150626 edanz springer
TRANSCRIPT
Author Academy: Effectively Communicating your Research
26 June 2015
Dr. Jeffrey Robens
Be an effective communicator
Your goal should not only to be published, but also to have impact in your field
Choose the best platform to share your research
Write clearly in English
Logically organize your ideas in your manuscript
Effectively communicate with the journal editor
Publishing your work
Section 1
Download at: edanzediting.co.jp/springer150626
Publishing your work Why should you publish
Marketing Promote a new product to the field and stakeholders • Build reputation, establish collaborations, validate utility
Defensive • Prevent competitor from patenting product • Secure your product before patenting
Discontinue product development • Product development not successful or not useful • Publish findings to prevent research waste
Publishing your work Strategic disclosure
Often cannot publish all the findings from a project
Need to decide before writing which findings to disclose
Need to consider patent-related issues regarding findings
Publishing your work Prior art
Public disclosure of a product before patent application
Public disclosure (e.g., article)
Patent application
Defensive publishing!
• But not fair to the company making the product • Cannot publish research until after patent application?
Not novel
Publishing your work
Grace period for prior art
Remain competitive academically without sacrificing intellectual property
Grace period Different countries have different laws that secure a
product after publication but before patent filing
Disclosure Patent Grace period
United States: 12 months (35 US Code 102(b)) Japan: 6 months (Article 30 of Japanese Patent Law)
Publishing your work
Searching for prior art
Determine the novelty of a product
Academic databases SpringerLink, Google Scholar, Web of Science*,
Scopus*, PubMed, IEEE Xplore, SciFinder*, arXiv
Patent databases • Japan (www.j-platpat.inpit.co.jp) • US and China (gpsn.uspto.gov) • Europe (worldwide.espacenet.com) • PatentScope (www.wipo.int/patentscope) • Google Patents (www.google.com/patents)
Prior Art Finder (www.google.com/patents/related)
*Also searches patents
Publishing your work
Academic vs. non-academic publications
Non-academic
Internal documents Regulatory agencies/Patents
White papers
Academic
Scientific journals Conference proceedings
Books/monographs
Publishing your work
Journals vs. conference proceedings
Journals
Proceedings
• Widely indexed • Higher visibility • Impact factor
• Faster publication • More specialized • Networking
Publishing your work
Factors to consider when choosing a journal
Aims & scope Readership
Indexing
Which factor is most important to you?
Open access Publication frequency
Publishing your work
Factors to consider when choosing a conference
Call for papers Audience
Indexing Word
limitations
Speed of publication is an advantage
Usually no major revisions after peer review
Journal selection Journal Selector www.edanzediting.co.jp/journal_selector
Insert your proposed abstract or keywords
springer.com/gp/authors-editors/journal-author
Journal selection
Filter by: • Field of study • Impact factor • Open access • Publishing frequency
Journal Selector www.edanzediting.co.jp/journal_selector
Journal’s aims & scope, IF, and publication frequency
Journal selection
• Author guidelines • Journal website
Are they currently publishing similar articles?
Similar published articles
Journal Selector www.edanzediting.co.jp/journal_selector
Effective writing
Section 2
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Effective writing Improving readability
Use short sentences Limit your sentences to 15–20 words
One idea per sentence
Use active voice More simple, direct, and easier to read
Recommended by most writing style guides and journals!
Effective writing
Readers focus at the end of the sentence to determine what is important.
1. You deserve a raise, but the budget is tight.
Which sentence suggests that you
will get a raise?
2. The budget is tight, but you deserve a raise.
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/flow/
Sentence structure
Stress position
Effective writing
The budget is tight, but you deserve a raise. Your salary
will increase at the beginning of next year. Stress position Topic position
The topic position introduces the idea of the current sentence
The stress position also introduces the topic of the next sentence
Sentence structure
Effective writing
One method of producing carbon fibre precursors, with the potential of commercial applicability, is electrospinning. It has previously been demonstrated that electrospinning can successfully produce precursor fibres that can be converted into high quality carbon fibres with controlled fibre diameters and morphologies. The majority of electrospun carbon fibre precursors reported in the literature are PAN-based. The high cost of PAN, depleting petroleum resources and the toxicity of its solvent, dimethylformamide, has motivated research to look into alternative electrospinnable materials to produce cheaper and more environmentally friendly carbon fibres. Because petroleum-based carbon resources exhibit negative environmental impacts and are of limited availability further motivates research towards green carbon fibres.
