topic 1_introduction to scientific writing and communication
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Scientific Writing Communication
Phong D. Tran (PhD)
Department of Advanced Materials Science and Nanotechnology
1
Contact: tran-dinh.phong@usth.edu.vn
SMS: 096 460 2146
Office: NanoLab, Level 5, USTH building
(Friday morning (9-11 am) for students receiving)
My CV in brief…
I. Education
2007: PhD, University of Paris 11 (Paris Sud), Orsay, France
Thesis: Designing of novel precursors for chemical vapour deposition of metals
2003: Bachelor of Science (Chemistry), Vietnam National University in Hanoi
II. Research Experiences
* 3 years (2008-2010) as postdoc research associate (CNRS and CEA France)
* 3.5 years (2011-2015) as senior research fellow and group leader at NTU Singapore
* Independently develop research projects
* Mentoring junior staffs: 01 postdoc, 02 PhD students, and bachelor students
* Initiating and coordinating local and international collaborations (e.g. Dr. Artero at CEA Grenoble,
Prof. Fontecave at College de France, Prof Yang Shao Horn at MIT, USA)
* Participating in preparation of the Sinberise project (Singapore-UC Berkeley): CO2 reduction task
Research: Functional Materials for Energy Environment Application
Natural photosynthesis:
A fascinating machinery for CO2 fixation and solar-to-chemical energy conversion
Tandem Photoelectrochemical cell (PEC)
Artificial Photosynthesis
Research: Functional Materials for Energy Environment Application
Appel a pied…
(AMSN and WEO students)
Please you us to build up a competitive research group
Research: Functional Materials for Energy Environment Application
My CV in brief…
III. Achievement
* 33 papers in peer-reviewed journals (ISI, including Science, Nat. Chem., Angewandte Chimie,
Energy Environ. Sci., Chem. Sci. etc)
* 01 Book chapter
* 01 Technical disclosure
* Over 1300 citation; H index: 16
* 2 invited talks + 6 invited seminars + 6 oral talks within international conferences
Writing Communication Experience
* Act as communicating corresponding author
* Act as reviewer for several journals: JACS, ACS Nano, Adv. Funct. Mat., Angewandte, EES, etc
* Mentor junior staffs at Solar Fuels Lab, NTU Singapore (e.g. thesis correction, manuscript re-
editing)
My next challenge…
Work with you for the Scientific Writing Communication module
Writing: boring task?
9
Writing: boring (perhaps) but is our JOB
* Nobody gets it perfect in the first draft
But
* Perfection is expected for the draft submitted
Get perfection through TRAINING, TRAINING and TRAINING…
Writing: boring (perhaps) but is our JOB
Course Introduction
Course content
* Topic 1: Introduction
* Topic 2: Writing a proposal
* Topic 3: Writing a Thesis
* Topic 4: Writing an academic paper/ article
* Topic 5: CV cover letter preparation
* Topic 6: Scientific communication
* Topic 7: Technical Discussion (TD)
+ TD1: Evaluation of a scientific report
+ TD2: Authenticity Professionalism
+ TD3: Talk to Dr. Pham Ngoc Diep (VAST) about publication communication
Course Introduction
Course content
* Topic 1: Introduction
* Topic 2: Writing a proposal
* Topic 3: Writing a Thesis
* Topic 4: Writing an academic paper/ article
* Topic 5: CV cover letter preparation
* Topic 6: Scientific communication
* Topic 7: Technical Discussion (TD)
+ TD1: Evaluation of a scientific report
+ TD2: Authenticity Professionalism
+ TD3: Talk to Dr. Pham Ngoc Diep (VAST) about publication communication
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Course Introduction
Expectation outcome
* Familiar with different type of scientific and technical reports and their writing styles
* Skills for an effective writing and communication (e.g. ready to perform writing task of group
project, internship research proposal, internship thesis etc)
* Ready to continue building up foundation for scientific writing
Course Introduction
Evaluation: Writing (80%) + Communication (20%)
* Midterm (50%): a technical report or a mini review article on a chosen topic (group of 5 students)
* Final (50%): a technical report or a mini review article on a topic assigned (group of 5 students)
Attendance: NO Penalties NOR Reward
…Students are free to decide attending or not the classes
Scientific Writing Communication
15
Topic 1: Introduction
+ R&D job
+ Why is writing report important?
