Transcript 中国科学院植物研究所 定位认定试点方案

Scientific Writing
Institute of Botany, CAS
Xingguo Han, Ph.D
November 12, 2007
Outline
 What
 Who
is scientific writing?
reads your writing?
 What
factors shape the style?
 How
can I make my writing more effective?
 How
I can make my writing more precise?
What is scientific writing?
 Research
paper
 Scientific article
 Conference paper
 Thesis or dissertation
 Annual report
 Project proposal
Research note
Review article
Meeting poster
Book chapter
Newsletter
Magazine article
Why?
Scientific writing is the culmination or end product of
scientific research. Scientists pose questions and then
perform experiments to answer their questions. The
results that come from experimentation must finally
be presented to the rest of the scientific community in
the form of a published paper in a primary journal
before the research is considered finished.
Main Point
Writing an effective scientific paper is not easy. A
good rule of thumb is to write as if your paper will
be read by a person who knows about the field in
general but does not already know what you did.
Before you write a scientific paper it is a good idea to
read some scientific papers in the format of the paper
you will use. In addition to the science, pay attention
to the writing style and format.
Example (1)
 An
evaluation of the program by us will
encourage increase in efficiency in the
servicing of clients.
 We
will evaluate the program so that we can
serve our clients more efficiently.
Example (2)
The design of the experiment, in terms of the
establishment of a clear control and the practicability of
timing the reactions precisely, although compensations
were included to address these factors, was not
successful.
 The design of the experiment was not entirely
successful, because the failure to establish a clear
control and time reactions precisely, although
compensation were included to address these factors.

A step-by-step procedure (1)
The Preliminaries
1. Choose a topic
2. Begin preliminary reading
3. Restrict the subject
4. Develop a preliminary thesis statement
A step-by-step procedure (2)
Gathering Data
1.
2.
3.
Compile the working bibliography
Prepare the bibliography on cards
Working in libraries or office
A step-by-step procedure (3)
Taking Notes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Develop a preliminary outline
Prepare to write:Consider your real and imagined
readers
Write the rough draft
Check your documentation carefully
Revise and rewrite
Check the format of the text, citations…
Proofread
The layout of a Scientific Paper
(IMRAD)
Introduction
1. Presents clearly the background and scope of a
problem
2. Review pertinent literature
3. Presents the investigation method
4. Lists principal findings
5. Summarizes main conclusions
Additional Tips
1.
Move from general to specific
2.
Engage your reader
3.
Make clear the links
4.
Be selective
5.
Ask your instructor
Additional Tips
This study investigates the relationship between
tree density and fruit size.
The purpose of this study is to determine the effect
of enzyme concentration on the reaction rate of ....
Additional Tips
The hypothesis is the explanation you are proposing
for certain observations. It is a tentative answer to the
question you have posed above. It should be
accompanied by a prediction of results expected
under certain conditions if the hypothesis is correct.
If competition lowers reproductive output, then fruit
size should be smaller when tree density increases.
Materials and Methods
– Describes exactly materials, quantity, and sources
– Makes possible repetition of experiment
– Describes clearly the experimental design
– Uses past tense
– Gives references for methods used
– States the statistical analysis
Additional Tips
1.
Provide enough detail for replication
2.
Order
3.
Use past tense
4.
Quantity
5.
Don’t mix results with procedures
Additional Tips
1.
Provide enough detail for replication
2.
Order
3.
Use past tense
4.
Quantity
5.
Don’t mix results with procedures
Results
Big picture on results
 Impartial presentation
 Representative data
 Uses tables and figures
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Results
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1. Explain why each procedure was done, i.e., what variable were you measuring and why? Example:
Difficult to understand: First, I removed the frog muscle and then I poured Ringer’s solution on it.
Next, I attached it to the kymograph.
Improved: I removed the frog muscle and poured Ringer’s solution on it to prevent it from drying out. I then
attached the muscle to the kymograph in order to determine the minimum voltage required for contraction.
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2. Experimental procedures and results are narrated in the past tense (what you did, what you found, etc.) whereas
conclusions from your results are given in the present tense.
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3. Mathematical equations and statistical tests are considered mathematical methods and should be described in this
section along with the actual experimental work.
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4. Use active rather than passive voice when possible. Always use the singular "I" rather than the plural "we" when
you are the only author of the paper. Throughout the paper, avoid contractions, e.g. did not vs. didn’t.
5. If any of your methods is fully described in a previous publication (yours or someone else’s), you can cite that
instead of describing the procedure again.
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Right and Wrong
NO: Dissolved oxygen results are shown in Table 1.
 YES: Table 1 shows that dissolved oxygen
concentrations ranged from 14 ppm to 9 ppm.
 NO: Figure 1 shows the relationship between water
depth and dissolved oxygen concentration.
 YES: As shown in Figure 1, dissolved oxygen
concentration decreases with depth.

