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How to write a scientific articleHow to write a scientific article

Constantinos (Dinos) MylonasHellenic Center for Marine Research

Institute of AquacultureCrete, Greece

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Components

Report Thesis ArticleFormat flexible strict (**) very strictLength unlimited unlimited limitedContent specific extensive specific

Illustrations(Tables/Figures)

few many very few

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Structure - Report

• Title page• Introduction• Materials and methods• Results• Discussion• References• (Tables and Figures embedded in

text)

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Structure - Thesis

• Title page• Acknowledgements• Summary• Table of contents• List of Figures (optional)• General Introduction• Chapter 1-n

– Introduction– Materials and methods– Results– Discussion

• (Tables and Figures embedded in text)• General Discussion• References

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Table of ContentsTable of Contents

2 ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................................................3 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................5 4 2. BIOLOGY, ECOLOGY AND FISHERY...........................................................................................7

2.1. GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY .....................................................................................................................7 6 2.2. REPRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................8 2.3 AGE AND GROWTH .............................................................................................................................9 8 2.4. MIGRATIONS ................................................................................................................................... 12 2.5. POPULATION GENETICS AND CHEMICAL MARKERS ....................................................................... 15 10 2.6. FISHERIES ....................................................................................................................................... 17

3. FARMING AND FATT ENING OPERATIONS............................................................................ 19 12 3.1. FARMING AND FATTENING SYSTEMS .............................................................................................21 3.2. FEEDING AND GROWTH ..................................................................................................................23 14 3.3. HEALTH MANAGEMENT..................................................................................................................26 3.4. HARVESTING................................................................................................................................... 27 16 3.5. MARKETS........................................................................................................................................ 32 3.6. FISHING AND AQUACULTURE REGULATIONS................................................................................33 18

4. TOWARD S A SUSTAINABLE AQUACULTURE: CONTROL OF REPRODUCTION IN CAPTIVITY ........................................................................................................................................ 35 20

5. THE FUTURE OF A TLANTIC BLUEFIN TUNA FARMING AND FATTENING .............. 38 6. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ..................................................................................................................40 22 7. BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................................................................................................41

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- Can be done automatically!

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Table of Contents

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Table of Contents

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Table of Contents

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Structure - Article

• Title page• Abstract• Introduction• Materials and methods• Results• Discussion• Acknowledgements• References• Tables• List of Figures• Figures

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Format

• Margins– Left, right, top, bottom

• Spacing– Single or double space– Line numbering

• Font type and size– Base type (Arial vs Times)

• Levels of organization– Not more than three

• 1. Introduction• 2. Materials and Methods

– 2.1. Experimental animals– 2.2. Experimental design

» 2.2.1. Effect of season on reproduction• Paragraphs

– With or without indentation, separated by a double space, etc.

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Format-margins

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FormatSpacing

– Single or double spaceFont type and size

– (Arial vs Times)

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Structure - Article

• Title page (1 page)• Abstract• Introduction• Materials and methods• Results• Discussion• Acknowledgements• References• Tables• Figures legends• Figures

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Structure - Article

• Title page (1 page)• Abstract (1 page)• Introduction• Materials and methods• Results• Discussion• Acknowledgements• References• Tables• Figures legends• Figures

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Structure - Article

• Title page (1 page)• Abstract (1 page)• Introduction (2-3 pages)• Materials and methods• Results• Discussion• Acknowledgements• References• Tables• Figures legends• Figures

- Presentation of the problem- Current knowledge or

situation- Relevant knowledge from

other species- Objectives of the study

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Structure - Article

• Title page (1 page)• Abstract (1 page)• Introduction (2-3 pages)• Materials and methods (1-n pages)• Results• Discussion• Acknowledgements• References• Tables• Figures legends• Figures

Content- Experimental animals or site- Experimental design- Data collection- Analytical methods (hormone

assays, molecular methods, measurements, etc.

- Statistical analysis

Objectives- Understand the study- Evaluate the results- Repeat if required

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Structure - Article

• Title page (1 page)• Abstract (1 page)• Introduction (2-3 pages)• Materials and methods (1-n pages)• Results (1-n pages)• Discussion• Acknowledgements• References• Tables• Figures legends• Figures

- Presentation of results in a historical order

- Reference to Tables and Figures- Absolutely NO discussion (no

opinions or conclusions)

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Structure - Article

• Title page (1 page)• Abstract (1 page)• Introduction (2-3 pages)• Materials and methods (1-n pages)• Results (1-n pages)• Discussion (3-n pages)• Acknowledgements• References• Tables• Figures legends• Figures

- Interpretation of results- Comparison with other

studies- Avoid referring to Tables

and Figures- Significance of the study,

contribution to the field- Suggestions for further

work- Conclusions- NO mentioning of results

(numbers), except for comparison purposes

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Structure - Article

• Title page (1 page)• Abstract (1 page)• Introduction (2-3 pages)• Materials and methods (1-n pages)• Results (1-n pages)• Discussion (3-n pages)• Acknowledgements (1 paragraph)• References• Tables• Figures legends• Figures

