Structuring a manuscript Kateryna Sorochkina USUCT kateryna sorochkinagmail

Structuring a manuscript Kateryna Sorochkina USUCT kateryna. sorochkina@gmail. com

Contents § Structure of academic writing § IMRAD standard components • Introduction • Materials and methods • Results • Discussion § Thesis statement: argue and develop § Tables and Figures: way to present data Project Planning 2

What is academic paper? ØEssay ØResearch Paper ØDissertation Should have: ØClear and limited focus – thesis statement ØLogical structure ØEvidence-based arguments ØImpersonal tone Project Planning Info from: https: //www. thoughtco. com/what-is-academic-writing-1689052 3

Structure of academic writing Basic principle Introduction Body Conclusion Paragraph Topic Sentence Assertion statements e. Xample(s) Explanation Significance Manuscript Introduction Methods Results and Discussion General Specific Known Unknown Move from simple to complex! Project Planning Info from: https: //www. thoughtco. com/body-paragraphs-composition-1689032 4

IMRAD standard components Introduction • What are you studying and why? Methods • What did you do? Results • What did you find? and Discussion Project Planning • What do your findings mean? 5

Introduction – 10 -20% of whole paper During introduction writing: § § § get the reader's attention by opening sentence (importance of the topic) give your reader some info about the issue (background of the topic) summarize the current state of knowledge on the topic state the research question clearly (thesis statement) describing the scope and structure of paper To achieve success: § think critically § provide facts not opinion § use only appropriate citations “Know your audience, keep it short, tell readers why you have done the study and explain why it’s important, convince them that it is better than what has gone before, and try as hard as you can to hook them in the first line. ” by Richard Smith (Norris, C. B. (2016) Academic Writing in English, University of Helsinki) Project Planning 6

Methods What to write? üMaterials (name, chemical formula, purity, manufacturer) üMethods: • How to produce? • How to analyze? • How to process data? Specify: ü quantities of materials ü process maintenance parameters üname, model, manufacturer and company's location of equipments Don’t write well known, standardized or quite lengthy procedures, use citations. Note: to ensure that the structure is correct, follow the instructions in Journal guide!!! Project Planning 7

Results Show the statistical significance of your findings! Way to present data: Ø Figure Ø Table Ø Text Main rules: ØMake data in figures and tables readable ØDo not duplicate the data ØDo not evaluate (say “NO” to strong emotional terms as greatly/ considerably/markedly or greater etc) ØDo not summarize ØAvoid passive voice Project Planning Lead your readers into following your thoughts by state the main findings in order relating to the used hypotheses and methods. 8

“…answers the question posed in the Introduction and includes the main supporting evidence…” by Gustavii from (Norris, C. B. (2016) Academic Writing in Discussion English, University of Helsinki) Compare… Explain… Ø your own finding Ø own data with other studies’ findings Ø how the study adds to previous knowledge Ø contradictory results Do your results support or deviate previous studies? To mention any possible explanations for the results Conclusion – as a “mirror image” to the Introduction Øbegin by short summarizing the main aim of paper Øconfirm the topic/thesis statement of paper Ø end by recommendations and implications for future research Project Planning Specific General 9

Thesis statement: argue and develop Thesis statement - is a one sentence captures ONE main idea of the paper. -is not a fact nor a question, but your point of view on the topic. What is thesis statement? - is way to tell the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of the paper. - identifies the relationships between your evidences and argument. From https: //www. thoughtco. com/exercise-inidentifying-effective-thesis-statements-1692401 Project Planning imagesait. ru 10

Way to write a strong thesis statement Identify the topic Develop your argument Make a “guide” to your argument Check list for strong thesis statement: ü Does your thesis statement reflect each paragraph of the paper? (avoid irrelevant info or rewrite thesis statement) üIs your thesis statement arguable? (Does the statement encourage a dispute? ) üIs your thesis statement specific? (avoid using of two statement connected by coordinating conjunction) üIs your thesis statement clear? (avoid jargon, abstract or vague words) üIs your thesis statement original? (avoid quoting, “to be” verbs, generic arguments and formula statements) üDoes your thesis statement represent your position on the issue? (NO facts, NO universal judgments, NO announcing the topic) Project Planning 11

Examples: Arguable “The Beverly Hills Diet is inadvisable for the typical college student. ” – So what? “Although it does provide quick weight loss, the Beverly Hills Diet is inadvisable for the typical college student because it is inconvenient, unhealthy, and provides only temporary weight loss. “ – create a debate Clear “Scholars should work to seize metacognitive outcomes by harnessing discipline-based networks to empower collaborative infrastructures” - too complex sentences with special language “Ecologists should work to educate the U. S. public on conservation methods by making use of local and national green organizations to create a widespread communication plan. ” – clear Specific “World hunger has many causes and effects. ” – to broad (All over the world? What reasons? What are the consequences? ) “Hunger persists in Glandelinia because jobs are scarce and farming in the infertile soil is rarely profitable. ” – specific Planning Info from Project https: //wts. indiana. edu/writing-guides/how-to-write-a-thesis-statement. html 12

