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Spatial Data InfrastructureGRS-21306

Tips and publication strategy

Arnold Bregt

Content

Introduction

Elements of a Paper

Final Remarks/Summary

Introduction Publications are essential for your future

career

Writing publications (or thesis) is difficult

You can learn it (it is a skill not an art)

“easy reading is hard writing”

“tell a scientific story”

IJSDIR

Elements of a paper

Title Abstract Introduction (Materials) and Methods Results Discussion Conclusions References

Title

Shortest summary of your paper Attracts attention for your work Put the most important words at the

beginning

Title papers (exercise) Title 1: Open data policies, their

implementation and impact: A framework for comparison

Title 2: A stakeholder-based assessment framework applied to evaluate development scenarios for the spatial data infrastructure for Flanders

Title 3: Spatial Data Infrastructures: Hype or Hit?

Introduction From general to specific

Statements about the topic (context topic or problem)

Aspects already studied (with references to others)

Aspects not studied or know (with references)

Selection of research niche Goal of the paper

Introduction

Main problem: selection of research topic

TIP: make is small and concrete

(Materials and) Methods

How was the work done? The method must be a scientific method

Transparent Objective Reproducible

TIP: Use are much as possible existing methods and procedures

TIP: Most critical section of a paper

Example

Source: Kok, 2014

Results

(Sometimes combined with Discussion) Presentation of the results in a few Figures

and Tables Do not present all findings (only the most

important ones What are the most striking results (highlight

results)

TIP: Take the reader by the hand

Example

Source: Ningal et al., 2008

Discussion

(A restatement of the main findings) Explanations of the findings (supported by

literature) Limitations of the study Implications of the study

Personal TIP: Limit is to a few main discussion points

Conclusions

Repeat the overall objective of you paper Formulate the answers/main findings Suggestion for further research

TIP: Keep it short and to the point

Example

Source: Weitkamp et al., 2014

References

Always follow the guidelines of the journal

TIP: Check them for completeness and correctness!

Example

Source: Ningal et al., 2008

Abstract

Some backgroud information Scope of the study Some info on the method Most important results Conclusion and recommendation

Final remarks/Summary Follow the agreed structure for scientific

papers

Study good examples

Keep the objective limited

Pay amble attention to a clear scientific method!

Final remak

Paper writing is difficult (even for experienced scientists)

All scientists have some of their papers rejected

Essential skill for your future career!

Further reading

Cargill, M and P. O’ Conner, 2009. Writing scientific research Articles, Strategy and steps. Wiley-Blackwell.

The unofficial guide for authors (or how to produce research articles worth citing) (google)