Right and Wrong
NO: The geologic cross section shows the makeup of the
subsurface.
 YES: The geologic cross section illustrates that the
subsurface consists of sand and gravel with some clay
lenses.
 NO: The geologic cross-section shows that groundwater
can travel quickly through the subsurface. (discussion).

Additional Tips
1.
Order: from most to least important, from
simple to complex, organ by organ
2.
Use past tense
3.
Don’t simply repeat table data
4.
Don’t interpret results
5.
Avoid extra words
Discussion
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Principles, patterns, relationships, generalizations
Exceptions and unsettled points
Results compared with previous work
Implications, applications, beneficiaries
Clear conclusions
Evidence summarized for each conclusion
Possible future research arising, if any
Additional Tips
1.
Move from specific to general
2.
Don’t bury or ignore the major issue
3.
Make explanations complete
•
Don’t overgeneralize
•
Don’t ignore deviations in your data
•
Avoid speculation that can not be tested in the
foreseeable future
Examples
•NO: The groundwater is getting cleaner.
YES: On February 12, 1990 the monitoring well contained
23,000 ppb of dissolved hydrocarbons; while on September
16, 1996 the same well contained only 87 ppb. This indicates
the groundwater is getting cleaner.
•NO: The lake is not in danger of becoming acidified.
YES: An alkalinity of 140 ppm helps to prevent the lake from
becoming acidified.
Titles
1.
Categorize titles
2.
Identify mistakes in titles
Titles
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The title should contain three elements:
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1. the name of the organism studied;

2. the particular aspect or system studied;
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3. the variable(s) manipulated.
Types of Titles
1. Indicative
2. Informative
3. Question type
4. Main/subtitle type
Indicative
•Effects of differential irrigation on
maize growth and yield on a clay soil
•Effect of Injected Sea Anemone toxin
on Symbiotic Fish Species
Informative
 Differential
irrigation decreases maize growth
and yield on a clay soil
 Enhanced
reproduction of strawberry plants
under low light conditions
Question Type
Does differential irrigation affect maize growth
and yield on a clay soil?
Will reproduction of strawberry plants be
enhanced under low light conditions
Main/Subtitle Type
Differential irrigation: effects on maize growth and
yield on a clay soil
Notes
1. Never too long or too short
2. Avoid using waste words: A study of, investigations
of, Observations on
3. Avoid using many abbreviations
Key Words
1. Generally not appeared in the title
2. Do not fabricate key words
3. Order: follow the instruction of the
journal
Abstract
1. Indicative
2. Informative
This is a brief synopsis of the paper so that the reader can get the point
and decide whether to read the entire paper. Abstracts are typically
included along with titles in bibliographic sources such as the ones
you use in on-line searches. In about 100 or 200 words, an abstract
summarizes the purpose of the study or question investigated, the
method used, the major results, and the conclusions drawn from the
study. It is good practice to write the abstract last, even though it
appears at the beginning.
Introduction
Opening statement
 Example of examples
 Literature review (exhaustive historical review)
 Citations
 Criticizing previous work
 Ending the introduction

The Method Section
Lead the reader through the procedure
 Name all groups, variables and operations
 Reliability and validity of data
 Data deletions
 References

Results Section
Setting the stage
 Statistical analysis
 Remind reader of the the hypothesis
 Remind reader of the operations performed
 Speak to the audience in numbers
 Smooth transition
 Figures and tables

The Discussion Section
Beginning by telling us what you have learned
 Comparison with findings of others
 Do not dwell compulsively on every flaw
 Questions undressed
 End with a bang, not a whimper

References
Citation style (following the guide of the journal)
 Relevance
 Accurate
 Availability
 Balance (geographical, academic schools)

Remember
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Alphabetize literature citations by first author's last name.