Recently, a wide range of renewable resource-based materials have been investigated for the fabrication of carbon materials. Among them, lignin has been looked at as a very promising candidate…
Schreiber et al. J Mater Sci. 2014; 49: 7949–7958.
Topic sentence
Stress sentence Topic sentence
Supporting sentences
Academic English writing style
Effective writing
“I should use complex words to make my writing more impressive.”
Use simple language!
• Your ideas and findings are already complex
• Explain these complex ideas simply to your reader
“The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple.”
– Albert Einstein
Effective writing
To ascertain the efficaciousness of the program, we interrogated the participants upon completion.
To determine the success of the program, we questioned the participants upon completion.
Avoid complex words
Effective writing Be concise – Avoid unnecessary words
“A number of studies have shown that the charged group...”
“...as described in our previous study.”
“...at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min.”
“As a matter of fact, such a low-temperature reaction…”
“That is another reason why, we believe…”
“It is well known that most of the intense diffraction peaks...”
Effective writing Be concise – Avoid unnecessary words
“A number of studies have shown that the charged group...”
“...as described in our previous study.”
“...at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min.”
“As a matter of fact, such a low-temperature reaction…”
“That is another reason why, we believe…”
“It is well known that most of the intense diffraction peaks...” “It is well known that most of the intense diffraction peaks...”
“As a matter of fact, such a This low-temperature reaction…”
“A number of studies have shown that the charged group...”
“That is another reason why Therefore, we believe…”
“...as described previously in our previous study.”
“...at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min.”
Break
Any questions?
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Manuscript structure
Section 3
Download at: edanzediting.co.jp/springer150626
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Compliance
Procedures Follow company procedures
closely with appropriate teams
Auditing
Companies will often: • Validate assays • Check data quality
(notebooks, raw data) • Ensure manuscript accuracy
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Use your figures to
structure your manuscript
Where to start?
Form the basis of your manuscript
First step, is to logically organize your findings
Share with colleagues Logical? Disclosure?
Figure 1
Figure 3
Table 1
Figure 4
Additional data? ?
Do not disclose
Figure 2
Logical presentation
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Introduction
General introduction
Specific aims Aims
Current state of the field
Problem in the field
Why does your study need to be done?
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
The long-term risk of type 2 diabetes in association with adiposity and weight change among women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has not been clearly characterised.
Writing the Introduction
Problem in the field
Your aims must directly address the problem
Specific population
2 variables Outcome
Women with history of GDM
Adiposity (BMI) Weight change
Long-term risk of type 2 diabetes
Modified from: Bao et al. Diabetologia. 2015; 58: 1212–1219.
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
The long-term risk of type 2 diabetes in association with adiposity and weight change among women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has not been clearly characterised.
Writing the Introduction
Problem in the field
Modified from: Bao et al. Diabetologia. 2015; 58: 1212–1219.
Your aims must directly address the problem
In this study, we examined the associations of BMI and weight change with the long-term risk of type 2 diabetes among women with a history of GDM.
Study aims
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Methods/Experimental
How it was done
• General methods • Specific techniques
– Discuss controls
• Quantification methods • Models/equations • Statistical tests
What/who was used
• Samples or participants • Materials
– Where purchased
How it was analyzed
Consult a statistician
What did you do?
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Results
1. Initial observation 2. Characterization 3. Application
Logical presentation
What did you find?
Example:
1. Fabricate new membrane for water treatment
2. Evaluate physical and chemical properties (e.g., under different temperatures/pressures)
3. Efficacy in removing particulate contamination
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Results
1. Initial observation 2. Characterization 3. Application
Logical presentation
What did you find?
Each subsection corresponds to
one figure
What you found, not what it means
Subsections
Factual description
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Discussion
Summary of findings
Relevance
Conclusion
Similarities/differences Unexpected/negative results Limitations
Implications
How contributes to the field?
