My Experience in Scientific Writing Shiqiang Wan

Before Manuscript Writing Read Paper from the Flagship Journals Keep reading (at least one paper per week) Write paper review (2-3 pages), one per week

Recommended Flagship Journals of Ecology and Botany Science, Nature, PNAS, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, Annual Review of Ecology and Sysmatics, Ecology, Ecological Monographs, Ecological Applications, Frontiers in Ecology and Environment, Journal of Ecology, Journal of Applied Ecology, Functional Ecology, American Naturalist, Oecologia, Oikos, Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics Ecology Letters, Ecosystems, Global Change Biology, Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Global Ecology & Biogeography Journal of Experimental Botany, Plant, Cell, & Environment New Phytologist, American Journal of Botany, Soil Biology & Biochemistry, Plant and Soil

文章评阅报告要求 1 ．英文写作； 12 号字，左侧对称，用自己的语言组织， 不得抄袭文章中的句子和段落。 2 ．给文章打分，可分为 A+ 、 A- 、 B+ 、 B- 、 C+ 、 C- 、 D+ 、 D- 几个档次。 3 ．注明文章的题目、作者、出版刊物名称、卷、期、页 码；评阅人员姓名和日期。 4 ．介绍文章的背景、出发点和假设、研究方法、主要结 果、结论和意义。 5 ．指出该文章的优缺点。 6 ．该文章对你的研究有何启发；查找其中引用的重要文 献。 7 ．根据所有已经阅读的文献，归纳提出新的观点和假设， 并设计可行的实验来验证。 8 ．在读书报告写出之后，要仔细检查几遍，上、下标， 大、小写等格式问题一定要认真修改后方可上交。

Scope Introduction Background Methods Results Discussion Implications

Make idea go smoothly and consistently Warming Precipitation N addition Warming Precipitation N addition Warming Precipitation N addition Introduction Results Discussion a c b

Tips Introduction: present tense Methods and Result: past tense Discussion: present tense

Begin from Which Section? Materials and Methods Results Introduction Discussion Conclusion Abstract

Results The most important issue: Data Mining; Play with your data! Define all the possible relationships among parameters Prepare the figures and tables in the way that be used in the manuscript Select most relevant and significant results that can make the study a good story

The right way to present interactions The main effects of both warming (P<0.05) and increasing precipitation (P<0.05) were statistically significant. Warming stimulated Y by ??% whereas precipitation reduced it by ??% Warming and increased precipitation interacted to affect Y (P<0.01). Warming reduced Y by ??% under ambient precipitation, but increased it by ??% under increased precipitation. Increased precipitation enhanced Y by??% without warming and suppressed it by ?? % warming, respectively.

Discussion Comparison of your results with others Seek for the underlying mechanisms of the changes in the measured parameters. Implications or extrapolations of your findings. Define unresolved questions for future research

Discussion Complex interactions among multiple ecological components and processes require to explain changes in one variable with all other variables with available data. When explaining your result, do not to speculate unless you can support your argument with data in your or previous studies.

Discussion Do not repeat results: Wrong: There were significant effects of warming × increased precipitation interactions on cumulative root production, mortality. Right: Significant effects of warming × increased precipitation interactions on cumulative root production, mortality observed in this study suggest

Introduction Literature review Correct judgment on progress of the research related to your study. Define critical scientific questions that have not been answered yet and can, at least partly, be answered in your study. Propose hypotheses based on solid findings and reasonable speculation

Conclusion Concise and informative.

Abstract Importance, methods, major findings, conclusion Numerical presentation “Talk-home” message that you can describe your study with one sentence and the reader can remember your study easily.

Do not use LONG sentence, separate it into several short sentences each with its own major point.

For Chinese Authors Put Given (first) Name ( 名 ) first, then Family name ( 姓 ). “Shiqiang Wan or S. Wan ” in US, “Wan, Shiqiang or Wan S” in UK

Other Capital case at the beginning of the sentence Use one tense in a sentence Check 主语与谓语的单复数是否一致 Do not always use “And”, “So”, “But”, “While” at the beginning of the sentence. Use “in” rather than “of” after “change”, “difference”, “Reduction” “Increase”, “Decrease”