Tables and Figures: way to present data Data processing Table Compare value Systemize data Table or Figure? Table: - precise - large volume of data Figure: - complex data - compare relative values Show changes Note: All Tables/Figures must be referred to (as “Table 1” and “Fig. 1”): - near the reference; - on the next page; - end of Results or Discussion (for IMRAD); - in an appendix Project Planning 13

Table anatomy Table title clear content Colum titles info support title Table 1 – Students' academic performance Surname, name Addams Luis Bent Alex Black Kathrin Devil Bob Jacobson Kevin Mitchell Paul Neuton Beatrice Peirce Martin Smith Jon Wolf Scott Exam Competition grade 75. 156 62. 839 92. 152 70. 053 76. 854 77. 660 83. 028 78. 585 89. 051 91. 167 86 88 77 97 86 65 72 83 91 67 Rating 161. 156 150. 839 169. 152 167. 053 162. 854 142. 660 155. 028 161. 585 180. 051 158. 167 Exam grade is a score on Water treatment course exam; the competition grade is the average score for the course Project Planning Body of table data Footnotes statistical differences or data source 14

How to make a Table understood? ü Table title is a description of content (object → comparison) ü Follow down the columns, not across ü Move from familiar to new ü Sort data on the most meaningful variable ü Avoid unnecessary decimal points (round) ü Avoid unnecessary lines in a table ü Add a space-filler (—) into empty table cell ü Omit repetitious items entirely Sorbent Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3 Project Planning q, mg/g 15. 1 13. 4 8. 6 R, % 89 79 51 Table 1 – Students' academic performance Surname, name Addams Luis Bent Alex Black Kathrin Devil Bob Jacobson Kevin Mitchell Paul Neuton Beatrice Peirce Martin Smith Jon Wolf Scott Competition Exam grade 75. 156 62. 839 92. 152 70. 053 76. 854 77. 660 83. 028 78. 585 89. 051 91. 167 Rating 86 88 77 97 86 0. 805780 0. 754195 0. 845760 0. 835265 0. 814270 ? 0. 388300 72 0. 775140 83 0. 807925 91 0. 900255 67 0. 790835 Exam grade is a score on Water treatment course exam; the competition grade is the average score for the course Artificial sense of accuracy? (100, 10. 1, 1. 23, 0. 123) 15

Example of Table transformation Table 1 – Students' academic performance Surname, name Addams Luis Bent Alex Black Kathrin Devil Bob Jacobson Kevin Mitchell Paul Neuton Beatrice Peirce Martin Smith Jon Wolf Scott Competition Exam grade 75. 156 62. 839 92. 152 70. 053 76. 854 77. 660 83. 028 78. 585 89. 051 91. 167 86 88 77 97 86 ? 72 83 91 67 Table 1 –Academic performance of students (group B 3) on Wastewater treatment course Rating Surname, name 0. 805780 0. 754195 0. 845760 0. 835265 0. 814270 0. 388300 0. 775140 0. 807925 0. 900255 0. 790835 Smith Jon Black Kathrin Devil Bob Jacobson Kevin Peirce Martin Addams Luis Wolf Scott Neuton Beatrice Bent Alex Mitchell Paul Competition Exam grade 89. 0 92. 2 70. 0 76. 9 78. 6 75. 2 91. 2 83. 0 62. 9 77. 7 91 77 97 86 83 86 67 72 88 — Rating 0. 900 0. 846 0. 835 0. 814 0. 808 0. 806 0. 791 0. 775 0. 754 0. 388 If you can not simplify the Table, maybe you should use a figure? Project Planning 16

Figure as a graphic way to present data • Line graphs compare • Scatter plots correlate (Y) vs. (X) • Bar graphs divide and compare single variable (Y) among groups (X) • Pie charts compare parts of a whole X axis – independent variable (as time) Y axis – depended variable Project Planning 17

Graph structure Y axis label 2 40 35 1 Data d, nm 30 25 20 Symbols’ key 15 10 5 Major tick Minor tick M: CO(NH 2)2=1: 1. 75 M: CO(NH 2)2=1: 3 0 0 X axis label 30 60 90 t, min 120 150 X axis Fig. 1. Particles size vs. hydrolysis time for mixed ZOH-AOH sol with molar ratios Zr: Al=1: 1 and M: carbamide: 1 – 1: 1. 75; 2 – 1: 3. Project Planning Legend 18

To be understood § In figure legends, show actual symbols or print them on the figure itself § For overlapping curves, change the intervals on the vertical axis. § Compound two figures one the same topic and format § Ensure that multiple-part figures have clear numbers or letters nearby § Be clear, not decorative; no “city skyscraper” by histogram bars § Do not use a pie chart for black and white printing paper § Avoid >6 lines, section on a graph. Fig. 2. Annual stem growth of white pine seedlings in 2012 (A) a selectivity harvested area, and, (B) a non-harvested area. Project Planning 19

What is wrong? Which variable goes where? Project Planning 20

Show your results to colleague: • Is it necessary? • Understandable: too simple or complex? • Does it make sense? • Must stand alone and be interpretable Project Planning 21

Summary • follow a structure • move from simple to complex • think about reader • rewrite! Project Planning 22