simple and short
4. Be brief
5. Organize your thoughts
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Language and style (2)
6. Be sparing with adjectives & adverbs. Try to remove "very," "extremely," "highly". For example, try changing "a very good response" to "the expected response".
7. Assuming you believe what you are about to say, just say it. Phrases such as "It is clear that" and "The fact is that" are empty verbiage.
8. Look for omissions.
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Language and style (3)
9. Look for repetitions. Consider using synonyms. A Thesaurus is very useful! Look for synonyms
10. Write as you speak.
11. Put the paper aside for a while.
12. Edit, edit, edit…
13. Use the spell checker!
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Use active voice
Use the active-voice sentence structure • (we propose . . . ; we demonstrate . . .); • A passive voice (it was proposed . . .) is
confusing as it is unclear who actually proposed it.
Make a clear argument about the importance your research. Use a polite tone, such as “to the best of our knowledge,” “as far as we know.”
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Effective words (1)
Don’t use
based on the fact that
for the purpose of
fact
prove
plays an important role
decreased number of
time period
longer time period
brown in color
Better
because
for/to
evidence
support
is important because
fewer
time
longer
brown© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Effective words (2)
Don’t use
round in shape
a number of
has been shown to be
by means of
it is possible that
in order to
during the course of
a majority of
a great number of times
Better
round
some
is
by
may
to
during
most
often© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Effective words (3)
Don’t use
in other words
despite the fact that
first of all
it is interesting to note that
it may seem reasonable to suppose that
”novel”, ”first-time” , ”first-ever”
Better
thus / hence / therefore
although
first
eliminate!
eliminate!
be careful!
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Table of Content - writing
• Why publish?• Communicate – with whom?• Start writing!• Language and style• Writing the paper
– Title and abstract– Introduction– Materials and methods– Discussion and conclusions– References
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Coffee break…..
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Title and abstract
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The TITLE
• Make it as short as possible – but still informative!
• The title ”sells” the manuscript• Express only one idea or subject in the
title• The important words are placed first• Avoid abbreviations• Does it make you interested to read the
paper?• Sometimes – use subtitle
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Titles to consider….(1)
• “Five years of water recycling at the Panipat Refinery, India”
• “Concurrent photocatalytic hydrogen production and organic degradation by a composite catalyst film in a two chamber photo-reactor”
• “Environmental Decision Support System for coordinated management of urban drainage systems and WWTPs”
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Titles to consider….(2)
• “Coordinated management of urban wastewater system – experience of environmental decision support systems in a tropical area”
• “The Removal of Pharmaceuticals from Wastewater by Anaerobic Digestion”
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Titles to consider….(3)
• ”Fouling studies of silver nanoparticles-polyethersulfone membrane for surimi washwater ultrafiltration: weight quantification and resistance in series model approach”
• “Effect of internal recycle flow rate on nitrous oxide emission in a Modified Ludzak Ettinger process fed with glycerol”
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Titles to consider….(4)
• “Effect of Dead Cells on Biofouling in Reverse Osmosis Process”
• “Climate change impacts on flood events and its consequences on human. North of Spain.”
• “Control of odour nuisance in urban areas: the efficiency and social acceptance of the application of masking agents.”
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Titles to consider….(5)
• ”Characteristics of various forms of phosphorous and their relationships in the sediments of Haizi Lake, China.”
• ”Faecal contamination of public water sources in informal settlements in Kisumu City, western Kenya.”
• ”Modelling sewage leaking to surrounding groundwater and stormwater drains.”
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Titles to consider….(6)
• ”Control system for sewer systems – a review of existing design frameworks in EU cities and the presentation of a time-scale dependent framework.”
• ”Optimized real time operation of a sewer network using a multi-goal objective function.”
• ”Sewer system real time control supported by the M180 guideline document.”