Within a journal citation, give authors, year date, title of paper,
title of journal, volume and pages. Do not use quotation marks
around title of paper. Capitalize first word of title and any proper
nouns. Do not underline or italicize title of journal.

Within a book citation, give authors, year date, title of book,
publisher, city. Capitalize first word of book title and any proper
nouns. Do not underline or italicize book title.
For example
Greene, E., L. J. Orsak, and D. W. Whitman. 1987.
A tephritid fly mimics the territorial displays of its
jumping spider predators. Science 236:310 312.
 Merritt, J. F. 1987. Guide to the mammals of
Pennsylvania. University of Pittsburgh Press,
Pittsburgh.

Acknowledgments
Give credits to others (field work, lab analysis,
comments on manuscripts, language editing)
 Source of grants
 Other helps

Notes
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• Interest, inform, and persuade the reader
• Write for your reader and write clearly
• Eliminate unnecessary redundancy
• Avoid digressions
• Don't over explain and avoid overstatement
• Avoid unnecessary qualifiers
• Use consistent tenses
• Use the precise word
• Simpler words are preferred over complex words and use concrete words and examples
• Simpler sentences are preferred over more complicated sentences
• Use the active voice (except generally in methods)
• Make sure the subject and verb agree
• Use affirmative rather than negative constructions
• Avoid use of the indefinite "this"
• Use transitions
• Cite sources as well as findings
• Proofread your paper carefully; spell check does not catch everything; "there" is spelled
correctly but not if you meant "their"
Acknowledgments
Give credits to others (field work, lab analysis,
comments on manuscripts, language editing)
 Source of grants
 Other helps

Acknowledgments
Give credits to others (field work, lab analysis,
comments on manuscripts, language editing)
 Source of grants
 Other helps

Acknowledgments
Give credits to others (field work, lab analysis,
comments on manuscripts, language editing)
 Source of grants
 Other helps

Acknowledgments
Give credits to others (field work, lab analysis,
comments on manuscripts, language editing)
 Source of grants
 Other helps

More to tell ……
Logic flow
 Context
 Accuracy
 Concise and clear (clarity)
 Tense
 Complete
 Honesty
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How can we improve our writing?
Read more papers.
 Learn basic English grammar, vocabulary,
sentence- making.
 Collocations
 Associations
 Synonyms
 Classifications

Get some good dictionaries
Advanced Learner’s English Chinese Dictionary
(Oxford, Sixth Edition)
 孙谷陆编，英汉大字典（第二版）
 牛津英语搭配字典（英汉双解版）
 朗文英语联想活用词典（第二版）
 英汉联想搭配词典 (商务印书馆)

