How to write a paper
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This document provides tips for writing academic papers. It recommends using headings and subheadings to break up sections according to the IMRAD structure. Paragraphs should be used to group related thoughts, and one should not be afraid of short paragraphs. Topic sentences at the start of paragraphs help orient the reader. Lists, when used properly, can also help readers. Proper grammar and word choice are important, such as only using "compare with" to indicate differences. Common errors like subject-verb agreement issues should be avoided. Apostrophes and contractions also require careful use. Getting work reviewed by native English speakers is advised before submitting.
How to write a paper
- 1. How to write a Paper Oncology English Clinical Sessions Mr Jonathan McFarland Friday 6th November 2015
- 4. THERE ARE BOOKS FOR DUMMIES ON HOW TO DO EVERYTHING
- 5. So, Today some tips on ….
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- 8. CLEAR WRITING Break up long documents with headings …… In Papers the headings are dictated by the IMRAD structure – Introduction Methods Results and Discussion
- 9. And sub-headings Very helpful to readers especially in long Methods and Results sections Subheadings need to be brief and objective, eg. “Animal studies” “Pharmacokinetics”
- 10. Plenty of paragraphs Paragraphs are used to: - Group related thoughts - Provide visual relief - When you start a new topic you should start a new paragraph
- 11. Do NOT be afraid of short paragraphs If your paragraph has more than 5-7 sentences ask yourself whether it contains more than 1 group of ideas. Can you split it into two paragraphs? There is nothing wrong with short paragraphs
- 12. Or… of ONE sentence paragraphs There is NOTHING grammatically wrong with a ONE sentence paragraph But use them sparingly Use them to emphasize ideas. Use them for BIG ideas. Or also for lists and instructions where you wish to highlight every point!
- 14. Use Topic sentences to introduce paragraphs Very helpful if the 1st sentence in the paragraph gives some idea of where the paragraph is heading, eg. “Wound healing consists of three distinct phases( topic sentence). First,……….Next,…………Finally, ……….
- 15. Use lists when helpful for readers Remember the reader is the key!!! You are writing for the reader!!!! For example, the Lancet uses bullet- point lists of key point. Arrange lists in logical order
- 17. Be consistent about the use of full stops and capitals Normal rule is- “For list items that are full sentences, begin with a capital letter and end with a full stop
- 18. CORRECT WRITING Common errors - USE “Compare with” when looking for differences INCORRECT sentence “We compared grottomycin to scabicillin” CORRECT sentence “We compared grottomycin with scabicillin”
- 19. USE “Compare to” when likening one thing to another For example – “The heart may be compared to a pump”
- 20. Do NOT use “compare with” when you can use “than” Incorrect- “We found a higher recovery rate in the treatment group compared with the control group” Correct- “We found a higher recovery rate in the treatment group than in the control group.”
- 21. Different…...... Prefer “ Different from” “different from” is the modern way “different to” – old –fashioned “different than” only used in the US
- 23. Fewer vs. less Fewer – countable nouns Eg, “Fewer psychiatric beds are needed since the introduction of community care” Less – uncountable nouns Eg, “There is less need for psychiatric beds since the introduction of care in the community”
- 24. “Which” – Commenting clauses “Which” is used in a commenting or parenthetical clause – For example, “The Thames, which flows through London, is England’s largest river” This means that if you take out the material starting with “which” and the sentence is still correct. The “which flows through London” is just giving extra information.
- 25. “That” – defining clauses “That” is used before a defining clause ( ie. Before a clause that CANNOT be taken out without destroying the meaning of the sentence) Eg. “The Thames that flows through London is heavily polluted There are NO commas and the material after the “that” is essential to make sense of the sentence
- 26. Watch out for “verbless” sentences Normally- sentences MUST have a verb INCORRECT – “All good scientific papers have certain qualities in common. Such as clarity, accuracy and conciseness” How would you correct this ? 1. “All good scientific papers have certain qualities in common, such as clarity, accuracy and conciseness” 2. “All good scientific papers have certain qualities in common. These include clarity, accuracy and conciseness”
- 28. But OK with lists…. You can miss out verbs when writing in note form and in lists. “All good scientific papers have certain qualities in common: clear sentences accurate word choice concise construction”
- 29. Watch out for mixed singular and plural verbs and nouns Incorrect- “Each of the lecturers have a postgraduate degree” And Correct? “Each of the lecturers has a postgraduate degree”
- 30. Remember – companies are singular Incorrect Megapharm are developing bradykinin antagonists And what is correct ? Megapharm is developing bradykinin antagonists
- 32. Apostrophes 1 Use apostrophes carefully in possessives – 1- Put the apostrophe before the “s” when you are talking about something belonging to just 1 thing. Eg. “Professor Smith’s experiment” But put it after the “s” if you are talking about MORE than 1 thing. Eg. “The universities’ records.” ( More than 1 university)
- 33. Apostrophes 2 Special rules for “it” 1.It’s is short for “it is” Eg. “It’s usually warm in summer” 2. “Its” for “belonging to it” has NO apostrophe. “The reading was twice its usual value” ( = belonging to it)
- 34. Avoid contractions Avoid contractions such as “it’s” and “don’t”
- 35. Your Turn 1 (serious) Correct the sentences 1. None of the drugs were prescribed 2. The authors proposed a single regime 3. the drug causes less serious symptoms. 4. She was diagnosed of pericarditis and admitted at the hospital. 5.The abdominal CT scan revealed a foreign body into the jejunum. The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma is higher in cirrotic patients.
- 36. Your Turn 2 (fun!) Who said what ? Match the quote with the writer 1.Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day a. William Osler 2. The kindly word, the cheerful greeting, the sympathetic look- these the patient understands b. Ludwig Wittgenstein 3.We wish to suggest a structure for the salt of deoxyribose nucleic acid c. Samuel Johnson 4.Everything that can be thought at all can be thought clearly. Everything that can be said can be said clearly. d. William Shakespeare 5. What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure e. Watson and Crick
- 37. Take home message If in doubt get a native English speaker to check before you submit your work !!!!
- 38. Thanks, and never forget UT T CROSS OT UT
- 39. Miscellanea NEW International Case Presentation between Sechenov and HUSE – 26th November 13:30 Urologists and ONCOLOGISTS