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Titles from PhD manuscripts (1)
• Development of Watershed Sustainability Index for The Skudai River Basin
• Estimating average recurrent interval (ARI) on flood distribustion model for Johor River basin
• Tidal influence on dowstream boundary condition for flood modelling using Hec-RAS model
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Titles from PhD manuscripts (2)
• Characterization of Meteorological Droughts during Crop Growing Seasons in Bangladesh
• Disaggregation of Daily to Hourly Rainfall Data in Tropical AreaUsing Barlett Lewis Rectangular Pulse Model Applied in Hyetos
• Biodegradation of Cresol Red Dye by Trichoderma sp.M06 Selected From Nature
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Abstract
• Condensed version of the manuscript• Make sure that the abstract is informative,
can stand alone and covers the content• Should be a combination of the problem and
the conclusions• It is the selling point – be brief and specific.• Omit background, literature review, detailed
descriptions• No figure and no reference• Usually 100-200 words
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Keywords
Use 3-6 descriptive keywords Be precise - avoid general keywords like
”wastewater treatment process” Keywords and the title are used for
searching for papers(the words of the title should not be repeated as keywords)
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Some keywords from PhD manuscripts
ARI, GEV, Qp, Qv, Qd, DEM, DID, , , k s mTidal effects, flood marks, Hec-RAS,
GeoRAS, LiDARPretreated domestic wastewater; COD; BODSeawater; Sediment; Enhalus acoroides;
Biomonitoring; Pulai River estuaryNew emerging pollutants; wide variety;
drinking water sources; low concentration; potential risk; water treatment process
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Introduction(of your paper)
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Introduction (1)
• Early in the project: Sketch the introduction to clarify your thoughts
• After the whole paper is finished: Complete the introduction!
• Your paper is not a textbook!
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Introduction (2)
• State the purpose of the paper – the research question - early in the introduction!
• Do not repeat general knowledge• Don't review all studies that have ever
been published on the topic• Motivation for the research
– why did you do the work• Remember: the purpose is to stimulate the
reader’s interest
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Introduction (3)
1. If you can express your results in just one sentence – DO IT!
2. State the objective, the problem - the research question to be addressed
3. Provide a concise background – why was the work done?
4. Quote literature – only papers with direct bearing on the problem
5. State your hypothesis - suggested solution to the problem
6. Give the big picture of the results
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Abstract + introduction
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Give the abstract + introduction to a colleague or friend
(one who is not familiar with your work)
Ask him/her whether it makes sense.
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Table of Content - writing
• Why publish?• Communicate – with whom?• Start writing!• Language and style• Writing the paper
– Title and abstract– Introduction– Materials and methods– Discussion and conclusions– References
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Materials and Methods
• The research should be possible to verify by anybody else
• Describe the methods (not only “I used the software XYZ and found…”)
Always a balance between brevity (cannot describe every technical issue)
and completeness (the reader has to understand
what happened)
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Figures and Tables (1)
• Remember: the paper will probably beprinted in black/white
• Do not put too many details in the figure – it should be easily readable!
• Have an informative caption (do not repeat information)
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Figures and Tables (2)
• Design each table and figure to be understandable on its own, without reference to the text.
• Organize the tables and figures in such an order that they tell a story.
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Figures are important!
• Remember – an informative figure can replace many words
• Try to catch the whole message of the paper in 1-2 figures!
• Explain nomenclature in the figure or in the figure caption.
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
This will not be clear in black/white!
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Adding information
Component A
Component BComponent C
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Poor colours – use black/white!
Time (min)
0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480
Aerobic reactionAnoxic reactionDrawFill Settling DrawAnaerobic reaction
Time (min)
0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480
Aerobic reactionAnoxic reactionDrawFill Settling DrawAnaerobic reaction Aerobic reactionAnoxic reactionDrawFill Settling DrawAnaerobic reaction
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Poor colours – use black/white!
Time (min)
0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480
Aerobic reactionAnoxic reactionDrawFill Settling DrawAnaerobic reaction
Time (min)
0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480
Aerobic reactionAnoxic reactionDrawFill Settling DrawAnaerobic reaction Aerobic reactionAnoxic reactionDrawFill Settling DrawAnaerobic reaction
Anaerobic
Aerobic
SettlingAnoxic
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Very poor even in colour!
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What kind of conclusion?
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Cannot be printed in B/W
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Not a good table!Unrealistic accuracy – will jeopardize
the acceptance of your manuscript
Unit SFR MFR T V
RC0.29 0.33 0.75 0.23
Total ColiformMPN
/100mL1395691 n/d 806940 21288
Fecal ColiformMPN
/100mL1085354 n/d 1340167 2175
SS mg/L 105 46 75 164.68
Oil & Grease mg/L 1.36 n/d 3.19 0
Total Copper µg/L 15 12 52 9
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Not a good table! The numbers are not believable
BMPs Influent/Effluent
TSS(mg/L)
BOD5(mg/L)
TN(mg/L)
TP(mg/L)
STF
In 42.02±20.73 8.5±4.62 4.33±1.78 0.21±0.05
Out 16.06±15.28 4.62±3.24 3.05±1.23 0.14±0.04
VDTF
In 54.02±29.29 10.2±9.21 3.86±2.66 0.32±0.1
Out 12.64±6.4 4.68±1.77 3.08±1.49 0.16±0.05
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Not a good table! The numbers are not believable
BMPs Influent/Effluent
TSS(mg/L)
BOD5(mg/L)
TN(mg/L)
TP(mg/L)
STF
In 42.02±20.73 8.5±4.62 4.33±1.78 0.21±0.05
Out 16.06±15.28 4.62±3.24 3.05±1.23 0.14±0.04
VDTF
In 54.02±29.29 10.2±9.21 3.86±2.66 0.32±0.1
Out 12.64±6.4 4.68±1.77 3.08±1.49 0.16±0.05
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Not a good table! Unrealistic accuracy
Table 2. Total N and P average loads by sources
SourcesTotal N (tons)
Total P (tons)
Pasture 12.47 0.35
Cropland 78.61 2.13
Farm Animals 736.78 181.49
Groundwater 1,041.99 19.81
Point sources 490.75 115.97
Septic Systems 151.29 31.29
Total 2,556.22 352.21
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Be realistic!
