Scientific Writing Session 2 KES FSS MUNI Brno 12/3/2015 Anatomy of a research project/paper Anatomy of a research project/paper Anatomy of a research project/paper Anatomy of a research project/paper Anatomy of a research project/paper Wow! Hmmm?! I need to know this! Do I really care? Why? Does anybody know already? How could I find out? Let’s gather some evidence! So what have I learned? But what if? The answer is 42! Wow!? Hmmm! Anatomy of a research project/paper Wow! Hmmm?! I need to know this! Title I need to tell everybody! Abstract Do I really care? Why? Introduction I. Does anybody know already? Introduction II. How could I find out? Methods Let’s gather some evidence! Data So what have I learned? Results But what if? Discussion The answer is 42! Wow!? Hmmm! Conclusion Resarch process Structure of paper copies the research process: Title (and author list) - choosing a topic, forming a team Abstract - determining research question Introduction - reviewing avilable evidence Data and methods - designing research Results - analyzing evidence Discussion - limitations and bigger picture Conclusion - celebration Zoo of motivations Zoo of motivations Who cares?: me vs. the society Why?: practical vs. intellectual motivation Activity: on the Question Quest list topics (re)introduce each check preferences Team working strategies Team working strategies 6 hats of de Bono Team working strategies 6 hats of de Bono 6 hats Determining research question Feasible: Adequate number of subjects Adequate technical expertise Affordable in time and money Manageable in scope Interesting: Getting the answer intrigues investigator, peers and community Novel: Confirms, refutes or extends previous findings Ethical: Amenable to a study that institutional review board will approve Relevant: To scientific knowledge To clinical, societal, technological policy/applications To future research Determining research question: guiding questions Questions that may help: Determining research question: guiding questions Questions that may help: What exactly do you mean by ...? Who has already studied this question? What did they find? Where is the boundary between known and unknown in this area? Where is the knowledge gap? How could ... be determined/measured? Which methods can be used? How they differ? What are their limitations? How can the answer distilled from the data? How will I analyze it? Activity: Generating candidate specific research questions Or shall we first check the evidence so far? Searching for evidence looking for information sources databases (ISI, google(scholar)) reference software (jabref, endnote, zotero, citeulike) evaluating evidence Currency Relevance Authority Accuracy Purpose Activity: Searching for evidence Find three most relevant papers related to your question! Analysing evidence: methodology notes reliability and validity Analysing evidence: methodology notes reliability and validity representativity Analysing evidence: methodology notes reliability and validity representativity statistical methods Analysing evidence: methodology notes reliability and validity representativity statistical methods Methodology notes - types of validity Methodology notes - sample representativity Methodology notes - statistical methods Methodology notes - statistical methods Studying literature: reading a paper Posing questions? Trying to pick up relevant information? “How would I approach that question?” Looking for a specific answer vs. learning about the field (original research paper vs. review, book) Studying literature: reading a paper Posing questions? Trying to pick up relevant information? “How would I approach that question?” Looking for a specific answer vs. learning about the field (original research paper vs. review, book) Activity: studying a paper choose keywords Studying literature: reading a paper Posing questions? Trying to pick up relevant information? “How would I approach that question?” Looking for a specific answer vs. learning about the field (original research paper vs. review, book) Activity: studying a paper choose keywords searching a selected database Studying literature: reading a paper Posing questions? Trying to pick up relevant information? “How would I approach that question?” Looking for a specific answer vs. learning about the field (original research paper vs. review, book) Activity: studying a paper choose keywords searching a selected database pick a relevant paper Studying literature: reading a paper Posing questions? Trying to pick up relevant information? “How would I approach that question?” Looking for a specific answer vs. learning about the field (original research paper vs. review, book) Activity: studying a paper choose keywords searching a selected database pick a relevant paper read, refer, ask questions, re-read Studying literature: reading a paper Posing questions? Trying to pick up relevant information? “How would I approach that question?” Looking for a specific answer vs. learning about the field (original research paper vs. review, book) Activity: studying a paper choose keywords searching a selected database pick a relevant paper read, refer, ask questions, re-read Determining research question Activity: Determining research question Determining research question Activity: Determining research question Questions that may help: What exactly do you mean by ...? Who has already studied this question? What did they find? Where is the boundary between known and unknown in this area? Where is the knowledge gap? How could .... be determined/measured? Which methods can be used? How they differ? What are their limitations? How can the answer distilled from the data? How will I analyze it? Overly honest methods http://thenode.biologists.com/overly-honest-methods/ ”Here’s a typical plot of the data, by which I mean it was the prettiest one.” ”We added 888 uL because it’s a lucky number in China.” ”Samples were analyzed between 2 days and 6 months post-collection, depending on when the freezer got full.” ”We tried several statistical confidence test, randomly. Here is the one that gives the coolest results! ” ”The reaction was heated to reflux overnight because it was time to go to the pub.” ”The hypothesis and rationale behind testing these compounds in this model system is we already had them in our fridge” ”100 flies were dissected because that was all the undergraduate could manage”