Transcript Presentation of science & Network: Scientific method

Applying the Scientific Method
How do you come up with good research
ideas? Scientific Method
"To develop working ideas efficiently, I try to fail as fast as I can".
Richard Feynman
Observe
Ask Questions
Speculate
New ideas for research come from
experience and imagination
Experiment
A variation of the scientific method based
on proposal writing, research & publication
An idea
Write
proposal
Searching the
internet is integral
part to every part
of this process
new ideas
Conduct
research
new ideas
Write papers
& speak
Proposal, research and paper writing search to support scientific method
A slide digression: the anatomy of a
scientific paper.
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Introduction with thesis and hypotheses
Precedents (also in introduction)
Experimental details
Results of experiments
Discussion of results relative to thesis and
hypotheses
• Conclusions
• Citations and cited papers
Citations impact for authors:
Hirsch Index
• measures both productivity
and impact of publications of
an author
• List all of an authors papers
ranked by the number of
citations
• Number them from 1 at the
top.
• The point on the list where the
number of the paper exceeds
the number of citations is the
Hirsch index.
The process starts with experience and
learning: Observations
Conducting
research
as
undergraduate
or graduate
Making
observations
& asking
questions
No answer to
your
question.
Then propose
a study
See if you
can answer
question or if
it has been
answered by
others
But how to get started having ideas?
• Get an idea notebook Write all ideas down & never censor
• Couple Observing & Asking Questions together
– Go to the library and look through pictorial
tables of contents (with an idea.
– Go to seminars
– Go to work-shops (on new subjects)
– Take classes (ask “obvious” questions or at
least write them down)
• Identify & define a “problem”
– Google
– Reviews
– Experts
Next Step? Refine ideas.
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Brainstorm
Re-phrase the question, problem or idea
Break it down into components
What do you know about the question, problem or
idea?
» just the facts
» Do they make sense?
• Brainstorm solutions
• Map approaches to “solving” the question, problem or
idea
• Down-select to one you can do relatively quickly.
• Has it already been done (literature searching)?????
A variation of the scientific method based
on proposal writing, research & publication
An idea
Write
proposal
new ideas
Conduct
research
new ideas
Write papers
& speak
Proposal, research and paper writing search to support scientific method
General anatomy of a Proposal
Thesis &
statement
of problem
Technical
approach:
project plan
Proposal must be
original; not a repeat of
another’s work
Remember your ideas will
change as you write your
proposal & as you conduct
research
Facilities &
Investigator
Credentials
benefits to
education &
society
General anatomy of a Proposal
1) Must be original
Thesis &
statement
of problem
2) Must have a clear thesis
Technical
approach:
project plan
3) Must have testable
hypotheses with
predictions
Facilities &
Investigator
Credentials
benefits to
education &
society
Thesis & statement of problem
1) Must be original, but provide precedents for key steps
- search internet exhaustively
2) Must have a clear thesis
- Early in proposal. For example, “A new
method for creating polymer electrolytes
through Friedel Craft Sulfonylation.”
3) Must have testable hypotheses
with predictions
Sulfonylations will allow addition of sulfonic
acid groups without crosslinking into insoluble
masses.
Example: Ring Opening Polymerization
of Disilaoxacyclopentanes
Problem: sol-gel materials shrink from solvent evaporation
& capillary force stresses collapsing pores
Thesis: Eliminate shrinkage by preparing liquid monomers with two strained
disilaoxacyclopentane rings for solvent free, non-shrinking sol-gel.
Hypotheses (must be disproven):
1) Monomers cannot be synthesized
2) Disilaoxacyclopentane ring is not strained enough to provide driving
force for polymerization
3) The monomer cannot be prepared as a liquid
4) Polymerizations will be accompanied by significant shrinkage.
Example: Ring Opening Polymerization
of Disilaoxacyclopentanes
Thesis: Eliminate shrinkage by preparing liquid monomers with two strained
disilaoxacyclopentane rings for solvent free, non-shrinking sol-gel.