- Funding agencies and organizations

- Technicians and collaborators who worked on the study

- Scientist giving advice on study or reviewed the manuscript

- Reviewers that improved the manuscript

- NOT your parents or girlfriend/boyfriend

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Structure - Article

• Title page (1 page)• Abstract (1 page)• Introduction (2-3 pages)• Materials and methods (1-n pages)• Results (1-n pages)• Discussion (3-n pages)• Acknowledgements (1 paragraph)• References (1-n pages, ~50

citations)• Tables• Figures legends• Figures

- Provide proof of knowledge of the field

- Suggest studies to interested readers

- Reviews to avoid many original articles

- Original articles to demonstrate knowledge of the field

- Journals, Books, Chapters, Conferences, Thesis, Reports

- Every journal has its own style ! (alphabetical, numerical)

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Structure - References

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Structure - References

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QuickTime™ and aH.264 decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Reproductive behaviour of fish - bluefin tunaReproductive behaviour of fish - bluefin tuna

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Structure - Article

• Title page (1 page)• Abstract (1 page)• Introduction (2-3 pages)• Materials and methods (1-n pages)• Results (1-n pages)• Discussion (3-n pages)• Acknowledgements (1 paragraph)• References (1-n pages, ~50

citations)• Tables (0-7?)• Figures legends• Figures

- Each Table in a separate page- Self-explanatory (no reference to

main text)

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Structure - Article

• Title page (1 page)• Abstract (1 page)• Introduction (2-3 pages)• Materials and methods (1-n pages)• Results (1-n pages)• Discussion (3-n pages)• Acknowledgements (1 paragraph)• References (1-n pages, ~50

citations)• Tables (0-7?)• Figure legends (0-n)• Figures

- Separate Word file or at the end of the main text

- NOT next to the Figure- Self-explanatory (no reference to

main text)

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Structure - Article

• Title page (1 page)• Abstract (1 page)• Introduction (2-3 pages)• Materials and methods (1-n pages)• Results (1-n pages)• Discussion (3-n pages)• Acknowledgements (1 paragraph)• References (1-n pages, ~50

citations)• Tables (0-7?)• Figure legends (0-n)• Figures (0-7?)

- Each Figure in a separate page, preferably in TIFF or JPEG format

- For review also possible as MS PPT (one Figure per slide)

- NO titles (legends)

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Language

• Write in past tense for the results of an experiment or of another study. Use present tense for well-accepted theories or facts.

For example:• (Past) The study indicated that fish

spawned well in captivity.• (Present) It is known that most

temperate zone fishes spawn once a year in nature

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Language

• Write in passive voice and not in the first person.

For example:• (Yes) Blood samples were

collected and analyzed using ELISA.

• (No) We collected blood samples and analyzed them using ELISA.

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Language

• Avoid using author names out of parentheses. These are better placed in parentheses, unless there is really a need to emphasize the name of the author.For example:

• (Yes) The gilthead seabream reproduces annually for a period of 3-5 months (Zohar et al., 1995).

• (No) Zohar and coworkers (1995) demonstrated that the gilthead seabream reproduces annually for a period of 3-5 months.

• (Yes) Contrary to what has been know until now (Johnson et al., 1990; Stevens & Brown, 1991; Holland et al, 1993), Zohar and coworkers suggested recently that not all stocks of gilthead seabream reproduce annually for a period of 3-5 months.

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Language

• Never start a sentence with an abbreviation or an Arabic number. Spell them out.For example:

• (Yes) Luteinizing hormone is the main gonadotrophin in mammals, controlling gametogenesis.

• (No) GnRH is the main brain hormone in mammals, controlling reproduction.

• (Yes) Twenty-fine percent of the population in Greece own a second house.

• (No) 15 fish were sampled at each monthly sampling.

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Language

• Spell out numbers from one to nine if they are not followed by units, and use Arabic numbers for those above 10.

For example:• (Yes) In the present study 9 fish were

used in each of the five therapies used for the study.

• (Yes) The experiments were repeated at 12 different times during the period of 3 years.

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Language

• Always spell out abbreviations at the first time cited in the Title, Abstract and main text of the manuscript. First the full name and then the abbreviation, never the other way around.For example:

• (Yes) Giving an exogenous dose of testosterone (T) is considered a reasonable method for increasing maleness.

• (No) In the blood, E2 (17b-estradiol) can be elevated during the reproductive season.

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Language

• After parentheses a comma is placed only if it would be necessary without the parenthesis.

For example:• (Yes, with comma) Even though reports

exist to support the existence of GnRHa in marine fishes (Jonhson et al., 2007), this has not been demonstrated in all fish studied to date.

• (Yes, without comma) The study of reproductive functions in marine fishes (Brown et al., 2006) has led to the discovery of multiple forms of GnRHa in the brain.

