Pisanje znanstvenog rada

1. Pisanje znanstvenog rada

2. “There is no way to get experience except through experience.” “The fact that the author thinks slowly is not serious, but the fact that he publishes faster than he thinks is inexcusable.” - Wolfgang Pauli (physicists) "Hell - sitting on a hot stone reading your own scientific publications” - Erik Ursin (fish biologist) "You lose all your readers, but at least you can't be accused of being an idiot. Instead, the readers are made to feel like they're idiots." (Science, 15 Aug 97)

3. What is a scientific paper? • A scientific paper is a written and published report describing original research results “Scientists are rated by what they finish, not by what they attempt”

4. Why write and publish research papers? Ideally – to share research findings and discoveries with the hope of improving healthcare. Practically - to get funding - to get promoted - to get a job - to keep your job!

5. What kind of research papers? • Journals • Workshop/Conference Papers • Dissertations/Thesis • Technical Reports • Popular Science Publications

6. Things to consider before writing 1. Time to write the paper? - has a significant advancement been made? - is the hypothesis straightforward? - did the experiments test the hypothesis? - are the controls appropriate and sufficient? - can you describe the study in 1 or 2 minutes? - can the key message be written in 1 or 2 sentences? 2. Tables and figures - must be clear and concise - should be self-explanatory 3. Read references - will help in choosing journal - better insight into possible reviewers 4. Choose journal - study “instructions to authors” - think about possible reviewers - quality of journal “impact factor” 5. Tentative title and concept

7. Things to consider before writing 6. Autorship - Who will be coauthors - Who only will be acknowledged - Order of authors

8. Important tips! FALLACY:It’s only the number of papers that count. FACT:One good detailed paper ina prestigious journal is worth far more than smaller component papersin lesser journals! (not applicable for majority of researchers) (in Croatia not applicable at all, although changes are currently under way!!!)

9. Important tips! • It is not enough to write so that the reader can understand; You should write so that the reader cannot misunderstand! • You can learn a lot from studying other people’s work, but ... never, ever, claim somebody else’s work as your own.

10. Seven deadly sins • Data manipulation, falsification • Duplicate manuscripts • Redundant publication • Plagiarism • Author conflicts of interest • Animal use concerns • Humans use concerns Etički kodeks u znanosti http://public.mzos.hr/fgs.axd?id=14038

11. Journal selection • Strategies to choose the journal: • Where many of the papers cited were published? • Journal scope – appropriate research fields? • Journal rating (impact factor in the respective category) • Open access • Where do cited scientists publish their work? • Read the avertising statements of journals • Read the “Instruction for Authors” • Read the table of contents of potential journals • Examine several articles in potential journals • Does your concept fits the journal (length, colour, ...)? • Identify publication costs – too expensive?

12. ISI Web of Knowledge database, Journal Citation Reports http://www.isiknowledge.com

13. Journal selection • Biological Conservation (www.elsevier.com) • Biological Conservation has as its main purpose the dissemination of original papers from a wide international field dealing with the conservation of wildlife and the wise use of biological and allied natural resources. It is concerned with plants and animals and their habitats in a changing and increasingly human-dominated biosphere - in fresh and salt waters, as well as on land and in the atmosphere. Biological Conservation publishes field studies, analytical and modeling studies and review articles. • ... • Original papers should report the results of original research. The material must not have been previously published elsewhere. Full length articles usually are usually up to 8.000 words. • IF = 3.57 in 2008 (ranked #14 of 163 in Environmental Sciences) • Colour illustrations in print will be charged to the author. Illustration costs are EURO 350 for every first page. All subsequent pages cost EURO 175.Colour illustrations in the web (ScienceDirect) are free of charge.

14. Journal selection • Progres in Oceanography (www.elsevier.com) • Progress in Oceanography publishes the longer, more comprehensive papers that most oceanographers feel are necessary, on occasion, to do justice to their work. Contributions are generally either a review of an aspect of oceanography or a treatise on an expanding oceanographic subject. The articles cover the entire spectrum of disciplines within the science of oceanography. Occasionally, volumes are devoted to collections of papers and conference proceedings of exceptional interest. • ... • Authors should try to confine the text to no more than 120 pages. As an approximate guide for shorter papers authors should try to confine the text to 25-30 pages, with a total manuscript length, including figures and tables, of 45-50 pages. • IF = 3.17 (ranked #4 of 50 in Oceanography) • The cost of fold-in charts or diagrams and of colour figures must be borne by the author or his institution. Authos will be charged for colour reproduction as follows: Euro 350 (or USD 350) for the first page, Euro 175 (or USD 175) for subsequent pages. More than one figure may be included per page.

15. Journal selection • Journal of Geophysical Research - Oceans (www.agu.org) • Top journal in physical oceanography • IF = 3.17 (ranked #11 of 144 in Geosciences, Multidisciplinary) • Authors who have funding are expected to help support the costs of publication; those who do not mayrequest a reduction or a waiver of fees. Waivers of excess length fees must be approved by the Editor.Most fees related to publication in AGU journals are based on the Publication Unit (PU) as described below.Using the online calculator (http://www.agu.org/cgi-bin/wc/wc.cgi), authors can determine for themselvesthe likely charges prior to submitting a contribution to an AGU journal. • - $1000 Basic publication fee (formerly called “page charges”). • $250/Page, Excess length fee. • Color figures: • free • Average publication cost = 1000-1500 $

16. So, you: • Have reliable and publishable scientific results • decided in which journal you will publish them • Now you can start the writing, but ... ... the hardest part is getting started!