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
“COD and BOD removal was (were!) 79.26% and 97.17%, respectively”
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Look at the numbers and their dimension!
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
The mineral element contents were high concentration of K (5,458.33±954.70 mg/100 g) and Fe (210.30±2.47 mg/100 g).
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Numbers
• Use minimum number of significant digits:23 ± 7 correct
23.4 ± 6.6 not correct
23.4 ± 0.6 correct
• Use the symbol to mean: approximately equal to
• Put space between numbers and units:– Ex: 75 kg. Exception: 75%
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Data quality
• You always have to check the quality of your data!
• Outliers or not?• Compare different measurements
– Flow rate versus concentration– Does a peak in one variable correspond to a
peak in another variable?– Negative concentrations?– Zero value or missing value?
• Standard deviations: how many values?
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Comparing results
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Whenever you compare resultsand use % :What is the reference/base case?What does 100% mean?
Do not compare apples with pears!
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4/5
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Discussion andconclusions
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Discussion
• Discussion is the heart of the paper – be careful to present the results clearly
• The main function is to answer the questions posed in the Introduction
• Do not just present the results. Try to explain them!
• Explain and discuss results that may be surprising!
• Edit, edit, edit….
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Conclusions
The conclusion is the message of the paper!
The conclusions must be possible to derive from the results and discussion
In the conclusions the reader will find out how successful you were
Not a summary of your paperShould be short, concise statements Implications for future research
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Acknowledgements
• Thank people who contributed to the research
• Still their contributions did not qualify them for authorship– Advisors– Financial support– Proofreaders– Suppliers of material etc.
• Ask for their permission!
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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And finally….
• Revise, revise ……• Ask colleagues to review before you
submit• Look for an experienced writer to check
the language• Ask if your friend (who is not a specialist!)
can read the introduction• Revise again!
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Table of Content - writing
• Why publish?• Communicate – with whom?• Start writing!• Language and style• Writing the paper
– Title and abstract– Introduction– Materials and methods– Discussion and conclusions– References
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References (1)
• It is important to refer to what has been done earlier. Document your findings and sources.
• You can of course refer to your own works but is important to refer to > 5 other references.
• If most of the references are your own papers – it is a reason for rejection
• Typically 20-30 references. Not too many!
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References (2)
• Make sure that you have recent references as well as the original references – at least one reference from the last 5 years
• The references should be understood by an international audience (i.e. English)
• Should be retrievable by a librarian!
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References (3)
• If you copy a figure from another paper, give the source (e.g. from Johnson et al. (2006))
• Follow the Journal Publishing format. Check the style and format as required
• You are responsible for obtaining copyright clearance for any material, figures or tables that have been published elsewhere
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Book reference
Olsson, G., Newell, B. 1999. Wastewater Treatment Systems. Modelling, Diagnosis and Control, IWA Publishing, London.
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Journal reference
Gernaey, K.V., Rosen, C. and Jeppsson, U. 2006. WWTP dynamic disturbance modelling–an essential module for long-term benchmarking development. Water Sci. Tech. 53(4-5), 225–234.
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PhD thesis reference
Ingildsen, P. 2002. Realising Full-Scale Control in Wastewater Treatment Systems Using in Situ Nutrient Sensors. PhD thesis, Dept. of Ind. Electrical Engineering and Automation (IEA), Lund Univ, Lund, available at www.iea.lth.se (accessed on 6 Jan., 2015).
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Web page reference
Wolf, A. T. and Joshua T. N. (2011). Case study of transboundary dispute resolution: the La Plata basin, http://www.transboundarywaters.orst.edu/research/case_ studies/La_Plata_New.htm, (accessed on 5 October, 2014).
