Scientific Reading and Writing in EnglishFall, 2011

Time: 1:10-3:00 pm, every TuesdayPlace: Conference room (82-1124), Dept. Microbiology and Immunology (11th floor)

Coordinator

Shu-Ying Wang, Ph. D.Dept. Microbiology and Immunology

Tel: 06-2353535 ext. 5634Fax: 06-2082705

email : sswang23@mail.ncku.edu.tw

The slides of classes will be posted on the web site of Dept. Microbiol. and Immunol.

This class is to discuss and practice manuscript writing.

Q: What is a “manuscript”?

What is in the manuscript? (What is in a paper?)

How are you going to write a manuscript?

•Please choose the journal you would like to submit your manuscript and have files of its paper from your laboratory and the “Instructions to authors” saved in USB with you in the class for the whole semester.

IMRAD a mirror of your research process

Introduction

Material & Methods

Results

And

Discussion

Ask a question

Attempt to answer the question

Obtain and compile data

Answer the question

A manuscript is to address

1. why you did it (Introduction) 2. how you did it (Materials and Methods)3. what did you get (Results and Discussion)

The organization of a scientific paper (IMRAD)

Especially, non-native English students should spend more time to practice scientific speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

Week Date Topic Tutor

1 9/13 Overview of manuscript preparation and submission Shu-Ying Wang

2 9/20 “Introduction” Shu-Ying Wang

3 9/27 “Data Processing (Making figures and tables)” Shun-Hua Chen

4 10/4 Practice “Introduction” Shu-Ying Wang

5 10/11 “Results” Robert Anderson

6 10/18 Practice “Data Processing (Making figures and tables)” Shun-Hua Cen

7 10/25 Practice “Results” Robert Anderson

8 11/1 “Discussion” Shu-Ying Wang

9 11/8 “Materials and Methods” Shu-Ying Wang

10 11/15 “Abstract” Pin Ling

11 11/22 “References, Acknowledgements, and Front page” Pin Ling

12 11/29 “Cover letter” Pin Ling

13 12/6 Practice “Discussion” Shu-Ying Wang

14 12/13 Practice “Materials and Methods” Shu-Ying Wang

15 12/20 Practice “Abstract” Pin Ling

16 12/27 Practice “ References, Acknowledgements, and Front

page”

Pin Ling

17 1/3 Practice “Cover letter” Pin Ling

Course: Scientific Reading and Writing in English

Students: Ph. D. students of the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences and the second year Master students of Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Must have taken the Advanced Molecular Biology course.

The goal of this course is to improve the ability of students to read and write scientific papers in English.

The specific objectives are:

•To be familiar with manuscript format, writing, and submission•To learn to use Endnote program for reference citation •To understand the common problems in medical writing and develop effective strategies to overcome them.•To develop scientific and critical thinking.•To develop effective strategies for reading scientific papers

The course contains lectures and discussions on assigned articles or the manuscripts written by students. Students are graded based on their participation in class and manuscript writing skill.

Reference: Day RA. How to write and publish a scientific paper. 6th ed. 2006. Greenwood Press, CT, USA.

Requirments: English will be the only language used in class. Students are requested to read articles before class and write their own manuscripts section by section after class. Each student will be assigned to his/her major professor or a tutor who will correct and grade all the homework of student throughout the semester. Students who want to take this course need to have materials to write and are required to obtain consent from their major professors to revise their homework. Major professors will be credited 5 seminar hours of the Institute of Basic Medical Research for participating in correcting the homework of each student.

Datelines

Sections Date for turning in homework(Thursday)

Date for returning homework (Monday)

Date for Practice listed on syllabus (Tuesday)

1. Introduction 9/29 10/3 10/4

2 Figures and tables 10/13 10/17 10/18

3. Results 10/20 10/24 10/25

4. Discussion 12/1 12/5 12/6

5. Materials and Methods 12/8 12/12 12/13

6. Abstract 12/15 12/19 12/20

7. References, Acknowledgements, and Front page

12/22 12/26 12/27

8. Cover letter 12/29 1/2 1/3

a. Please turn in your homework to your adviser on time. b. Please get your corrected homework back on time, read it, and bring it to the class, so we can discuss.

Spacing

1. ….publications on the topic. The introduction…….

2. …. including the procedures, observations, and data of the study…..

3. White (30) demonstrated that XYZ cells grow at pH 6.8.

4. 2 mM, 2 h, 2 min, 2 pg/ml, 200 Xg

5. 5%, 70 , 1/3℃

Verb Tense. ASM strongly recommends that for clarity you use the past tense to narrate particular events in the past, including the procedures, observations, and data of the study that you are reporting. Use the present tense for your own general conclusions, the conclusions of previous researchers, and generally accepted facts. Thus,most of the Abstract, Materials and Methods, and Results will be in the past tense, and most of the Introduction and some of the Discussion will be in the present tense.

-continued

Be aware that it may be necessary to vary the tense in a single sentence. For example, it is correct to say ‘‘White (30) demonstrated that XYZ cells grow at pH 6.8,’’ ‘‘Figure 2 shows that ABC cells failed to grow at room temperature,’’ (or Results showed that ABC cells failed to grow at room temperature (Figure 2) and ‘‘Air was removed from the chamber and the mice died, which proves that mice require air.’’ In reporting statistics and calculations, it is correct to say ‘‘The values for the ABC cells are statistically significant, indicating that the drug inhibited ....’’

-continued

For an in-depth discussion of tense in scientific writing, see p. 191–193 in How To Write and Publish a Scientific Paper, 6th ed.

When I write a manuscript (MS), I start with the

results with figures and tables,

materials and methods,

introduction or discussion, and the abstract.

You should write your MS when you are doing the project, not after you finish the whole project.

Writing a MS helps you to organize your project.

Homework

1.The paper you pick and the instructions to authors before September 20th.

2. Read handout “How to Write the Introduction?”.

3. Find followings in the Introduction of your paper

(1) The nature and scope of the problem investigated

(2) Reviews of the related literature to orient the reader

(3) The method or the reason for the choice of a particular method

(4) Principal results

(5) Principal conclusion(s)