Chapter 2 How to Write a Scientific PaperThink About…What is the clear
structure of a scientific paper? Which sections do you need to a
ddress in detail?What contents does an abstract usually include?
What aspect should you importantly show in this paragraph?How man
y words around are necessary for an abstract?Is it better to writ
e the abstract after the rest of paper is completed? Can an abstr
act refer to other parts of the paper or figures/tables?Think Abo
ut…What contents does an introduction usually include? What does
the “setting” mean? What does the “gap” mean?What is addressed in
a conclusion section?What should be described in the main part o
f a scientific paper?Is it important to cite the literature caref
ully and fully according to the requirement of the journal or con
ference proceeding you submit to?What tips have you obtained from
this chapter?The Clear Structure of a Scientific Paper Abstract
Abstract is a concise single paragraph summary of the entire pape
r that includes background, purpose, method, result and conclusio
n in the research Most importantly, you should show the originali
ty of your research in this section, otherwise people may not hav
e interest in reading the following contents Abstract An abstract
is usually written in no more than two hundred words It is easie
r to write the abstract after the rest of paper is completed. Aft
er all, it is difficult to summarize something that is not yet wr
itten An abstract should stand on its own, and NOT refer to any o
ther part of the paper including figures and tables. This summary
focuses on the proposed method and result, and limits background
information to a sentence or two, or even omits if not absolutel
y necessaryIntroduction and ConclusionIntroduction is actually th
e extension of the abstract. This section gives the reader an ini
tial overview of this work. It usually includes setting, review o
f literature, gap/purpose, method, result, and overview of the co
ntentsIntroductionSetting means opening up the subject. Your subj
ect may be nonverbal language in human-computer interaction, face
detection in images, or whatever. Setting lets the reader see yo
ur research area at a glanceReview of literature means surveying
the past work relevant to this paper. Here you should mention pre
vious works and both of their contribution and limitationThen you
indicate the current gap or the problem that will be resolved in
your paper, and what your research motivation or purpose isNext
introduce your method, and briefly describe what have been done a
nd achieved from this work Finally overview the contents in this
paper to give a clear clueConclusionConclusion simply summarizes
what has been accomplished in this paper. This section reemphasiz
es the main purpose or hypothesis of this work, reviews findings,
describes advantages and limitations as well, and recommends pos
sible applications and future directionNoteMany readers would rea
d ONLY the introduction and conclusion of your paper. The two sec
tions must be written carefully and thoroughly, so the basic idea
of your research can be understood by someone who does not read
the main body of your paperMain body of a paperThe main body of a
paper consists of the method, result and discussion (optional)In
the main body of the paper, you should define all the terminolog
ies, notations, and abbreviations to be used first, and then work
toward the details From developing the equations on which your r
esearch is based to describing your methodology or algorithm step
by step, you should do your best to let the result or achievemen
t be obtained smoothly and understandablyReferencePeer reviewers
judge what your work is based on by looking through your referenc
esThe source and range you have read about decide your research l
evel, so cite your literature carefully and fully according to th
e requirement of the journal or conference proceeding you submit
toUseful tricksFinish a complete draft first. In writing your fir
st draft, don’t worry if the wording is not perfect or the gramma
r is not correct, but just put down the words as you are explaini
ng what you are working on to a very good friend. Polishing the p
aper comes later!Useful tricksExpress your ideas as concisely as
possible. Make sure that your materials are easy for a reader to
follow. Keep in mind that your readers probably understand less t
han you think. Each paragraph should only have one main point. It
is recommended to state the central point in a topical sentence
at beginning of the paragraph. Avoid mixing different ideas in th
e same paragraphUseful tricksAvoid foggy writing. Reduce the leng
th of your sentences by breaking long sentences into shorter ones
. Get rid of as many complicated words as possible by using simpl
er words instead. Get rid of as many abstract words as possible,
because abstract words often convey a different meaning to the re
ader than the one you intendedUseful tricksUse verbs more than no
uns. Let the verbs carry the action, so that your writing will so
und better than burying the main action in nouns or adjectives. F
or example, compare “It is our expectation that the input will be
expanded into other natural languages in future.” with “We expec
t to expand the input into other natural languages in future.”, t
hen you can tell the different effectUseful tricksKeep verb tense
consistent. Don’t change verb tense frequently between the futur
e and present tense for no reason. The simplest way is just to st
ick to the present tense. For example, “We propose a novel method
in this paper.”, instead of “We shall propose a novel method in
this paper.”Useful tricksGet rid of as many passive verbs as poss
ible, because passive verbs often make writing obscure, incompreh
ensible, and even boringUseful tricksTransition between ideas or
paragraphs must go smoothly. Make sure that the reader always has
a roadmap of your paper in mind. The reader must always be able
to understand what you have described and what you are going to t
alk aboutUseful tricksDo not use “this” or “that” as a pronoun, o
therwise the antecedent is often missing or poorly defined. The s
olution to this problem is to change “this” to an adjective by in
serting a suitable noun. For example, avoid using sentence such a
s “this is…”, and instead, use “this problem is…” or “that result
is…” and so forthUseful tricksPolish your paper as perfect as po
ssible. Watch out for subtle grammar mistakes, sentence rhythm and timing. Make sure that the ideas flow clearly, simply and smoothly, and the entire paper looks just fine and pleasing. If some section does not quite sound right, work on it some more until it looks satisfyingAbove AllPractice makes perfect! Read and write more, and you will get better at this step over time as you develop a feel for clearly scientific writing |
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