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
This reference list not acceptable
AA. VV. (2005) Studio e valutazione della vulnerabilità intrinseca ... Provincia di Cuneo (unpublished).
AA.VV. (2003). Sistemi agricoli e inquinamento ... Libri di Arpa Umbria, 261 pp.Civita, M. (1999) Dalla Vulnerabilità al rischio d’inquinamento. ...
Parma, vol. 3, 18 pp..Civita, M. and De Maio, M. (2000) Valutazione e cartografia automatica ....
Pitagora Editrice, Bologna, 240 pp, Pubbl. n° 2200 del GNDCI-CNR.Civita, M. and .... Vigna, B. (2000) Le risorse idriche sotterranee.....
GEAM n.4/200, 20 pp.Civita, M. And .....Vigna, B. (2003) Valutazione del rischio.....IGEA n. 18/2003Padovani, L. ...and Capri, E. (2000) Pericolo potenziale di ...
Pubbl. n° 2206 del GNDCI-CNR. 58 pp. ISBN 88-7830-321-6.Padovani, L. and Trevisan, M. (2002) I nitrati di origine agricola ....
Pitagora Editrice, Bologna, 103 pp. Pubbl. n° 2478 del GNDCI-CNR.
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5/5
End of day 1
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SUMMARY DAY 1
• Title – spend time to make it attractive• Who will be the reader• Outline
– Write Introduction – showing that you have understood the problem
– Write Conclusion – this shows your vision
• Materials and methods– Make the figures attractive and informative– Be careful with presenting data
• Revise, revise …..
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Table of Content - publishing
• Editor’s view• Submitting the paper• Presenting the paper
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Editors and reviewers look for..
• Relevance to the editorial scope and objectives
• Originality – what’s new about subject, treatment or results?
• Clarity and quality of writing – does it communicate well?
• Conclusions – are they valid and objective?
• Good, short title, keywords and abstract
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Important Criteria for the Editor
• The probability that the paper will be read and cited by others should be high
• The results should be interesting for an international audience – not only of regional or local interest
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Editor’s view: a good paper (1)(referring to water sciences)
• is driven or inspired by technological, industrial, management, environmental, economical or social challenges;
• contributes to new scientific methods or new applications of known methods;
• applies good scientific methods in technology applications;
• describes new directions and early findings in water science and technology.
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Editor’s view: a good paper (2) (referring to water sciences)
• triggers constructive discussions – which also gives a high probability for citation;
• contains adequate references, good illustrations and tables;
• is of interest for and comprehensible for an international audience.
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Editor’s view: a good paper (3)
Good description of the work– Clear language– Good graphs– Clear problem and objective statements– Clear message of the results– Easily comprehend - good flow of explanations– Specific information– The story is built up consistently
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Editor’s view: a good paper (4)
Description - Materials and methods:• Based on the paper: can another
researcher repeat the research?• Are the experimental procedures
accurately described?• No repetitions or redundancy in the paper• Comparability of data
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Editor’s view: a good paper (5)
• Not too long (check instructions for authors!)
• One message – reliable and valid• Relevant results• Sound science
– results are justified– advances the level of knowledge– validation of the approach
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Editor’s view: a good paper (6)
• Good literature review– Relevant literature– Makes it possible to compare results
• Answering a specific question• Encourages communication of research
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Editor’s view: reasons for rejection (1)
• There is insufficient new and interesting information in the paper
• The paper is too commercial (essentially advertising a product or a company)
• The paper’s English is too poor to be understood by an international readership
• Will probably not be cited
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Editor’s view: reasons for rejection (2)
• Local issues (water quality in Skudai river etc.) with insufficient interest for an international audience
• Lack of history on the topic (no literature study)
• Lack of discussion or conclusion• Too few references or mostly self-
references
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Editor’s view: reasons for rejection (3)
• Data collection without any comparisons• Lack of quantitative information
(data, tables etc)• Too long (consult the journal’s
Instructions to Authors for word limit)• Findings not generalised or used to build
theory
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Upfront rejection - why
• Some submissions are intrinsically unsuitable for publication.
• It is helpful to all concerned if they can be screened out from the review procedures straight away.
• This avoids wasting the time and effort of authors, editors and reviewers.
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Upfront rejection 1 – format criteria
• Content matter outside the scope of the journal
• The English is too poor to be readily understood
• Not properly structured as a scientific paper– Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion– Must include: Abstract, keyword, conclusion
• Inadequate reference list
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Upfront rejection 2 – format criteria
• Paper too short (< about 3000 words) – probably too little information
• Paper too long (> 5000 words)– Mostly asked to shorten the paper– There may be special reasons, then motivate!