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Language

• In a list of terms, the last one is connected with "and" with or without a comma. Be consisted in the use or not of the comma.

For example:• (Yes) It has been found that fish have

three steroids in their plasma during reproduction: testosterone, estradiol(,) and dihydroxyprogesterone.

• (No) It has been found that fish have three steroids in their plasma during reproduction: testosterone, estradiol, dihydroxyprogesterone.

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Language

• Citation to a figure, table or another study should be done at the end of the sentence, unless this citation refers to only part of the sentence.For example:

• (Yes) It has been found in both marine and freshwater fish that plasma testosterone increases after a meal and this increase is correlated to increased swimming activity (Stevens, 1978).

• (No) It has been found in both marine and freshwater fish that plasma testosterone increases after a meal (Stevens, 1978) and this increase is correlated to increased swimming activity.

• (Yes) It has been found in both marine and freshwater fish that plasma testosterone increases after a meal (Fig. 2) and this increase is correlated to increased swimming activity (Manabu et al., 2008).

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Language

• "Which" can be used for the same objective as "that". However, "which" is more formal and much stronger and it must be preceded by a comma.

For example:• (Yes) Fish did not respond to the

treatment, which means that they were not mature yet.

• (Yes) Fish did not accept the second type of food that was prepared with marine oils.

• (No) All treated individuals were larger than the controls which means that the added nutrients were important in accelerating growth.

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Language

• Do not start a sentence with "This", That", "They" etc., unless it is very clear to what this term refers. Restate clearly if there is a doubt.For example:

• (Yes). From the different species studied, the African elephant is the only one that builds a nest for reproduction. This is usually made at the top of a tree, using feather and grass.

• (No) From the five species of birds found in the Aegean islands, the two found in Crete feed exclusively on marine fish while the other three consume also fruits. These include mariets, alpikas and bassols.

• (Yes) From the five species of birds found in the Aegean islands, the two found in Crete feed exclusively on marine fish while the other three consume also fruits. These fish include mariets, alpikas and bassols.

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Language

• The plural of fish is fish. Fishes indicates many fish species.For example:

• Each treatment consisted of 12 fish.• Each experiment considered at least three

fishes from a total of 25 species available in the region.

• Same holds for “people vs peoples”, “bread vs breads”, “money vs moneys”

• • The common names of animals are

always written in small letters, with the exception of main names such as Atlantic, Japanese, Pacific, Australian, etc.

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Language

• A single sentence cannot constitute a paragraph. Either expand further or consolidate with another paragraph.

• Use units with the IU standards (mg l-1 not ml/l).

• Always leave a space between the number and unit (for example, 10 Kg, 4 min, 9 h) except in the case of temperature degrees and percentage (34°C and 20%)

• Be consistent with the format of scientific names (in or outside parentheses), citations (Name, 1990 or Name 1990; et al. or et al.), range of numbers with hyphens (20 - 30 or 20-30), etc.

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Graphs

2-3 5-6 8

400

500

600

700

800

900

Time after GnRHa implantation (days)

Control

GnRHa

ANOVA

Parameter P value

GnRHa implant 0.0012

Sample time 0.065

67 56 4n/a

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Graphs

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

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Time (2003 - 2005)

6 meters

20 meters

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Graphs

150

175

200

225

150

175

200

225

Control

GnRHa

150

175

200

225

150

175

200

225

Females Males

50

75

100

125

150

175

200

2004

Females Males

50

75

100

125

150

175

200

2005

Year of experiment

ANOVA

Parameter P value

Year 0.0001

Sex 0.0007

GnRHa implant 0.49

ANOVA

Parameter P value

Year 0.0002

Sex 0.0003

GnRHa implant 0.93

A

B

3 1610 767 107

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Preparation sequence

1. Prepare Graphs and Tables (This will create the “frame” of the paper)

2. Prepare the Title page (This will form the “theme” of the paper)

3. Start writing the manuscript- Materials & methods- Results- Introduction (based on the Results you will build the background, justification of the study and its objectives)- Discussion (interpret the results, relate to the current knowledge, suggest and justify further research, draw conclusions)- References

4. Read again, and again, and again

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Words of wisdom

If you prepare an article badly, it will take you 3-times as long to complete than you planned.

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Words of wisdom

If you prepare an article well, it will take you only 2-times as long to complete than you planned.

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Words of wisdom

It always takes longer than you think!!!

Καλή επιτυχία!

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The HCMR-Institute of AquacultureThe HCMR-Institute of Aquaculture

Five research institutes – Institute of Aquaculture– Institute of Marine Biology and Genetics– Institute of Oceanography– Institute of Marine Biological Resources (Fisheries)– Institute of Inland Waters

Two public aquaria- Rhodes Hydrobiological Station- Creta Aquarium

In Crete

Hellenic Center for Marine Researchwww.hcmr.gr

Reproduction and Broodstock management Institute of Aquaculture

Cretaquarium

Institute of Marine Biology and Genetics