Tips for Writing Scientific Papers

Tips for Writing Scientific Papers Among editors, I have the distinct advantage of having had a long, highly successful career as a scientific researcher, and having served as an editor and reviewer for several, high-profile scientific journals. I can tell you that there is no way to ensure, with one hundred percent certainty, that your paper is going to be accepted by any given journal.Having said this, I also must tell you that, in my career, I only have had one scientific paper which I failed to have published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. In other words, it is important for you to realize that scientific journals WANT to publish good research. If your study has been well designed and orchestrated, irrespective of a positive or negative result, it is publishable. It is critical, therefore, not to let improper editing prevent you from having your papers accepted. What follows are a few tips, which stem from what I look for when reviewing a paper. You never know, one day I may be reviewing yours.Let me start with some very basic writing tips.While you, yourself, are editing your paper, read it out loud. This is something I always do and find extremely helpful.Never rush to submit a paper. Set yourself a pre-target date to have the paper written and edited, then let it sit a few days. Then pick it up and read it again. You will be surprised what changes you will think of.Never write and edit a paper without feedback from others. No matter how accomplished a writer you are, you are human. You cannot possibly think of everything that a group of reviewers will want to see. Nor can most writers pick up every potentially awkward phrase or sentence, every misspelling (even with spell checks, similar sounding words like there, their and there invariably become confused. I suggest that you have at least one other scientist in your field read your paper and one other scientist outside your immediate field read it. Why someone outside your field? Just remember that, quite possibly, at least one p erson reviewing your paper for the journal will have expertise somewhat distant from your own; if that reviewer cannot understand your writing, you may be sunk. Finally, I strongly suggest that you have a professional editor or another very meticulous writer read and edit it.Although you want all parts of your paper to be as strong as they can be, really, really make sure that its Methods and Materials section is meticulously written and edited, and that all data are presented clearly, both in the text and in easy-to-follow tables and figures. Rarely will a paper be rejected outright because of a weak Introduction or Discussion. The same is not true for weak Methods or Results.Now here are some specific tips for writing your Methods and Materials and your Results sections:Make sure that you have a very clearly stated primary hypothesis that is well justified by your introduction. This hypothesis should immediately follow the papers introduction and flow directly from it. Only after you have clearly stated your primary hypothesis or study objective, should you state or list your secondary hypotheses. Too often, I read papers in which every one of about ten different objectives is given equal importance. This is extremely confusing to reviewers and will lead them to believe that you never truly knew what you wanted to achieve. Also, the primary objective is the one which justifies your sample size.Make sure that it is very clear how you are going to analyze your data to meet each objective. When I am writing a research grant, the first thing I do is decide what my primary and secondary objectives are. Then I immediately sit down and plan my analysis scheme for each objective. This makes it easy later when I am doing the analysis on collected data and when I am writing a paper for submission. Most reviewers become extremely perplexed if they cannot draw a straight line between each objective and the analysis plan you have described. Make sure that none of your ob jectives is left without a clearly stated analysis plan. I find that using a matched numbering scheme for objectives and analyses can be very helpful. In other words, objective #1 will be met by using data analysis method #1, and so on.Dont forget to go back and fill in all the pertinent details that should fall between listing your objectives and describing your data analysis plan. The most frequently short-changed details in studies involving human subjects are those pertaining to subject recruitment. Describe in detail how subjects in each group (Treatment A, Treatment B, Placebo and so on) are recruited: from the clinic or from the community; randomly or consecutively; using a mailed questionnaire or by telephone using trained interviewers; and so on. Also, make sure that you list all of your inclusion and exclusion criteria. These lists are very important to reviewers.If you randomize subjects into subject groups, describe how. If subjects are blinded to treatment, describe how .Justify your sample size. A recent study of scientific papers published in the last decade found that the majority never had enough subjects to adequately answer the primary question being addressed. Because of this, current reviewers generally are very sensitive to ensuring adequate sample size. I find that this is a detail that is neglected in the majority of submissions, and such an oversight significantly weakens any paper (or grant) in which sample size is a potential issue.If your study involves the use of questionnaires, describe them and justify why you are using them. Have they been used by your research group or other researchers before? Have the questionnaires been published? Have they been scientifically validated? All of these details will strengthen your submission.Finally, avoid Tables and Figures that contain too much data. You DO NOT have to have all data both in the text and in a table or figure. Tables and Figures should be reserved for your most important data a nd/or data that are much more easily presented pictorially than in text.A scientific paper that flows well and is easy to read is much more likely to be accepted for publication than one which is disjointed, confusing and error-filled, irrespective of the scientific merit of the study described. Do not let your paper be rejected because of how it has been written. You already have worked far too hard to design your study and collect your data.