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Combined
Results–Discussion
Results Interpretation
Figure 1
Results Interpretation
Figure 2
Results Interpretation
Figure 3
Results Interpretation
Figure 4
Initial observation
Logical presentation
Characterization
Application
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
These results show that increasing temperature decreased the density, surface tension, and viscosity of all the tested alloys. By contrast, increasing the zinc content in these alloys decreased the density but increased the surface tension and viscosity. The surface tensions results show good agreement with the Butler model, while the viscosity results are in agreement with the Kaptay and Kozlov–Romanov–Petrov models. These findings may be useful for designing new lead-free solder materials. Further understanding of the physiochemical properties of these alloys could also extend the possible applications of this system to additional electronic materials.
Conclusions
Conclusion
Validation
What do you want your readers to remember?
Modified from: Gancarz T. J Electonic Mater. 2014; 43: 4374–4385.
Implications
Future directions
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Linking your ideas
General background
Objectives
Methodology
Results and figures
Summary of findings
Implications for the field
Relevance of findings
Problems in the field
Logically link your ideas throughout your manuscript
Current state of the field Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Journal articles vs.
conference proceedings
Proceedings often shorter than research articles
More concise Introduction
More brief Methods
Most important findings in the Results
Most important figures, tables, & graphs
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Abstract
First impression of your paper
Importance of your results
Validity of your conclusions
Judge your writing style
Probably only part read
Relevance of your aims
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Sections of an abstract
Aims
Background
Methods
Results
Conclusion
Why the study was done
Your hypothesis
Techniques, models
Most important findings
Conclusion/implications
Concise summary of your research
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
Purpose Influenza CD8+ T-cell epitopes are conserved amongst influenza strains and can be recognized by influenza-specific cytotoxic T-cells (CTLs). An influenza peptide vaccine eliciting these CTLs would therefore be an alternative to current influenza vaccines, which are not cross-reactive. However, peptide antigens are poorly immunogenic due to poor delivery to antigen presenting cells. In this study, we investigated the potential of virosomes as a delivery system for influenza T-cell peptides. Methods The conserved human HLA-A2.1 influenza T-cell epitope M158–66 was formulated with virosomes. We assessed the immunogenicity and protective effect of the peptide-loaded virosomes in HLA-A2 transgenic mice. Delivery properties of the virosomes were studied in mice and in vitro dendritic cell cultures. Results Immunization of HLA-A2.1 transgenic C57BL/6 mice with peptide-loaded virosomes in the presence of the adjuvant CpG-ODN 1826 increased the number of peptide-specific CTLs. Vaccination with adjuvanted peptide-loaded virosomes reduced weight loss in mice after heterologous influenza infection. Association with fusion-active virosomes was found to be crucial for antigen uptake by dendritic cells, and subsequent induction of CTLs in mice. Conclusions These results show that influenza virosomes loaded with conserved influenza epitopes could be the basis of a novel cross-protective influenza vaccine.
Biomedical abstracts
Modified from: Soema et al. Pharm Res. 2015; 32: 1505–1515.
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
Purpose Influenza CD8+ T-cell epitopes are conserved amongst influenza strains and can be recognized by influenza-specific cytotoxic T-cells (CTLs). An influenza peptide vaccine eliciting these CTLs would therefore be an alternative to current influenza vaccines, which are not cross-reactive. However, peptide antigens are poorly immunogenic due to poor delivery to antigen presenting cells. In this study, we investigated the potential of virosomes as a delivery system for influenza T-cell peptides. Methods The conserved human HLA-A2.1 influenza T-cell epitope M158–66 was formulated with virosomes. We assessed the immunogenicity and protective effect of the peptide-loaded virosomes in HLA-A2 transgenic mice. Delivery properties of the virosomes were studied in mice and in vitro dendritic cell cultures. Results Immunization of HLA-A2.1 transgenic C57BL/6 mice with peptide-loaded virosomes in the presence of the adjuvant CpG-ODN 1826 increased the number of peptide-specific CTLs. Vaccination with adjuvanted peptide-loaded virosomes reduced weight loss in mice after heterologous influenza infection. Association with fusion-active virosomes was found to be crucial for antigen uptake by dendritic cells, and subsequent induction of CTLs in mice. Conclusions These results show that influenza virosomes loaded with conserved influenza epitopes could be the basis of a novel cross-protective influenza vaccine.
