Tips on how to present the results of a study, and give it the best chance of publication. The result of this process is that virtually every scientific paper has a title, abstract, introduction, materials and methods, results and discussion. It should, however, be noted that most publications have rules about a paper 39 s format: some divide papers into these or some of these sections, others do not, and the order may be different in different publications. So be prepared to revise your paper in to a publication 39 s format when you are ready to submit. One general point to remember is the need to avoid jargon and acronyms as much as possible.

A second is the fact that some journals like papers to be written in the active voice i.e. A title should be the fewest possible words that accurately describe the content of the paper. Indexing and abstracting services depend on the accuracy of the title, extracting from it keywords useful in cross referencing and computer searching. An improperly titled paper may never reach the audience for which it was intended, so be specific. If the study has been limited to a particular region or system, and the inferences it contains are similarly limited, then name the region or system in the title. The keyword list provides the opportunity to add keywords, used by the indexing and abstracting services, in addition to those already present in the title.

Judicious use of keywords may increase the ease with which interested parties can locate your article. A well prepared abstract enables the reader to identify the basic content of a document quickly and accurately, to determine its relevance to their interests, and thus to decide whether to read the document in its entirety. The abstract concisely states the principal objectives and scope of the investigation where these are not obvious from the title.

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Do not include details of the methods used unless the study is methodological, i.e. The abstract must be concise most journals specify a length, typically not exceeding 250 words. If you can convey the essential details of the paper in 100 words, do not use 200. The abstract, together with the title, must be self contained as it is published separately from the paper in abstracting services such as biological abstracts or current contents.

Omit all references to the literature and to tables or figures, and omit obscure abbreviations and acronyms even though they may be defined in main body of the paper. A common mistake is to introduce authors and their areas of study in general terms without mention of their major findings. Longicollis is reported to have a diverse and opportunistic diet parmenter, 1976 chessman, 1984 . The latter is a far more informative lead in to the literature, but more importantly it will enable the reader to clearly place the current work in the context of what is already known.

Try to introduce references so they do not interfere with the flow of your argument: first write the text without references so that it reads smoothly, then add in the references at the end of sentences or phrases so they do not interrupt your flow. Note that not all journals use author 39 s names in references some use numbers in the text with a list of citations at the end of the article. An important function of the introduction is to establish the significance of your current work: why was there a need to conduct the study? having introduced the pertinent literature and demonstrated the need for the current study, you should state clearly the scope and objectives. The introduction can finish with the statement of objectives or, as some people prefer, with a brief statement of the principal findings. Either way, the reader must have an idea of where the paper is heading to follow the development of the evidence. The main purpose of the 39 materials and methods 39 section is to provide enough detail for a competent worker to repeat your study and reproduce the results.

The scientific method requires that your results be reproducible, and you must provide a basis for repetition of the study by others. Licor underwater quantum sensor, model li 192sb and sources of materials should be given if there is variation in quality among supplies. Modifications to equipment or equipment constructed specifically for the study should be carefully described in detail. The method used to prepare reagents, fixatives, and stains should be stated exactly, though often reference to standard recipes in other works will suffice.

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However, related methods may need to be described together and strict chronological order cannot always be followed. However, if a method has been previously published, only the name of the method and a literature reference need be given. Ordinary statistical methods should be used without comment advanced or unusual methods may require a literature citation. In the results section you present your findings: display items figures and tables are central in this section. Present the data, digested and condensed, with important trends extracted and described.

Because the results comprise the new knowledge that you are contributing to the world, it is important that your findings be clearly and simply stated. Combine the use of text, tables and figures to condense data and highlight trends. In doing so be sure to refer to the guidelines for preparing tables and figures below. In the discussion you should discuss what principles have been established or reinforced what generalisations can be drawn how your findings compare to the findings of others or to expectations based on previous work and whether there are any theoretical/practical implications of your work.

When you address these questions, it is crucial that your discussion rests firmly on the evidence presented in the results section. Do not extend your conclusions beyond those that are directly supported by your results. A brief paragraph of speculation about what your results may mean in a general sense is usually acceptable, but should not form the bulk of the discussion. Be sure to address the objectives of the study in the discussion and to discuss the significance of the results. Don 39 t leave the reader thinking so what? end the discussion with a short summary or conclusion regarding the significance of the work. Whenever you draw upon information contained in another paper, you must acknowledge the source. All references to the literature must be followed immediately by an indication of the source of the information that is referenced, for example, a drop in dissolved oxygen under similar conditions has been demonstrated before norris, l986.