Nationalism Essay Example

Nationalism Essay Example Nationalism Essay Nationalism Essay Nationalism throughout History and the Modern Age With research and resources you will learn about Nationalism throughout History and the Modern Age. Nationalism because it is a political idea that involves a tough recognition of a set of individuals by way of a political being defined in nationalized conditions, for example a nation. And Modernity, because it is a take action of why and how thing develop and progress all the way through history. Because of these changes occurring allows us to exist in a modern society. Modernity is relating to the history or traits of a period extending from a relevant remote past to the present time â€Å"Since the term Modern is used to describe a wide range of periods, any definition of modernity must account for the context in question. Modern can mean all of post-medieval European history, in the context of dividing history into three large epochs: Antiquity, Medieval, and Modern. Likewise, it is often used to describe the Euro-American culture that arises out of the Enlightenment and continues in some way into the present. The term Modern is also applied to the period beginning somewhere between 1870 and 1910, through the present, and even more specifically to the 1910-1960 periods†. Nationalism is what most groups of citizen’s feel for their countries a sense of devotion, loyalty. To the citizens their country is the best it is a sense of pride â€Å"What does the term nation mean? In what ways is it distinct, if at all, from closely related terms like state, people, and ethnic group† (418-423). Nationalism throughout History and the Modern Age Nationalism is uniquely modern in that throughout history to the present cultures, technology, are always being studied and compared to the present â€Å"In recent years, the study of nationalism has attracted growing attention from scholars in a range of disciplines-sociology, anthropology, history, politics, even literature and philosophy† . Nationalism is studied throughout the course by studying Western civilizations or cultures from the early modern age to the Late Modern Age. All through history there have been examples of nationalism the largest example being Wars in Germany such as World War II, when the Germans felt they were better then Jewish people. The Massacre of St. Bartholomew’s Day â€Å"So it was determined to exterminate all the Protestants, and the plan was approved by the queen. They discussed for some time whether they should make an exception of the king of Navarre and the prince of Conde. All agreed that the king of Navarre should be spared by reason of the royal dignity and the new alliance. The duke of Guise, who was put in full command of the enterprise, summoned by night several captains of the Catholic Swiss mercenaries from the five little cantons, and some commanders of French companies, and told them that it was the will of the king that, according to Gods will, they should take vengeance on the band of rebels while they had the beasts in the toils. Victory was easy and the booty great and to be obtained without danger. Nationalism throughout History and the Modern Age The signal to commence the massacre should be given by the bell of the palace, and the marks by which they should recognize each other in the darkness were a bit of white linen tied around the left arm and a white cross on the hat† . The beginning of Nationalism took place during the early ages before we had states, and most countries were still developing, groups of religions (Catholic, Christian etc) are what people were loyal to and before technology became as advanced as it is now. One of the first examples of Nationalism is when Christopher Columbus discovered America; he brought disease and slavery to the Native Americans causing them to lose their home and subjected to cruelty treatment â€Å"It appears to me, that the people are ingenious, and would be good servants and I am of opinion that they would very readily become Christians, as they appear to have no religion. They very quickly learn such words as are spoken to them. If it pleases our Lord, I intend at my return to carry home six of them to your Highnesses, that they may learn our language†. Before the Modern age, nationalism studied the early religions, the forming of states and countries, changes in technologies â€Å"Studying the nineteenth century around the conflict between the culture of the westernizing, cosmopolitan elite and the traditions of the people, rooted more deeply in their regions† . Nationalism throughout History and the Modern Age As countries and states have grown stronger with government and developing their laws and beliefs; Nationalism has also transformed having been loyalty to religions it is stronger through the people and their loyalty for their countries, laws, religions in the Modern Age. During the Revolutionary War, if one was found to side with the rebels, they were tortured, jailed, banned from their groups† Shadrack Furman, a free black Virginian who worked for the British as a provisionary and guide, was captured by patriot troops, given 500 lashes, and then blinded and rendered mentally deranged by an axe blow to the head† . When a country within a country declares independence from the bigger country they are found disloyal to their mother country causing a war or a ethnic cleansing Bosnia, Serbia, Yugoslavia â€Å"They attacked Bosniak-dominated town in eastern Bosnia, including Zvornik, Foca, and Visegrad, forcibly expelling Bosniak civilians from the region in a brutal process that later was identified as ethnic cleansing. (Ethnic cleansing differs from genocide in that its primary goal is the expulsion of a group of people from a geographical area and not the actual physical destruction of that group, even though the same methodsincluding murder, rape, torture and forcible displacementmay be used. )† . Nationalism throughout History and the Modern Age Wars, attacks, Ethnic cleansing are examples of nationalism of citizens fighting for their countries, religions etc. A group that has a strong sense of loyalty is Al-Qaeda. Their members attack others in their own country, other countries by suicide bombings â€Å"12 October, 2000, Attack on US warship in Yemen kills 17 sailors. Two suicide attackers ram a boat carrying explosives into the USS Cole in Aden port killing 17 American sailors. In 2004 six suspected Al-Qaeda militants are charged in connection with the attack by a Yemeni court. † . With the evolution of nationalism during the modern age there have been many changes in the civilizations of the world. A few of those changes are the people within the civilizations (women’s rights), the advancement of technology, and the worsening of wars. â€Å"For