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Scientific Communication

Scientific Communication. Gurudutt R. Kamath. What We Do. Bridge between those who know and those who need to know Bridge between SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) and lay persons Fast growing career Mainly known in software field Technical Writers and Technical Editors. Our Work.

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Scientific Communication

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  1. Scientific Communication Gurudutt R. Kamath

  2. What We Do • Bridge between those who know and those who need to know • Bridge between SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) and lay persons • Fast growing career • Mainly known in software field • Technical Writers and Technical Editors

  3. Our Work • User documentation • Journals and Whitepapers • Research Reports • Books, Publications, and Newspapers

  4. Scientific Papers • Publish to complete research • Communicate well to be published • How to Write a Paper1(3rd edition) • Edited by George M Hall (BywordViva) • Scientific Writing: Easy when you know how

  5. Why Publish?1 • Readers can • Assess the observations you make • Repeat the experiment if they wish • Determine whether the conclusions drawn are justified by the data

  6. IMRAD (Abstract– brief summary) Introduction – What question was asked? Methods – How was it studied? Results – What was found? And Discussion – What do the findings mean?

  7. Introduction • Why you have undertaken the study? • Clarify what your work adds • Keep it short • Make sure you are aware of earlier studies • Convince the reader • Don’t baffle the reader

  8. Methods • Study Design • Who, what, why, when, and where? • Randomisation, blind assessment • Inclusion and exclusion criteria • Analysis of the Data • What hypothesis was tested?

  9. Results • What was found? • Organize the presentation • Avoid • The results are presented in tables X-Z and in figures A-C. • Differentiate clearly between data and results • Republishing figures (copyright)

  10. And – General Points • Instructions to Authors • Wrong length • 400 word abstract • 600 word length • Audience • Generalist • Specialist • Structure and Format • Words • Structure

  11. Discussion – So What? • Summary of the field of enquiry • We conclude … • This study found … • Context of literature studied • Finishing off • Perhaps … • Possibly … • More research is needed … • Here’s another problem solved • Conclusion to be backed up by data • Acknowledgements

  12. Titles • Interesting, concise, precise, not misleading, informative, descriptive, and appropriate for classification • Developing a title in 4 steps – Lileyman, 1988, p441 • Nuclear reprocessing, radiation exposure, and childhood leukaemia: an epidemiological study

  13. Abstracts • 200-300 words • Structured • Context, objectives, design, setting, participants, interventions, main outcome measures, results, and conclusions

  14. Authors • Vancouver guidelines • Participated sufficiently • Concept, design, analysis, or interpretation • Drafting or revising • Final approval • Public responsibility for the content • Nothing should be inferred from the order of authors

  15. References • Foundation on which the work is built • Large number • Read review articles • Take Expert help • Vancouver and Harvard formats • Numbered consecutively (1) • Name of the author (Year) • Sloppy – reviewers will …

  16. Uniform Requirements • Double spacing Margins (25 mm) • Sequence • Title, abstract, key words, text, acknowledgement, references, tables, legends to figures • IMRAD • New page – section, table • Permissions (previous material) • Required number of copies Electronic copy

  17. Style • Clear, Accurate, Concise • Short sentences, simple words, simple structures • Jargon only if required. • Noun clusters • Obstetric complication frequency • Frequency of obstetric complications • Say Who did What • We compared the treatment group ...

  18. More Style • Avoid This, these, he, she, or it • If the baby does not thrive on raw milk, boil it. • Make comparisons clear (subgroup or whole population) • More women were alive five years after diagnosis. • More women [than men] were alive five years after diagnosis.

  19. Simple Words1

  20. Say What You Mean • After five days, the symptoms had improved. • After five days, the symptoms had abated. • Dermatitis is less often diagnosed … • Dermatitis was less prevalent … • …symptoms are not well correlated withclinical disease severity. • …symptoms are not related to disease severity.

