Organising and Writing Research PapersStoryboard and Abstract
P Sunthar
Department of Chemical EngineeringIndian Institute of Technology, Bombay
Mumbai 400076, [email protected]
September 17, 2012
Introduction Answers Writing References
Outline of the Lecture
1 Introduction
2 Answers
3 Writing
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Introduction Answers Writing References
Essence of Technical Communication
Structure of a QuestionProblem Definition
Topic: Name/Area/TitleQuestion: Who/What/Where/When/Why/How ?Practical or Conceptual Significance: So What ? Forunderstanding What ?
Structure of an Answer/Argument
Claim or Thesis: What is your answer ?Reason: Why should I believe that ?Evidence: How do you know that ?Acknowledgement and Response: But what about others’view?Warrant: What general principle connects claim to reason?
Booth et al. [2008]P Sunthar (IIT Bombay) Organising and Writing Research Papers September 17, 2012 3 / 16
Introduction Answers Writing References
Planning an Answer
Propose Working Answers/HypothesisTentative solutionsWrite your answers (in detail)What evidence is required to support ? (Expts/Theory)Don’t get infatuated by your working hypothesis. It couldbe wrong!No W. Hypothesis ? Consider modifying question.Bounce off answer with working group, supervisor.
Build a StoryboardLike an outline, but one point per pageEase of addition of dataEase of reorganisationQuestion and working hypothesis on first pageAdd alternative answers below (strike out wrong ones)Reason 1,2,3,. . . in separate pagesEvidence 1,2,3,. . . in separate pages
P Sunthar (IIT Bombay) Organising and Writing Research Papers September 17, 2012 4 / 16
Introduction Answers Writing References
Planning an Answer
Propose Working Answers/HypothesisTentative solutionsWrite your answers (in detail)What evidence is required to support ? (Expts/Theory)Don’t get infatuated by your working hypothesis. It couldbe wrong!No W. Hypothesis ? Consider modifying question.Bounce off answer with working group, supervisor.
Build a StoryboardLike an outline, but one point per pageEase of addition of dataEase of reorganisationQuestion and working hypothesis on first pageAdd alternative answers below (strike out wrong ones)Reason 1,2,3,. . . in separate pagesEvidence 1,2,3,. . . in separate pages
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Introduction Answers Writing References
Storyboard
Write it down, don’t just Think!
Reason/Guess 1
Evidence/
Possible Evidence
Evidence/
Possible Evidence
Reason/Guess 2
Evidence/
Possible Evidence
Reason/Guess 3Question
1.
2.
3.
Claim/Hypothesis
Topic
Conclusion
Tentative Answer (Working Hypothesis) Claim
Guess Reason
Possible Evidence Evidence
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Introduction Answers Writing References
Planning an Argument
Recall: Claim, Reason, EvidenceWrite out possible questions/objections from readers (notGuide)Questions inside the argument
Evidence: unreliable, inaccurate, insufficient, unrelatedReasons: inconsistent/contraditory, insufficient, weak,irrelavant
Ask colleagues, friends, guide to object.
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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising
First Draft
Reorganise storyboard in a logical sequencenot necessarily in the order you concieved itnot a patchwork of resources
Sketch a working introductionIdentify key concepts (words) thatOrder sections by order of reasons
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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising
Working Introduction
Write Introduction TwiceSketchy, for guiding your writingFinal, for readers
1 Current SituationWhat your readers think or know now ?Literature review (chief sources)Motivation
2 Research QuestionDisruptive to current situation. We know . . . but . . . ?What we don’t understand ?
3 Significance of Question: So what if we don’t know?4 Answer: Your primary claim.
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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising
Working Introduction
Write Introduction TwiceSketchy, for guiding your writingFinal, for readers
1 Current SituationWhat your readers think or know now ?Literature review (chief sources)Motivation
2 Research QuestionDisruptive to current situation. We know . . . but . . . ?What we don’t understand ?
3 Significance of Question: So what if we don’t know?4 Answer: Your primary claim.
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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising
Importance of Keywords
Unites the paperShould be repeated in critical sections (Abstract,Introduction, Results, Conclusion
Using KeywordsCircle words from claimUse same words not variations (alternate meanings)Ignore title wordsOne term for a concept (reason)
P Sunthar (IIT Bombay) Organising and Writing Research Papers September 17, 2012 9 / 16
Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising
Importance of Keywords
Unites the paperShould be repeated in critical sections (Abstract,Introduction, Results, Conclusion
Using KeywordsCircle words from claimUse same words not variations (alternate meanings)Ignore title wordsOne term for a concept (reason)
P Sunthar (IIT Bombay) Organising and Writing Research Papers September 17, 2012 9 / 16
Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising
Ordering Sections
Sections based on reasons and evidenceUsually the Results & Discussion sectionSequencing
Simple to ComplexLogically (step-by-step) dependent
Sketch an intro to each section. End intro paragraph withthe main point (reason).Expand the argument (Reason, Evidence,Acknowledgement)
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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising
Productive Habits
Not last moment (for long papers)Not marathonSchedule few hours per day, with achievable goalSuitable environment
Turn off mobileTurn off chat windowsDon’t check Emails/Social networks
Don’t wait till you get the full picture. Start writing bits.Work on overall draft against refining individual sections
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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising
Preliminary Oral Report
Tentative presentation to a groupAfter the first draft outlineMakes ideas coherentTest your ideas against “hostile” audience
PresentQuestion and ClaimReasons supporting itForcast kind of evidence you hope to gatherPrepare written script for memorising
Terse, TimingIntroductionConclusion
P Sunthar (IIT Bombay) Organising and Writing Research Papers September 17, 2012 12 / 16
Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising
Preliminary Oral Report
Tentative presentation to a groupAfter the first draft outlineMakes ideas coherentTest your ideas against “hostile” audience
PresentQuestion and ClaimReasons supporting itForcast kind of evidence you hope to gatherPrepare written script for memorising
Terse, TimingIntroductionConclusion
P Sunthar (IIT Bombay) Organising and Writing Research Papers September 17, 2012 12 / 16
Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising
Revising Draft
Rewriting IntroductionExpand Current Situation with detailed literature reviewIncremental works, use one or two references as startingpointUse rejected hypothesis. It might be expected that . . . , butRevisit keywords usage
Writing ConclusionRestate your claim (further expanded)Relate briefly to reasons and evidencesEnsure new keywords are includedState a new significance or practical application
Write your title last
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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising
Abstract Writing
Essence of the complete workShortened work
Introduction, Literature, Problem, Method, Results,Implication
Usually the second thing (after title) that is readMultiple drafts, like Introduction
First Guiding DraftFinal Polished Draft
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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising
Abstract Writing
Essence of the complete workShortened work
Introduction, Literature, Problem, Method, Results,Implication
Usually the second thing (after title) that is readMultiple drafts, like Introduction
First Guiding DraftFinal Polished Draft
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Introduction Answers Writing References First Draft Revising
Nature Guidelines
One or two sentences: Basic introduction to the field (AnyScientist/Engineer)Two to three : more detailed background (comprehensibleto any <discipline> Scientist/Engineer.One : General ProblemOne : Main ResultTwo to three: Compare with respect to what was expectedOne or two: General contextTwo to three: Broader perspective (Any scientist/Engineer)
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Introduction Answers Writing References
Bibliography
Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams.The Craft of Research. The University of Chicago Press, 3edition, 2008.
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