Need to assure reviewers of proposal that (based on precedents and
logic):
1) Monomers based on one disilaoxacyclopentanes readily polymerize
2) None of the proposed monomers or anything like them have ever
been made
3) Reasons for expecting the monomer to melt at low temperatures
4) That Ring Opening polymerizations reduce shrinkage
5) that the resulting resins will be thermosets suitable for encapsulation
Precedents are the literature papers that provide foundation for your idea.
Who do you cite in your proposal (or
paper)?
• The original (oldest) paper for each precedent (
Not just the most recent!!!!!)
• Provide a citation for everything that is not
common knowledge. When in doubt provide a
citation.
• Cite primary literature: peer reviewed papers
• Do not the web, not reviews, not encyclopedias
nor textbooks.
• You may have 20 – 40 citations for a
communication and 300-500 in a review or
proposal.
General anatomy of a Proposal
Thesis &
statement
of problem
1) Details to prove the science
behind your idea is good
Technical
approach:
project plan
3) What procedures and
instruments must be used
and how.
2) What must be done first,
second, third.... etc.
Facilities &
Investigator
Credentials
benefits to
education &
society
Technical Approach & Project Plan
1) Proof of Good Science
-Details of the science involved
- coupled with literature precedents
2) Logical approach to thesis and testing hypotheses
-Clear, concise plan (include flow diagram
or Gant chart)
3) No bottle necks that kill project
Do not hinge entire project on one single
prediction
Ring Opening Polymerization of
Disilaoxacyclopentanes Project Plan
Thesis: Eliminate shrinkage by preparing liquid monomers with two strained
disilaoxacyclopentane rings for solvent free, non-shrinking sol-gel.
Year 1
Monomer synthesis:
1) Disilylation of bisacetylene
followed by cyclization
2) alternative: silyl
anion from disilaethane
Year 2
Year 3
Polymerization
studies of targeted
monomers
Model Ring opening
polymerization studies with
tetramethyldisilacyclopentane
Characterization of
polymers
Neat polymerization
& encapsulations
Evaluation of
shrinkage
General anatomy of a Proposal
Thesis &
statement
of problem
1) Describe what laboratory space
you have (hoods, floor space)
Technical
approach:
project plan
2) Describe your access to key
instrumentation
Facilities &
Investigator
Credentials
3) Curriculum vitae for the principle
investigators with lists of
publications, awards, funding,
education, etc.
benefits to
education &
society
General anatomy of a Proposal
Thesis &
statement
of problem
Technical
approach:
project plan
2) How the project will be
benefiting education of
undergraduates (particularly
underrepresented groups), training
of graduates and postdocs.
1) Benefits from new science or
technology- reduce greenhouse
gases, cure cancer, reduce costs by
25%. The more quantitative the
better
Facilities &
Investigator
Credentials
benefits to
education &
society
A variation of the scientific method based
on proposal writing, research & publication
An idea
Write
proposal
new ideas
Conduct
research
new ideas
Write papers
& speak
Proposal, research and paper writing search to support scientific method
Most important characteristics of good
research
• Original – with careful, multiple surveys of literature
• There is a thesis – question(s) to be answered by
research
• Work can be broken down into hypotheses that can be
tested. Do not become emotionally invested in
experimental outcomes.
• Experiments are carefully designed and
characterizations are complete.
• Complete experimentals with observations are
recorded.
• Finally, the results are communicated (preferably
through a peer reviewed publication & presentations)
Traditional approach to conducting
research
Advisor
Instructions
Results
Graduate student
Graduate student:
1) learns techniques
2) assimilates fundamental principles
3) is not trained in scientific method.
Research project should train graduate
in scientific method
Advisor/Guide
Fundamental data
and
relationships
Creative Process
1) Identification of new ideas
2) Development of ideas
Experimentation by
scientific method
1) Thesis
2) testable hypotheses
Problem solving skills
Communication skills
Helps to:
1) refine and
2) test ideas
A variation of the scientific method based
on proposal writing, research & publication
An idea
Write
proposal
new ideas
Conduct
research
new ideas
Write papers
& speak
Proposal, research and paper writing search to support scientific method
Papers and presentations
• Key step in scientific method
• communication of results to peers
– peer review to correct errors and teach
– citation of papers measures true impact of research
– invited lectures & seminars measure of impact
• Establishes credibility in scientific fields (improves
chances for future funding)
• Develops career with editor positions, awards &
recognition
Writing papers
• Start early – use to help drive and correct your
research, identify missing pieces.