Biomedical abstracts
Modified from: Soema et al. Pharm Res. 2015; 32: 1505–1515.
Why needs to be done
What you did
What you found
How contributes to the field
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is widely used as an important model system for investigating inorganic precipitation reaction or crystallization. However, recent results show that the yield of vaterite CaCO3 microspheres is poor—up to 16 mM—in ethanol/water in the presence of polyelectrolyte poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfate) (PSS). We now report an approach to synthesize pure vaterite CaCO3 microspheres through improving the concentration of polymer PSS, improving the yield up to 80 mM. Our time-resolved experimental results revealed that the vaterite microspheres evolved gradually from an initial amorphous precursor, to poorly crystallized nanoparticles, to sphere-like aggregates, to vaterite microspheres embedded within the calcite rhombohedra, and finally to the vaterite microspheres with smooth surface. Our findings provide valuable insight into the formation of vaterite CaCO3 microspheres and demonstrate the possibility for large-scale synthesis of CaCO3 materials with controllable morphology and crystallographic structure in aqueous solution at room temperature.
Modified from: Zhang et al. J Mater Science. 2015; 50: 5540–5548.
Physical science abstracts
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is widely used as an important model system for investigating inorganic precipitation reaction or crystallization. However, recent results show that the yield of vaterite CaCO3 microspheres is poor—up to 16 mM—in ethanol/water in the presence of polyelectrolyte poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfate) (PSS). We now report an approach to synthesize pure vaterite CaCO3 microspheres through improving the concentration of polymer PSS, improving the yield up to 80 mM. Our time-resolved experimental results revealed that the vaterite microspheres evolved gradually from an initial amorphous precursor, to poorly crystallized nanoparticles, to sphere-like aggregates, to vaterite microspheres embedded within the calcite rhombohedra, and finally to the vaterite microspheres with smooth surface. Our findings provide valuable insight into the formation of vaterite CaCO3 microspheres and demonstrate the possibility for large-scale synthesis of CaCO3 materials with controllable morphology and crystallographic structure in aqueous solution at room temperature.
Modified from: Zhang et al. J Mater Science. 2015; 50: 5540–5548.
Physical science abstracts
Why needs to be done
What you did
What you found
How contributes to the field
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
Aims
Background
Methods
Results
Conclusion
Why the study was done
Your hypothesis
Techniques, models
Most important findings
Conclusion/implications
Concise summary of your research
Physical science abstracts
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Physical science abstracts
Aims
Background
Methods
Results
Conclusion
Why the study was done
Your hypothesis
Techniques, models
Most important findings
Conclusion/implications
Concise summary of your research
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
In this study, we investigated the ablation of graphite as a function of laser fluence for 355, 532, and 1064 nm wavelengths generated by a nanosecond Nd:YAG laser. For lower wavelengths, the transition from the thermal ablation to the phase explosion takes place at lower laser fluences. We observed a change in crater shape due to the effect of deep drilling in the proximity of the phase explosion threshold. Based on calculations of plasma radiation flux to the target surface, we found a considerable increase of absorbed energy density at the 355 nm wavelength.
Modified from: Hoffman et al. Appl Phys A. 2014; 117: 395–400.
Physical science abstracts
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
In this study, we investigated the ablation of graphite as a function of laser fluence for 355, 532, and 1064 nm wavelengths generated by a nanosecond Nd:YAG laser. For lower wavelengths, the transition from the thermal ablation to the phase explosion takes place at lower laser fluences. We observed a change in crater shape due to the effect of deep drilling in the proximity of the phase explosion threshold. Based on calculations of plasma radiation flux to the target surface, we found a considerable increase of absorbed energy density at the 355 nm wavelength.
Modified from: Hoffman et al. Appl Phys A. 2014; 117: 395–400.
