Top advice form Prof. Michal Lipson,
- Don't write paper for those 10 people who is specialized in your area (who will read no matter what). Our goal should be to reach much broader community (broader audience)
- In one minute of grasping you paper, the reader should know what you did
- Paper should be crisp clear and easy to read (should not be hard to read). Writing your research without clarity may have no effect even though your work has potential to form a new field in research
- Tell your story in one minute.
Golden Rules
1. Cut! This seems to be the most important rule. Reduce any unnecessary word or phrases (cut many, anything subjective). Cut efficiently. Say aloud and write it. When we say something, we say clearly and simply. Just write as you explain to some one else. After writing, hunt down every word that will distract the reader from the main point you make. Very, really, basically, quite, generally - these words don't add much. Write without these sentences. Avoid starting with "there are". Following are the unnecessary phrases: for the most part, for the purpose of, in the case of, in the final analysis, in the event that, it has been estimated that, it may be argued that (come straight), as far as we know, as we know. Remove clunky phrases (with the word in bracket): A majority of (most), A number of (many), Are of the same opinion (agree), At the present moment (now), By means of (by), Less frequently occurring (rare). Wordy vs Pointed: in spite of the fact that (although), in the event that (if), period of four days (four days), refer back (refer), shorter/longer in length (shorter/longer), had been previously found (hand been found). Ask these questions again and again: Is this word/phrase necessary?, What happens if I take it out? If it is not critical (not changing anything), remove it.
2. Use active voice. When use passive voice, the sentence becomes hard to read, and not actually gives who did the experiment. Use we found major differences.... We did this, We did that, etc.
3. Use parallel construction: If you want to be a good researcher, you must study hard, listen well, and think critically about the literature.
4. Start paragraph with main point: Start the paragraphs with your main point then expand (Professor's favorite). This is important to write a crisp clear paper. Every paragraph should start with the main idea of the whole paragraph. Rest of the sentences are should be just details explaining the first sentence. If you take first sentences of all the paragraphs and put them together, it should form the abstract.
If you want to write a sentence and if you don't know how to order it, always bring the important points front.
Know the difference between the introduction and discussion.
In introduction, start with what is available, then explain what is missing, then your work (i.e., the introduction moves from general to specific)
In the discussion, at the end, say what amazing thing you did is going to revolutionize the word (The discussion moves from specific to general). You know the simplification, why and what you did some body else would care, and why the deficiencies you have might or might not be fundamental (which is pretty important). Put your work in the big picture. Your performance is not the best. But, put the minor drawback of the work.
In results, you show the number. In discussion, you show the big picture. The discussion should be the big picture. Not the little details.
Most important things not to put in the discussion:
Do not simply repeat what is in the Results
Do not try to explain every minor flaw
Do not try to explain away every unexpected result
Do not exaggerate or make extravagant claims
Don't hedge
(Editors and reviewers may read only this part, if they are busy. They don't care about the number. They care about the big picture.)
Need to attract very wide audience. But don't over claim and don't exaggerate.