RD job
Conception
Proposal writing
communication
Conducting
Research
Writing report
communication
Patenting
Publishing
Funding
PRODUCTION
RD job
Conception
Proposal writing
communication
Conducting
Research
Writing report
communication
Patenting
Publishing
Funding
PRODUCTION
RD job
Conception
Proposal writing
communication
Conducting
Research
Writing report
communication
Patenting
Publishing
Funding
PRODUCTION
RD job
In industry, conception can be provided by a management team
(e.g. customized production) RD center acts as a technical platform to solve identified issue
ConceptionConducting
Research
Writing report
communication
Patenting
Publishing
Funding
PRODUCTION
Company
think tank
* Research engineers might have less freedom but do not need to care about Funding
RD job in academic world
Conception
Proposal writing
communication
Doing
Research
Writing report
communication
Patenting
Publishing
Funding
PRODUCTION
* Researchers have more freedom to follow their curiosity and passion
* FUNDING is always a critical issue (sometime, TO BE OR NOT TO BE)
RD job in academic world
Conception
Proposal writing
communication
Doing
Research
Writing report
communication
Patenting
Publishing
Funding
PRODUCTION
Scientific report writing and communication are critical to researchers and engineers
Reasons to communicate your work
* It is unethical to conduct a study and NOT report the findings
* You have some results that are worth reporting
* You want to progress scientific thought or improve health outcomes
* You want to give credibility to your research team
* You want your work to reach a broad audience
* Your track record will improve
* You will add credibility to your reputation
* You will improve your chance of promotion
* You are more likely to obtain research grants
* It is your duty (e.g. to obtain your degree)
To communicate
* (Conventional) Scientific journals
+ Written text
+ Scientific archive principal source of referring
Jan. 5th, 1665: The Journal des sçavans begins publication in France, the first scientific journal.
(Humanities Sciences)
March 6th, 1665: The Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society begins publication
in England under the editorship of Henry Oldenburg, the first scientific journal in English
(Natural Sciences)
To communicate
Today….
about 35,000 journals
* (Conventional) Scientific journals
+ Written text
+ Scientific archive principal source of referring
To communicate
Today….
about 35,000 journals
* (Conventional) Scientific journals
+ Written text
+ Scientific archive principal source of referring
However, please be careful with the novel OPEN ACESS Publishing system
(to be discussed in the Technical Discussion 1)
To communicate
* Conferences/ Workshops/ Meetings
+ Abstract/ Full text proceeding/ poster presentation/ oral talk
+ Scientific archive second source of referring (try to avoid citing if possible)
Note: In most of the cases, we bring to and communicate at conferences/ workshops/ meetings
works that have been published
However, please be careful with some FUNY Events where organization just wants
to make MONNEY
To avoid these events:
+ Talk with your colleagues/ supervisors
+ Look at the history/ movement of event
+ Look at the scope of event, chairs, program committees etc
+ Look at the list of invited speakers
To communicate
* Media/ News journals/ social networks
+ written text, video, etc
+ Just communication value (PR) with NO Scientific archive isn`t considered
as source of reference (should be not quoted for academic writing)
To communicate
* Media/ News journals/ social networks
+ written text, video, etc
+ Just communication value (PR) with NO Scientific archive isn`t considered
as source of reference (should be not quoted for academic writing)
Perhaps, we are not very strong in this area
Effective communication: e.g. Prof Nocera (Harvard University)
Nocera and coll., Science 2011
Nocera, Accounts of Chemical Research, 2012
“Secrets of artificial leaf revealed”, Nature, Sept 2011
“„Artificial leaf‟ makes fuel from sunlight”, MIT News, sept 2011
Effective communication: e.g. Prof Nocera (Harvard University)
The Artificial Leaf - Renewable Energy - Horizons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J556uXwrjII
But sometime we need more time
Artificial leaf in the shade but still growing
25 July 2013 Laura Howes
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2013/07/artificial-leaf-synthetic-photosynthesis
The artificial leaf unveiled by Dan Nocera, now of Harvard University, US, in 2011 captured the public’s imagination. But are efforts to take this technology to market stalling? Sun Catalytix, the spin-out founded to commercialise the technology, has paused its development in favour of quicker financial wins and it's now difficult to predict the path to market of any kind of synthetic photosynthetic device.
‘Dan’s a great story teller,’ laughs Mike Lyons of Trinity College Dublin in Ireland. ‘But that has it inherent dangers.’ By which he means that there is always the danger of getting ahead of the science. Having started work on these systems back in 1979, Lyons describes himself as a little more prudent. ‘It’s gone round full circle and now I’m revisiting systems I published back in the 1980s.’
Nocera set up Sun Catalytix in 2009 and the firm is now backed by Indian multinational Tata Group. However, the venture capital agreement signed earlier in the company’s existence required a return within the next two years. Research in Nocera’s lab continues but Sun Catalytixhas had to abandon the artificial leaf concept. The company is now looking to transfer the technology to nanoparticles that can be suspended in water but at present is focusing on grid energy storage in an attempt to return its venture capital investment.