Get some good dictionaries
Webster’s New Dictionary of Synonyms
 英语搭配大辞典(外语教学版, 市川繁荣治郎)
 当代英语搭配大词典(高教出版社)
 朗文英语联想活用词典（第二版）
 英汉联想搭配词典 (商务印书馆)
 英语词汇逻辑记忆法 (黎学智)
 英语同义词词典 (商务)
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What is English Collocations?
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Mr. Wang wrote a book. The book was about a
story happened in the 1930’s in China. This story
portrayed a family of five brothers who were
struggling to resist the invasions of Japanese
army. After I quickly read the book that had Mr.
Wang’s name in it, I started to like the book very
much. I would like to recommend it to you.
Write
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副词+Write： Clearly, neatly, busily, beautifully, well,
badly, extensively, anonymously, briskly, entertainingly,
despairingly, gracefully, distinctly, expressly, forcibly
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Write+ 介词： Down, on, away, back, about, for, of, on,
upon
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动词+write” Commission somebody to, inspire
somebody to, prompt somebody to
Book
形容词+Book: Latest, new, recent, forthcoming,
hardback, paperback, printed, rare, second-hand,
delightful, excellent, fascinating, remarkable,
useful, influential, memorandum, voluminous
 动词+Book: Be engrossed in, be immersed in,
inscribe, dedicate, translate, edit, bind, censor,
borrow, take out, renew
 Book+动词：Appear, come out, be out, go out
 Book+介词： About, on, for, from, of
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Story
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形容词+Story: True, plausible, false, made-up, apocryphal ( 假的), cock-and-bull,
official, wild, convincing, compelling, delightful, dramatic, exciting, amazing,
fascinating, exciting, fantastic, good, great, interesting, intriguing, nice, wonderful,
bizarre, colorful, crazy, extraordinary, incredible, outrageous, remarkable, strange,
inspiring, amusing, entertaining, epic, elaborate, complex, straightforward, awful,
horrific, horrifying, nasty, shocking, depressing, poignant, coherent…
动词+Story: Read, write, relate, rate, recount, embellish (装饰), embroider (润饰),
believe, stick to, swap…
Story+动词: Abound, circulate, get about, go around, be entitled with, revolve around
sth.
Story+词组: So the story goes, the story goes that, the story of my life, a version of a
story
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Happen
副词+Happen: Actually, really, just, spontaneously, overnight,
often, frequently, easily, sometimes
动词+Happen: Going to, be bound to, be likely, tend to, make sth.
To, want sth. To, let sth. To
介词: To
Portray
副词+Portray: Accurately, faithfully, clearly, dramatically,
graphically, vividly,
动词+Portray: Attempt to, try to
介词： As
Army
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形容词+Army: Great, huge, large, mighty, powerful,
small, professional, conscript, disciplined, modern, allied,
opposing, invading, occupying, victorious, retreating,
invading, defeated…
动词+Army: Have, go into, join, leave, bi in command
of, lead, amass, build up, raise, recruit, equip, mobilize,
deploy, crush, decimate, rout…
Story+动词: Gather, flee, pulling back, retreat, withdraw,
clash, camp, go into action, invade…
Read
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副词+Read: Aloud, silently, carefully, avidly, voraciously,
动词+Read: Be able to, learn to, teach sb how to
Read+介词: About, from, of, through, to
Story+词组: Read and write
Start
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副词+Start: Suddenly, immediately, just, out, off
介词： By, from, on, with
词组：Get started, Let’s start
Recommend
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副词+Recommend: Highly, thoroughly, certainly, definitely, heartily, personally
介词： For, to
词组：Sth has a lot to recommend, sth has much to recommend
A forthcoming book…