17. First you can write a concept Summer breakout of trapped bottom dense water from the northern Adriatic Ivica Vilibić, Gordana Beg Paklar, Nenad Domijan, Hrvoje Mihanović, Miroslava Pasarić, Nastjenjka Supić, Mark Žagar, Nedjeljka Žagar Abstract 1. Introduction 2. Material and methods 2.1. The measurements 2.2. The models (COAMPS, POM) 3. The observations 3.1. Temperature series (Fig. 2) 3.2. CTD sections (Figs. 3,4) 3.3. Currents (Figs. 5-7) 3.4. Meteorological series and coastal fluxes (Fig. 8) 3.5. Satellite images (Fig. 9,10) 4. Numerical modelling of the storm 4.1. Atmospheric processes (Figs. 10-12) 4.1. Oceanic response (Figs. 13-15) 5. Discussion and conclusions (Fig. 16) Appendix

18. Then you can start with the simplest section (my preference is Section 2 – Data and methods, Material and methods, ...) • Enough information for an experiencedinvestigator to repeatyour work • Avoid tiresome detail • Tests, procedures, methods, experiments, processes, equipment, data structures, algorithms, etc. • Reference published methods where appropriate • If unusual complexities, consider appendix • Don’t describe dead ends.

19. The next section(s) is the largest and the whole manuscript is relying on it, so please write carefully and concisely – The results • Logical sequence of presentation • Present main findings referring to tables/figures(Fig. X, Table Y) • Use figures and tables with self-contained legends to convey your most important results “at a glance” • Do not speculate or over discuss results • Minimize “unpublished results” • Use subheadings • A lot of numbers, make Table • Don’t repeat data in text and tables

20. Mathematical conciseness

21. Then you can go back to the Section 1 - Introduction • Long enough to place paper in context • Make a short, simple opening statement of the context in a few, accessible sentences - avoiding over-ambitious vagueness or immediately impenetrable jargon • Logical sequence and research issues downscaled - introduce broader area and issues, then existing knowledge on specific issues, explicit rationale, hypothesis (written a priori), a summary of the organization of the paper. • Motivation - why should you bother writing this paper and why should I bother reading it? • Don’t provide a complete history of field!

22. Now you have an overview of the knowledge related to your research, so you can discuss your results in the frame of the existing knowledge, last section(s) – Discussion and conclusions • First answer question posed in Introduction • Relate your conclusion to existing knowledge • Discuss weaknesses and discrepancies • Explain what is new without exaggerating • Do not repeat results • Conclusion/summary, perspectives, implications

23. Yeah, just a few things to do ... • ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS • Those not listed as authors who helped with study • Intellectual input, Encouragement, Special measurements/reagents, Secretarial assistance, ... • Research support • REFERENCES • Make sure all references are referenced • Relevant and recent • Be highly selective • Read the references • Do not misquote • Use correct style for journal

24. ... • ABSTRACT • Précis writing • Summarizes problem, result, and uses • Informative, not descriptive • Some numbers, but not in excess • Determines if paper will be read • FIGURES AND TABLES • Do before writing • Redraw, redraw, simplify • Legend – gives message, not a story • Use same units as in text • Obtain permission for use of previously published material

25. ... and that’s all, folks!!! • “malo morgen”

26. Revise, revise and revise • (but you can leave a bit to the reviewers) • All authors should participate • Review order of data presentation • Polish the writing style • Double check references • Look for typos • Double check spelling Secret of writing is rewriting Secret of rewriting is re-thinking

27. American Journal Experts • www.journalexperts.com

28. Deadline – do a plan of activities

29. Finally you are satisfied with the quality of the paper. • Submit it! • Read instructions carefully • Fill out all necessary forms • Address letter to Editor • Describe paper in 3-4 sentences • If allowable, suggest reviewers • Define any competitors who you feel would give unfair review

30. Completion of research Preparation of manuscript Submission of manuscript Assignment and review Decision Rejection Revision Resubmission Re-review Acceptance Rejection Publication

32. You get nasty reviews (e.g. major revision of the paper). What to do? • Carefully prepare your responses • Each comment should be addressed • Each change should be stated • Be enthusiastic • Reviewer may be wrong • Be tactful – thank the reviewers • Do not respond to reviewers while upset • Never call the editor, don’t try to “muscle” the Reviewer • Get help from other authors • Start with polite intro to each reviewer:“We are grateful to reviewer A for useful comments ....”

33. Common mistakes AspectReason for rejection Topicirrelevant topic or topic of local interest only Newnesspapers offers nothing new Focustopic, objectives and conclusions are not connected Methodology unclear and misleading argumentation; Styleunclear, unfocused and incoherent text Data Qualityflawed design; insignificant sample number; preliminary findings only

34. What does people read? Abstract 87% Introduction 43% Middle 12% Summary and Conclusions 55%

35. Benefits of writing • Benefit greater to author than reader • Invaluable mental discipline • Enhances clear thinking • Making a subject intelligible to othersmeans you understand it • Improve your reading skills • Satisfies a creative instinct

36. And that’s all, folks! Any questions ???