  21. House Style • Director General or director general • Beta-carotene or ß carotene • Moslem or Muslim • Mumbai or Bombay

  22. Guru’s Tips • Instructions to authors • Study a few model papers, letters • Read it out aloud • Spell-check finally and Proof-read (missing not, or note)

  23. FAQ and CE • FAQ • We, I, You – yes personal pronouns are fine • Common Errors • Poor references • Poor titles • Poor writing

  24. References • How to Write a Paper(3rd edition) Edited by George M Hall (BywordViva) • Scientific Writing: Easy when you know how Jennifer Peat, Elizabeth Elliott, Louise Baur, Victoria Keena • Science & Technical Writing General Editor Philip Rubens (Foundation) • Scientific Style and Format (6th edition) Council of Biology Editors (life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics)

  25. Technical Communication Gurudutt R. Kamath

  26. Importance • Improved productivity • Improved use of product • Increased safety • Legal protection • Reduces cost of training • Reduces support • Lesser chance of rejection

  27. Audience3 • Analysis • Surveys, questionnaires, structured interviews, usability tests • Characteristics • Educational, professional background • Knowledge, experience level • English language • Context • Objectives and Needs • Profile

  28. Information Analysis • Purpose and Structure • Document Type • Marketing • Conceptual, Procedural, Tutorial, Job Aid • Referential • Frequency and Pattern of Use • Textual Features

  29. Textual Features • Overview, summary sections • Step-by-step instructions • Narrative explanations • Conceptual models, analogies, and/or examples • Figures, charts, and/or tables • Cross-references and/or navigation aids • Technical terminology, language conventions, and/or symbolic conventions

  30. Media Characteristics • Articles – narrative • Booklets – conversational • Brochures – catchy • Newsletters – journalistic • Correspondence – formal, informal • Manuals – action oriented • Reports – formal and objective • Help systems – action oriented • Wizards – concise and action oriented • Websites – catch and easy to use

  31. Document Delivery • Print • Facsimile • Network • Floppy disk • FTP (file transfer protocol) • Email attachment • Website

  32. Technical Writing Process • Document Plan • Audience ~ Objective ~Media ~ Resources ~ TOC ~ Schedule • Writing • Revising • Editing • Reviews • Peer, Technical, Domain, Quality • Publish

  33. Tools • Microsoft Outlook – email • Microsoft Word – documents • Microsoft Excel – spreadsheets • Microsoft PaintBrush – drawings • Adobe Acrobat – PDF • Microsoft FrontPage – web pages • Adobe FrameMaker – large, complex documents • Adobe PageMaker – desktop publishing • Adobe InDesign – desktop publishing • XML editors • Macromedia RoboHelp • Macromedia Flash

  34. Technical Writing Practices • User Friendly • Appealing • Step-by-step instructions • Language and Style • Easy to Refer • Contents ~ Headings/subheadings ~ Cross References ~ Index • Easy to maintain • Modular, reusable • Right tools and templates • Language and Style • Parallelism ~ Grammar ~Active/Passive Voice ~ You ~ Style Guides

  35. User Friendly • Format and Structure • Headings, templates • Consistent • Headings, language, lists, cross-references, words • Lists • Bulleted, Numbered • Tables • Graphics • Instructions • Steps • Tasks • Concrete • Scenarios, Case Studies, Examples

  36. Document Design • Template • Use plenty of white space • Maximum of 5 fonts • Serif fonts (Times) – paper • Sans Serif fonts (Verdana) - online • Maximum of 5 colours

  37. Style Guides • Chicago Manual of Style • Grammar, References, Indexing, Punctuation • Microsoft Manual of Style • Usages for the computer industry • Elements of Style • Strunk & White • Grammar and Punctuation • Writing tips • http://www.bartleby.com/141

  38. Guru’s Tips • Structure and outline (Word) • Use a template and modify it • Use references • Dictionary, Chicago MOS • Format • Perfect • Maxim of 5 errors in the document

  39. FAQ and CE • FAQ • How can I become a technical writer? • Courses in technical communication • Common Errors • It’s and its • & • Double emphasis • Verbiage

  40. Web & Email • http://www.documentorg.com • MITWA group on Yahoo (Mediapersons, Indexers, Translators, Writers & Associates) • mitwa-susbscribe@yahoogroups.com • Book/Column • Documentorg-subscribe@topica.com • http://lists.topica.com/list/documentorg/read • Email • documentor@vsnl.com

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