Writing Pre Data: Scientific Writing; Grant Applications & Research Proposals; Ethics Applications

1. Research Skills Workshop Writing Pre Data: Scientific Writing;Grant Applications & Research Proposals; Ethics Applications Writing: the summary, common errors, focus, flow, data. Grants/Proposals: content (aim, significance, review, methods, budget). Ethics: language, risk, subject inducements, deception, feedback. Will G HopkinsAuckland University of TechnologyAuckland NZ Reviewed/enhanced by Steve Olivier University of Northumbria, UK Minor updates July 2008, Sept 2012

2. Scientific Writing • Your main aim is to make it easy for the reader to understand your ideas. • Search a bibliographic databasefor what's known on the topic(s) in the document. • PubMed is best for health. • Google Scholar and SportDiscus are best sport and exercise. • Be obsessional about following any instructions. • Impress reviewers with your ability to obey sensible rules. • Justify any rule breaking. • Be thorough, fussy, consistent. • Supervisors, editors and reviewers get angry about lack of attention to detail.

3. The Summary or Abstract is the most important part of the document. • Write it first (along with the title). • Rewrite it while or after you write the rest of the document. • Include as much information as possible in the allowed space. • Devote an appropriateamount of material to each section. • Include no new material. • Avoid abbreviations. Don’t make up any. • Never state the results will be discussed or similar. • Include no references, figures, or tables. • Avoid these common grammatical errors: • Ambiguous antecedent: This means… • Misplaced modifier: When injured, we tested the athletes. • Non-human agent: This review discusses… • Double doubtful: The results may suggest…

4. Avoid also... • punctuation errors, especially it's and plural's • too many parenthetical statements • parentheses (or brackets) within parentheses (…(…)…) • spelling errors • abbreviations • technical terms (jargon) • hyperbole, such as very, extremely, optimize • awkward expressions • passive voice, for example: It has been identified that... • wasted words and clichés, such as the results showed that... • wrong words, especially affect and effect • subject or participant; use athlete, runner… • repetition of words, phrases, ideas • non-sentences • one-sentence paragraphs

5. Use of numbers • Follow the required style. Otherwise, use these defaults… • one, two, three… nine, 10, 11… • but 3 m, not three meters. • The test lasted 30 s; it was a 30-s test. • 1500 m, not 1500m • but 35%, not 35 % • but body fat was 17 %BM (percent of body mass), not 17%. • Show data with the appropriate number of digits. • Standard deviations and the ± form of confidence limits need only two digits or sometimes only one. • The mean then has the same number of decimal places: 178.4 ± 7.3 or 178 ± 7; 1530 ± 170 (not 1534 ± 173). • Percents need only two digits: 13%, 1.3%, 0.13%. • Exact P values: 0.83, 0.20 0.09, 0.05, 0.01, 0.007, 0.0003. • Never P<0.05 or P>0.05.

6. Aim for focus: • Check that all material is in its most appropriate section. • Have one main idea per paragraph. • Keep to the topic. • Don't generalize too far beyond the data. • Aim for flow: • List headings, subheadings, and topics within each section before you begin. • Avoid unlinked ideas (non-sequiturs). • Make a logical sequence of ideas within and between paragraphs. • Put technical terms towards the end of sentences?

7. Reference most assertions. • Qualify unreferenced assertions with apparently, may, I/we believe that… • Get a critical colleague to give you honest feedback on a draft. • Put the final document aside for at least a day then read it right through again before you send it off.

8. Mini-test: correct the errors... • The subjects (n=34, age 23.45 ± 5yrs, weight 72 ± 6.2 kg) were recruited from local clubs. • This suggests the rate of change in heart rate response may be important. • The size of the responses depend on the size of the change in heart rate and also the LBNP. • This study looked at the effect changes of pressure had on heart rate. • The results showed that there was no correlation between performance and skinfold thickness (r=0.234, p>0.05). • CONCLUSION: Based on this data, the athlete's performance was not effected by the supplement.

9. Grant Applications and Research Proposals • Your institutional research office may be helpful. Abstract • Summarize everything, not just the rationale. Aim/Purpose • Describe what you hope to achieve. • Usually the effect of X on Y or the relationship between X and Y. • Do not "determine whether there is an effect", because there is always an effect. Significance/Benefits • Explain the originality and the uses of the work. • State that it hasn't been done before anywhere and/or on athletes/people in your country. • But make sure the novelty of the work is sensible.

10. Mention potential academicadvances. • Emphasize unique local expertise, resources, or opportunities. Review of Literature • Keep it focused. • Cite papers by likely reviewers. Methods • Describe and justify the design. It must be the best possible under the circumstances. • Show a design figure or time line. • Justify sample size usingprecision of estimation (confidence limits) and sample sizes in comparable published studies. • If the granting body is conservative, show also a traditional sample-size estimate, even if it is unrealistically large.

11. Be specific about what measure will determine what outcome. • Describe or reference techniques and assays. • Demonstrate that you understand the practical issues. • Keep the size of the project manageable. • Measure a few variables well, rather than many poorly. • Include an account of any pilot work. Budget • Be pessimistic about costs. • Account for every item. • Check on the availability and cost of existing resources. • Check on the delivery time of purchases. Curriculum Vitae • Rewrite it to enhance its relevance to the proposal.

12. Ethics Applications • Follow the instructions in your application form. • Use plain language for the lay members of the ethical committee. • There is no risk-free procedure. Get that across or you will be sued when things go wrong. • Increase subject compliance by providing adequate compensation for their time and/or travel. • If you use deception to avoid placebo effects, make sure it is of a kind that the subjects will accept when they find out about it at the end of the study. • Try to arrange for all subjects to benefit. • Commit to high-quality feedback/debriefing for subjects.

13. This presentation is available from: Download it from Sportscience 7 (2003).