the vast majority of women in early modern Europe, the most important change in their lives was marriage. The choice of a spouse, whether made by themselves or their parents or a larger kin group, determined their social and economic status and place of residence. Divorce was illegal, living separately from an abusive spouse was illegal without court approval, and only way out of marriage was death of a spouse. No thought as to a women’s intellect† . Nationalism throughout History and the Modern Age In the late modern age women are free to choose whom they marry, divorce is legal although few religions still frown upon it, and most women have gone to college or know a trade. As nationalism has evolved the technology has also evolved in advancement of warfare through the modern age â€Å"Despite their ostensible enthusiasm for violent revolution, Engels and many socialists actually came to fear the growing destructive power of modern war and the threat it posed to Western Civilization †. An important reason why nationalism is important in the modern age is the studying of early modern age we can learn what civilizations did and how they ran, and in the modern age we can learn from them and build upon what we learn. Nationalism has been witnessed throughout history. Through the decades with the changes of people, religions, technology, the acts of Nationalism have changed as well. As you have read the following sources were used to determine these facts because, was an example of how later technology and the loyalty of the people of the group have changed in the later Modern age. Burke, P. (1978) this was an example of the Modern age and how it affects the civilizations. was used to describe some of the cruelty of choosing the rebel side during the Revolutionary war and what would happen if you weren’t loyal to the country. Nationalism throughout History and the Modern Age this journal extracts were an example of the early Modern age nationalism with the Native Americans taken for slavery and forced to accept Christianity over their religion if they had one. Delanty, G. K. (2006). SAGE Handbook of Nations and Nationalism . London: SAGE Publications. This quote was used as an example of how unique nationalism is to the modern age. This was an example of the Modern age and how it affects the civilizations. Gay, C. M. (1998). The Way of the (Modern) World: Or, Why Its Tempting to Live As If God Doesnt Exist. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. This quote was used to define the meaning of modernity and provide an example. rovide the example of an ethnic cleansing of the Protestants whom were not good for the enough for the country or the citizens, an early example of nationalism before the Modern Age. This article was used to define what Nationalism is with some examples shown through history. And because, in this article, there is an example of Modern Age nationalism when Bosnia is declaring independence from Yugoslavia, causing an ethnic cleansing, rape all examples of what happens when there is not a sense of loyalty to a certain group. Weisner, E. M . 2000 second edition). Women and Gender in Early Modern Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. This quote was used in describing what life was like living in Europe during early modern age for women. Nationalism throughout History and the Modern Age With the provided research and resources we have learn about Nationalism throughout History and the Modern Age. Again because Nationalism is a political idea that involves a tough recognition of a set of individuals by way of a political being defined in nationalized conditions, for example a nation. And Modernity, because it is a take action of why and how thing develop and progress all the way through history. Because of these changes occurring allows us to exist in a modern society. References BBCNews/SpecialNews/Timeline: Al-Qaeda. (n. d. ). From British Broadcasting Corporation: http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/3618762. stm Colley, L. (2011 18-February). The Guardian. Libertys Exiles: American Loyalists in the Revolutionary World by Maya Jasanoff – review . Columbus, C. M. (1996). Journal Extracts. Medieval Sourcebook Christopher Columbus . Getz, T. R. Brooke, J. E. (2012). World history: The human experience from 1500. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. J. H. Robinson, e. (1906). The Massacre of St. Bartholomews Day. In H. C. Brian Cheek, Readings in European History 2 vols. Hanover Historical Texts Project (pp. 179-183). Boston: (Boston: Ginn). Tamir, Y. (1995 April). The Engima of Nationalism. World Politics , pp. 418-423. Topics. (2012). From History. com: history. com/topics/bosnian-genocide

Corrections Trend Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Corrections Trend Evaluation - Essay Example In analyzing the future philosophies of corrections it is important to distinguish between the federal and state level. States have legislative power and have been able to take much broader actions in reducing their prison populations. States generally will apply one of three philosophies; relocating inmates and the use of halfway housing or community detention, allowing inmate’s credit as time served for good behavior or participation in certain programs, and modifying criminal statutes and sentencing (United States Government Accountability Office,2012, p 32). Many federal sentences are mandatory minimum sentences with no parole as the Bureau of Prisons does not have the authority to modify the inmate’s sentence. They are also without authority to move federal inmates to community corrections or transfer them to local prisons or supervised release more so than what is federally allowed. Possible future actions that are being considered by the Bureau of Prisons at the federal level are several options that policy makers have begun to consider to address the crowding in the federal system. One option is to minimize and reduce the projected size of the inmate population by reforming current sentencing laws and allowing alternatives to incarceration while also providing the Bureau of Prisons greater flexibility in sentencing. A second option is to increase the capacity of the federal system, in essence keeping up with the demand and the projected growth of the demand by the construction of new prisons, increasing staffing levels, and contracting for increased private capacity. A third option is a combination of the first two and would likely be the most successful philosophy to utilize in order to negate and reduce many of the side effects of the current and projected overcrowding. It is estimated that 60% of federal inmates are non-violent offenders. The suggestion of some is that many of these are white collar crimes and instead of