1. Preparing Manuscripts & Presentations
Department of Biomedical, Human Factors, & Industrial Engineering

2. Manuscript Organization
Abstract
Introduction
Method
Experimental Design *
Subjects
Apparatus
Stimuli *
Procedure
Results
Discussion
Conclusion *
* Denotes section that are not always necessary
Department of Biomedical, Human Factors, & Industrial Engineering

3. Department of Biomedical, Human Factors, & Industrial Engineering
Abstract
Important part of the paper.
Should summarize
purpose
what you did,
what you found,
your conclusions or inferences
Often people will decided whether to read a paper based on the abstract. Remember abstracts are often used for search and retrieval.
Department of Biomedical, Human Factors, & Industrial Engineering

4. Introduction (Literature Review)
Summarize findings of relevant research
Should lead to why the current project is important
objective of your research
Do not plagiarize
Use first person only to avoid ambiguity
Use gender free language
Define terms, don’t use technical jargon that would be unfamiliar to readers
Department of Biomedical, Human Factors, & Industrial Engineering

5. Department of Biomedical, Human Factors, & Industrial Engineering
Method
This should be written so that someone could repeat your study
Subjects
who (WSU students, men and /or women)
where
screening
how many
average age
anything relevant
Department of Biomedical, Human Factors, & Industrial Engineering

6. Department of Biomedical, Human Factors, & Industrial Engineering
Method Continued
Apparatus
description of equipment used
how equipment was set up
model numbers,
equipment accuracy information when relevant
calibration required
Stimuli
Describe what information or stimulus looks like. (E.g., if showing pictures to subjects, how were they created and what was included.) Sometimes people confuse stimuli and procedure
Department of Biomedical, Human Factors, & Industrial Engineering

7. Department of Biomedical, Human Factors, & Industrial Engineering
Method Continued
Procedure
What procedure was followed to run a subject
Training
What was presented to the subject, in what order,
How subjects responded
Description of multiple tasks
Questionnaire at the end of the experiment?
Department of Biomedical, Human Factors, & Industrial Engineering

8. Common Problems That Lead to Rejection
Premature publication
Redundancy
Trivial experiment
Experimental procedure or analysis unclear
Experiment doesn’t address intended problems
Confounds
Inadequate analysis
Misinterpretation of results
Department of Biomedical, Human Factors, & Industrial Engineering

9. Questions Reviewers Ask
What was the author trying to do?
Was it worth it?
How well did s/he do it?
What happened
What did we learn?
How well is everything communicated?
So What?
Department of Biomedical, Human Factors, & Industrial Engineering