Physical science abstracts
What you did
What you found
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
Check author guidelines
Check recently published articles
Consider your audience
For interdisciplinary audiences, include background and conclusion
Identify journal editor preference
What the journal requires
Physical science abstracts
When should you include background and conclusions?
Communicating with journal editors
Section 4
Download at: edanzediting.co.jp/springer150626
Communicating with journals
Abstract: First impression for readers
Cover letters are the first impression for the journal editor
Significance Relevance
Writing style Interesting to their readers?
Is your work important?
Communicating with journals
Dear Dr García-Fernández,
Please find enclosed our manuscript entitled “Prediction of the largest peak nonlinear seismic response of asymmetric structures
under bi-directional excitation,” which we would like to submit for publication as an Original Article in the Journal of Seismology.
Assessing the seismic performance of asymmetric structures is challenging because of their elevation irregularities. Various methods have been proposed to estimate the peak response of asymmetric structures to seismic motion, with considerable progress seen over recent decades in methods that combine non-linear static (pushover) analysis of a multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) mathematical model with the response spectrum analysis of an equivalent single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) model. In this study, we improve an earlier nonlinear analysis method by determining the nonlinear properties of two independent equivalent SDOF models based on the principal direction of the first modal response of the structure in each nonlinear stage. This is determined based on the results of the pushover analysis of the structure. The largest peak response is then estimated by combining the analysis of the two modal responses. Previous methods rely on the elastic mode shape for estimating the seismic response, where a change in mode shape can markedly alter the results. By contrast, the current method takes into account changes in the principal direction of the first modal response, allowing for a more reliable estimation of the response of asymmetric structures to ground motion acting at an arbitrary angle of incidence. We believe the findings presented here would be of considerable interest to the readers of the Journal of Seismology. The implementation of seismic performance evaluation is expanding worldwide, and the evaluation methods are improving with the progress of computational methods. These recent advancements, including those presented here, have implications in many fields related to seismology including building engineering, mining and exploration, and seismic hazards, all of which are of interest to your readers.
Why study needs to be
done
What was done and what
was found
Interest to journal’s readers
A good cover letter
We would also like to suggest the following reviewers for our manuscript…
Editor’s name Manuscript title
Article type
Recommend reviewers
Communicating with journals
Respond to every reviewer comment
Easy to see changes
Writing response letters
Read by the journal editor, not the reviewers
Highlight the text
Refer to line and page numbers
Use a different font color
Highlight the text
Strikethrough font for deletions
Communicating with journals Agreeing with reviewers
Reviewer Comment: In your analysis of the data you have chosen to use a somewhat obscure fitting function (regression). In my opinion, a simple Gaussian function would have sufficed. Moreover, the results would be more instructive and easier to compare to previous results.
Response: We agree with the Reviewer’s assessment of the analysis. Our tailored function, in its current form, makes it difficult to tell that this measurement constitutes a significant improvement over previously reported values. We describe our new analysis using a Gaussian fitting function in our revised Results section (Page 6, Lines 12–18).
Agreement
Revisions
Location
Why agree
Communicating with journals
Reviewer Comment: In your analysis of the data you have chosen to use a somewhat obscure fitting function (regression). In my opinion, a simple Gaussian function would have sufficed. Moreover, the results would be more instructive and easier to compare to previous results.
Response: Although a simple Gaussian fit would facilitate comparison with the results of other studies, our tailored function allows for the analysis of the data in terms of the Smith model [Robens et al., 2012]. We have now explained the use of this function and the Smith model in our revised Discussion section (Page 12, Lines 2–6).
Evidence
Revisions
Location
Disagreeing with reviewers
Be an effective communicator
Increase your chances to be published, and also to have impact in your field
Choose the best platform to share your research
Write clearly in English
Logically organize your ideas in your manuscript
Effectively communicate with the journal editor
Thank you!
Any questions?
Follow us on Twitter
@EdanzEditing, @JeffreyRobens
Like us on Facebook
facebook.com/EdanzEditing
Download and further reading edanzediting.co.jp/springer150626
Jeffrey Robens: [email protected]