A fascinating book written by Mr. Wang will be coming
out soon. This epic book vividly portrays the life of a
penniless family with five brothers to go into the army to
combat with the fully armed inhuman Japanese invaders,
taking place in the 1930’s in the northern China plains.
After I skimmed through the sample copy in which Mr.
Wang inscribed his name, I was immediately engrossed
in it. This book should be a highly recommended must
read for all Chinese people who want to recall that
bloody war between the brave Shandong people and the
brutal Japanese aggressors.
What is association?
包办:
惩办:
承办:
筹办:
创办:
催办:
大办:
代办:
公办:
Be the whole show, monopolize everything;
Punish, chastise
Undertake, handle
Make preparations
Set up, establish
Press for implementation
Go in for sth. in a big way
Act on sb.’s behalf, agent, charge d’affaires
State-run, state-owned
公事公办: Do official business according to
official principles
 好办: Easily arranged
 举办: Host, hold
 申办: Bid for
 严办: Punish with severity
 置办: Purchase
 酌办: Proceed at one’s discretion
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联想
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Birthwort:马兜铃
Feverwort: 泽兰)
Hornwort: 角苔
Lungwort: 疗肺草)
Milkwort: 远志
Motherwort: 益母草
Quilwort: 水芹
Sealwort : 添姑草
Spleenwort: 疗脾草
Butterwort: 捕虫堇
Figwort: 玄参
Liverwort: 地钱
Masterwort: 星
Moneywort: 珍珠草
Mugwort:艾蒿
Ribwort: 长叶车前
Soapwort: 皂草
Woundwort: 水苏
同义词
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Horror, Terror, Fear, Dread, Fright, Alarm, Dismay, Consternation,
Panic, Trepidation, Aversion, Antipathy, Repugnance, Abhorrence,
Repellency, Repulsion, Distasteful, Recoil, Flinching, Blenching,
Loathing, Hatred, abomination, detestation, Dislike, Disfavor,
Hostility, Antagonism
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Admiration, Enjoyment, Esteem, Regard, Respect, Liking, Relish,
Affection, Attachment, Savor, Tang, Flavor, Taste, Smack,
Predilection, Partiality, Prepossession,
分类 (行为, 态度, 气概, 气量)
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行为 (Behavior, action)
行动 (Action, act)
举止 (Bearing, manner)
言行 (Words and deeds)
罪行 (Crime, guilt, offence)
神态 (Manner, expression)
作风 (Style, style of work)
风格 (Mode, style)
气概 (Lofty quality)
气势 (Momentum)
正气 (Righteousness)
心胸 (Tolerance)
作为 (Deed, conduct, accomplishment)
举措 (Move, behave, measures)
表现 (Display, manifest, express)
暴行 (Atrocities, cruelties, brutality)
态度 (Attitude)
姿态 (Pose, posture)
派头 (Manner, style)
格调 (Moral quality)
威风 (Might, power and prestige)
锐气 (Dashing spirit, drive)
气量 (Forbearance, broad-minded)
气度 (Laudably tolerant spirit: 气度不凡)
分类
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Amaranthine (紫红的)
Bloody (血红的)
Carmine (洋红)
Cochineal (胭脂红)
Florid (鲜红)
Garmet (暗红)
Moroon (枣红)
Murrey (紫红)
Pink (粉红)
Ruby (红宝石红)
Saffron (藏红)
Sanguine (血红)
Vermeil (朱红)
Vinaceous (葡萄红)
Beetfaced (鲜红的)
Cardinal (深红)
Cherry (樱桃红)
Crimson (绯红)
Fuchsia (紫红)
Incarmadine (淡红的)
Mauve (紫红)
Peach (桃红)
Reddish (微红)
Rufescent (带红色的)
Salmon (橙红)
Scarlet (猩红)
Vermillion (橘红)
Vine (深红)
逻辑记忆(Logical memory)
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-ibble: Dibble (点播器), Kibble (粗磨), Nibble (啃),
Quibble (托辞), Cribble (筛子), Fribble (逐渐消散)
-iddle: Diddle (闲荡), taradiddle (谎话), fiddle (小提琴
), kiddle (拦河栅), middle (中间的), piddle (懒惰),
riddle (谜语), griddle (大眼筛), tiddle (微不足道的)
-iggle: Giggle (咯咯地笑), higgle (争论), jiggle (轻轻摇
晃), niggle (琐碎的), sniggle (钓鳗鱼), wiggle (摇动),
wriggle (蠕动)
习惯用语(习语) (Idioms)
It’s chucking it down: It is raining heavily.
 Charity begins at home: 近水楼台先得月.
 He’s got no money to speak of. 他没钱了.
 His complaints have a familiar ring. 他的抱怨听
上去耳熟.
 I recognize his face but I can’t put a name to it. (
面熟,但记不得他的名字)
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记忆外来词(法,意,西,德)
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Cameo: 硬石, 贝壳上的浮雕
Campanile: 钟楼
Canto: 长诗或书中 的一篇
Cupola: 圆顶房子
Intaglio: 雕刻
Mezzanine: 戏院里的包厢
Patina: 铜器上的绿锈
Portico:门廊
Stucco: 灰泥
Terra cotta: 赤土制成的陶器
专业词
Order:
 Succession:
 Chalk:
 Grass root:
 Radical:
 Reduce:
 Corpus:
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Thank you!