Reasons to communicate your work
* It is unethical to conduct a study and NOT report the findings
* You have some results that are worth reporting
* You want to progress scientific thought or improve health outcomes
* You want to give credibility to your research team
* You want your work to reach a broad audience
* Your track record will improve
* You will add credibility to your reputation
* You will improve your chance of promotion
* You are more likely to obtain research grants
* It is your duty (e.g. to obtain your degree)
Attention please!!!
Are your work worth to be published? Does it provide a new finding, new message, new
contribution etc to the field?
Reasons to communicate your work
* It is unethical to conduct a study and NOT report the findings
* You have some results that are worth reporting
* You want to progress scientific thought or improve health outcomes
* You want to give credibility to your research team
* You want your work to reach a broad audience
* Your track record will improve
* You will add credibility to your reputation
* You will improve your chance of promotion
* You are more likely to obtain research grants
* It is your duty (e.g. to obtain your degree)
Attention please!!!Are your work worth to be published? Does it provide a new finding, new message, new contribution etc to the field?
… You must be (more or less) MASTER of the research area you are doing (as early as whenyou make conception of the work )
Writing job
OK, but it is our duty to write a Bachelor (PhD) thesis to complete our study!!!
Writing job
OK, but it is our duty to write a Bachelor (PhD) thesis to complete our study!!!
Well, then please note:
* You are writing to communicate with your audience (reviewers, examiners, readers)
NOT for yourself
* Scientific writing is based on data and arguments not on your feeling
* There are several differences between scientific writing and novel writing
Writing job
OK, but it is our duty to write a Bachelor (PhD) thesis to complete our study!!!
Well, then please note:
* You are writing to communicate with your audience (reviewers, examiners, readers)
NOT for yourself
* Scientific writing is based on data and arguments not on your feeling
* There are several differences between scientific writing and novel writing
“What is written without efforts is in general read without pleasure”
Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)
Rewards for being a good writer
* Writing is more productive and less frustrating (Time and Energy saving)
* Peers will take you more seriously
* Your work is better evaluated and mostly better appreciated
* Your research is more likely to lead to publications
* Your grant (or scholarship) applications are more likely to be funded
* Your expertise will help you to become a good reviewer or EDITOR
Most of scientists are not native English speaking
Nu
mb
er
of
pu
bli
sh
ed
pap
ers
(2014)
Note: Count Canada and Singapore in the native English Speaking group
Most of scientists are not native English speaking
Rank Country Documents Citable documents Citations Self-Citations Citations per Document H index
1 United States 8626193 7876234 177434935 83777658 23.36 1648
2 China 3617355 3569652 19110353 10462121 7.44 495
3 United Kingdom 2397817 2103145 44011201 10321539 21.03 1015
4 Germany 2176860 2045433 35721869 9141181 18.5 887
5 Japan 2074872 2008410 27040067 7619559 13.79 745
6 France 1555629 1468286 24700140 5516943 17.95 811
7 Canada 1227380 1134588 22152666 4136384 21.4 794
OK, Let`s get started…
Before starting your writing
* Develop good time management skill
+ Distinguish between the Urgent and the Important issues in your working day
+ Getting the pressing matter off your desk and out of your mind before start writing
+ Manage the urgent but unimportant matters (meetings, email exchanges etc)
+ Put writing in Important but not urgent
URGENT NON-URGENT
IMPORTANT Crises, deadlines, patient
care, teaching, class, some
meeting
Research, writing,
reading, professional
development, physical
health
Not IMPORTANT Some phone calls, emails,
meetings, popular/ social
activities (coffee section)
Phone calls, emails,
internet browsing, playing
computer games, reading
magazines, Watching TV
Before starting your writing
* Achieving creativity
+ Find a suitable place where you can work and think in a good mood (e.g. a place
where interruptions are minimal. Some prefer to be away from daily work environment)
+ Good time (when the urgent matters are minimal: e.g. Thursday, Friday, Saturday;
Morning time is better than afternoon time?)
Before starting your writing
* Achieving creativity
+ Find a suitable place where you can work and think in a good mood (e.g. a place
where interruptions are minimal. Some prefer to be away from daily work environment)
+ Good time (when the urgent matters are minimal: e.g. Thursday, Friday, Saturday;
Morning time is better than afternoon time?)
“You should allow yourself to get into a writing mood. Finish the background reading,
the review of the literature, and the work to date. You known it inside out. Relax. Take
deep breaths. Just let it flow. Many people find music a help but choose carefully…
Wear comfortable clothes. ”
Anthony David
Three basic aspects to effective scientific writing
* Thought: Need some results to be worth for publishing and to be able to interpret these
results correctly
* Structure: Getting the right things in the right places
* Style: Choosing the fewest and most appropriate words and using the rules of good grammar
Good tips?
Having basic background and skill
…then self-learning
Scientific Writing Communication
44
Topic 2: Writing a proposal
+ Objective
+ Procedure to shortlist and select a proposal
+ Typical structure
+ Challenges
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