• Paper promotes a commercial product
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Upfront rejection 3 – editorial criteria
• Lack of novelty (including repetition of well established results)
• Lack of interest (triviality of results)• Incoherence of work or its description • Plagiarism
(Serious! Should be reported to the Journal Office)
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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IWA Publishing Ethics Statement for Authors (1)
“IWA Publishing and the Editors of the journal are committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethics in reviewing and publishing your submissions to this journal.
Please review the following statement of these fundamental principles and indicate your acceptance before proceeding with your submission.”
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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IWA Publishing Ethics Statement for Authors (2)
As an author you will accept:
Before indicating your acceptance of these principles on behalf of co-authors, you confirm that you have informed all co-authors of these principles and are accepting them on their behalf.
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Ethics for Authors (1)
• Your paper is your original work and where you have included the work of others this has been fully and appropriately acknowledged.
• Authorship of the paper must include all those who have made significant contributions to the work, and they should be listed as co-authors. Persons who have not contributed significantly to the work must not be listed as co-authors.
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Ethics for Authors (2)
• As corresponding author you must ensure that all co-authors have approved the final version of the paper and have agreed to its submission for publication.
• You have not already published in another journal a paper describing essentially the same material, nor is your paper currently being considered for publication in another journal.
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Ethics for Authors (3)
• You should disclose in your paper any conflict of interest (financial or other) that might be construed to influence the content of this paper. All sources of financial support should be disclosed.
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Cheating – Breaking the Rules – in Scientific Publishing
• Cheating – breaking the rules• Plagiarism (Latin plagium = ‘kidnapping’) • Self plagiarism• Salami
(from Mogens Henze)
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Who should be shown as author?
• Talk about this with your co-workers• Different traditions• All the authors should have been involved
in the work – not enough to make the funding possible
• Have an open policy– Every author is responsible for the whole
content of the paper
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Table of Content - publishing
• Editor’s view• Submitting the paper• Presenting the paper
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Choosing which journal to submit your paper to
• Review the aims and scope– Ensure compatibility
• Review the instruction for authors– Ensure compliance
• Impact factor– Does it meet your expectations?– Usually: higher impact factor
higher rejection rate
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Journal instructions
• ALWAYS read the instruction for authors!– Reference format– Length of paper– Format of paper– Instructions for figures– Submission procedure
• Some journals accept short communication
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Rejection rates
• Have a realistic expectation of acceptance• Rejection rates:
– Water Research: 80%, IF = 4.66– Water Science and Technology: 76%, IF = 1.1– Journal of Water and Climate Change, IF = 1
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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Before you submit….
• Review with a fresh eye before you send the paper to the publisher
• Show the paper to two colleagues– One knowing the area – gives technical advice– One a non-specialist – does the paper
communicate well?
• Read Instruction for authors – follow the journal’s guidelines
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Some Final Remarks
• Why is the work done?• What is the message?• Is the paper interesting for international
readers?• Check the English language!
– Look for some language reviewer
• Present the paper to colleagues• Do not forget the past (do not reinvent the
chopstick)• Do not cheat
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© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Table of Content - publishing
• Editor’s view• Submitting the paper• Presenting the paper
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Presenting your paper
• Remember – you have time to only present the key issues
• Start with the important message– Start with the conclusions!– This leads to why and how– When time is out, people have not missed the
key content
• The purpose is NOT to describe all details, but to motivate people to read the paper
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Hints for slides (1)
• Max 5-10 lines on one page • ARIAL as a font is easy to read
– No characters smaller than 20 (this is 24)
• Use diagrams and figures instead of tables
• Budget almost 2 minutes per slide – 20 minute talk = 10 slides
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Hints for slides (2)
• Choose colors with care. – Text and background colors should
contrast– Dark letters on a light background is
good – Background – no photos etc.– Avoid red-green combinations –
many people are red-green colorblind
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Hints for slides (3)
• Strive for simplicity and visibility• Never copy printed material that cannot be
read by the audience
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Practice with feedbackand then practice some more!
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..and at the presentation
• Familiarize yourself with the room • Talk to the audience not to the screen • Be enthusiastic• Have only a few concluding points• Respect time limits• Practice Practice Practice!
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Indu
stria
l Ele
ctric
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ngin
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g an
d A
uto
mat
ion
© Gustaf Olsson TREATREC course Sep 2015
Please contact…
Gustaf Olsson
Lund University, [email protected]