• Identify appropriate journals for your research
• Find citation impact of journals on web of science
• Read instructions to authors and read papers in
targeted journal to see what experimental proofs
are required
• Obtain template or copy format from recent
paper.
Writing papers
• Start early – use to help drive and correct your
research, identify missing pieces.
• Identify appropriate journals for your research
• Find citation impact of journals on web of science
• Read instructions to authors and read papers in
targeted journal to see what experimental proofs
are required
• Obtain template or copy format from recent
paper.
Citation Impact Matters
Chem Rev.
41
Accounts
Chemical
research
CI: 22
Nano Lett
13.8
Small
8.4
Chem Soc Rev
26
Nature Chem
25
Adv. Mater
13.9
ACS Nano
CI: 11
Nanoscale Chem Comm.
6
6
New J. Chem
2.6
Angew. Chem
Int. Ed.
13.5
J. Am. Chem. Soc.
9.9
Chem Asian J.
6
Writing the paper
• Get experimentals done early-easy to follow
experimentals can be very good for your citation
impact.
• Clear thesis and predictions or hypotheses in intro.
• Be sure to cite first and most important precendentsthey will often be included in your reviewers.
• Title must be very descriptive
• Always have someone else proof your paper
• Use grammarly.com for english editing.
Submitting the paper
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Always online
No errors – they can get your paper rejected
Consistent graphics
Carefully write the letter to the editor
explaining why this paper is worthy of his or
her journal
• If you are rejected write the editor back and
diplomatically argue the point.
Reviews & Rejections
• You will have manuscripts rejected, don’t let it bother
you
• You will get nasty reviews, don’t let it bother you
• Do not be afraid to argue about rejection
• If accepted with revisions, carefully make corrections and
list them in a letter to editor indicating how you met the
reviewers required changes.
• If you disagree with a reviewer, explain to the editor why
you think a change is not needed.
• If the editor still will not accept the paper, then submit to
another journal on your list. Rewrite your letter to the
editor.
A recent review of one of my papers
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Reviewer(s)' Comments to Author:
Recommendation: Do not publish.
Comments: The authors report the syntheses of OBP and fluorescent OBP particles and use them to
create non-porous coatings on ceramic filters. The fluorescent particles were used to image the
coatings to confirm that, with supports having small pores, well-defined coatings were obtained.
Formation of spherical polysilsesquioxane nanoparticles, even under various conditions, does not
carry novelty since the literature dealing with such processes is already abundant. Also, thin films
formed from polysilsesquioxanes with various organic bridging units have been intensively studied
and applied, particularly for low dielectric applications, over the past decade. It seems that
significant investigation into possible applications for the coatings mentioned in this manuscript is
imperative before the manuscript can be considered for publication in any scientific journal.
Questions and Comments:
1. The introduction mentions low-temperature sintering as one of the motivations for this study,
and, later in the manuscript, it is mentioned that no sintering was required for the coatings formed.
Further elaboration regarding the sintering process and advantages/disadvantages of the
membranes formed via sintering process is desired.
2. Please provide actual NMR spectra for the synthesized compounds.
3. Page 4, line 25 to page 5, line 8: The synthetic methodology and NMR solvent are different from
that found in citation #31 and, therefore, the statement “spectroscopically the same as that
reported in literature” should be omitted.
3. Page 8, line 20: The yield for the particle synthesis is given as 168% with no explanation given in
this or later sections. Please provide a reason for this outcome.
4. Page 8: Please provide the correlation curve for the DLS measurements.
The scientific method based on proposal
writing, research & publication
An idea
Write
proposal
new ideas
Conduct
research
new ideas
Write papers
& speak
Proposal, research and paper writing search to support scientific method