Scientific Reading and Writing in English Fall, 2011 Time: 1:10-3:00 pm, every Tuesday Place: Conference room ( ), Dept. Microbiology and Immunology (11th floor) Coordinator Shu-Ying Wang, Ph. D. Dept. Microbiology and Immunology Tel: ext Fax:

The slides of classes will be posted on the web site of Dept. Microbiol. and Immunol. This class is to discuss and practice manuscript writing. Q:What is a “manuscript”? What is in the manuscript? (What is in a paper?) How are you going to write a manuscript? Please choose the journal you would like to submit your manuscript and have files of its paper from your laboratory and the “Instructions to authors” saved in USB with you in the class for the whole semester.

IMRAD a mirror of your research process Introduction Material & Methods Results And Discussion Ask a question Attempt to answer the question Obtain and compile data Answer the question

A manuscript is to address 1. why you did it (Introduction) 2. how you did it (Materials and Methods) 3. what did you get (Results and Discussion) The organization of a scientific paper (IMRAD) Especially, non-native English students should spend more time to practice scientific speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

WeekDateTopicTutor 19/13Overview of manuscript preparation and submissionShu-Ying Wang 29/20“Introduction”Shu-Ying Wang 39/27“Data Processing (Making figures and tables)”Shun-Hua Chen 410/4Practice “Introduction”Shu-Ying Wang 510/11“Results”Robert Anderson 610/18Practice “Data Processing (Making figures and tables)”Shun-Hua Cen 710/25Practice “Results”Robert Anderson 811/1“Discussion”Shu-Ying Wang 911/8“Materials and Methods”Shu-Ying Wang 1011/15“Abstract”Pin Ling 1111/22“References, Acknowledgements, and Front page”Pin Ling 1211/29“Cover letter”Pin Ling 1312/6Practice “Discussion”Shu-Ying Wang 1412/13Practice “Materials and Methods”Shu-Ying Wang 1512/20Practice “Abstract”Pin Ling 1612/27 Practice “ References, Acknowledgements, and Front page” Pin Ling 171/3Practice “Cover letter”Pin Ling

Course: Scientific Reading and Writing in English Students: Ph. D. students of the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences and the second year Master students of Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Must have taken the Advanced Molecular Biology course. The goal of this course is to improve the ability of students to read and write scientific papers in English. The specific objectives are: To be familiar with manuscript format, writing, and submission To learn to use Endnote program for reference citation To understand the common problems in medical writing and develop effective strategies to overcome them. To develop scientific and critical thinking. To develop effective strategies for reading scientific papers

The course contains lectures and discussions on assigned articles or the manuscripts written by students. Students are graded based on their participation in class and manuscript writing skill. Reference: Day RA. How to write and publish a scientific paper. 6th ed Greenwood Press, CT, USA. Requirments: English will be the only language used in class. Students are requested to read articles before class and write their own manuscripts section by section after class. Each student will be assigned to his/her major professor or a tutor who will correct and grade all the homework of student throughout the semester. Students who want to take this course need to have materials to write and are required to obtain consent from their major professors to revise their homework. Major professors will be credited 5 seminar hours of the Institute of Basic Medical Research for participating in correcting the homework of each student.

Datelines Sections Date for turning in homework (Thursday) Date for returning homework (Monday) Date for Practice listed on syllabus (Tuesday) 1. Introduction9/2910/310/4 2 Figures and tables10/1310/1710/18 3. Results10/2010/2410/25 4. Discussion12/112/512/6 5. Materials and Methods12/812/1212/13 6. Abstract12/1512/1912/20 7. References, Acknowledgements, and Front page 12/2212/2612/27 8. Cover letter12/291/21/3 a. Please turn in your homework to your adviser on time. b. Please get your corrected homework back on time, read it, and bring it to the class, so we can discuss.

Spacing 1. ….publications on the topic. The introduction……. 2. …. including the procedures, observations, and data of the study….. 3. White (30) demonstrated that XYZ cells grow at pH mM, 2 h, 2 min, 2 pg/ml, 200 Xg 5. 5%, 70 ℃, 1/3

Verb Tense. ASM strongly recommends that for clarity you use the past tense to narrate particular events in the past, including the procedures, observations, and data of the study that you are reporting. Use the present tense for your own general conclusions, the conclusions of previous researchers, and generally accepted facts. Thus, most of the Abstract, Materials and Methods, and Results will be in the past tense, and most of the Introduction and some of the Discussion will be in the present tense. -continued

Be aware that it may be necessary to vary the tense in a single sentence. For example, it is correct to say ‘‘White (30) demonstrated that XYZ cells grow at pH 6.8,’’ ‘‘Figure 2 shows that ABC cells failed to grow at room temperature,’’ (or Results showed that ABC cells failed to grow at room temperature (Figure 2) and ‘‘Air was removed from the chamber and the mice died, which proves that mice require air.’’ In reporting statistics and calculations, it is correct to say ‘‘The values for the ABC cells are statistically significant, indicating that the drug inhibited....’’ -continued

For an in-depth discussion of tense in scientific writing, see p. 191–193 in How To Write and Publish a Scientific Paper, 6th ed.

When I write a manuscript (MS), I start with the results with figures and tables, materials and methods, introduction or discussion, and the abstract. You should write your MS when you are doing the project, not after you finish the whole project. Writing a MS helps you to organize your project.

Homework 1.The paper you pick and the instructions to authors before September 20 th. 2. Read handout “How to Write the Introduction?”. 3. Find followings in the Introduction of your paper (1) The nature and scope of the problem investigated (2) Reviews of the related literature to orient the reader (3) The method or the reason for the choice of a particular method (4) Principal results (5) Principal conclusion(s)