Writing Scientific Research Articles

Part 1: A Framework for success

1 How the book is organised, and why

2 Research article structures

3 Referees' criteria for evaluating manuscripts

Part 2: When and how to write each article section

4 Results as 'story': the key driver of an article

5 Results: turning data into knowledge

6 Writing about Results

7 Methods sections

8 Introductions

9 Discussion sections

10 Titles

11 Abstracts

Part 3: Getting your manuscript published

12 Evaluating journals

13 Submitting a manuscript

14 How to respond to editors and referees

15 A Process for preparing a manuscript

Part 4: Further developing your publication skills

16 Skill development strategies for groups and individuals

17 Developing discipline-specific English skills

18 Answer pages

19 References

Part 5: Provided example articles

Margaret Cargill is an applied linguist with over 15 years experience as a research communication educator. Her current research centres on innovative collaborative methods for helping scientists develop high-level skills for communicating their research findings effectively in the international arena. She has worked extensively in Australia, Europe and Asia with scientists of many language and cultural backgrounds.

Patrick O'Connor is a research ecologist, environmental consultant and science educator. His work over the last 10 years has focussed on the use of scientific principles in designing and evaluating environmental programs for governments and statutory authorities in Australia. His research interests and scientific publications span fields of terrestrial ecology and detection of change in plant and animal communities.

"It is also, however, of very significant value in assisting non-academic writers to get their point across to academic, bureaucratic and political audiences. This is becoming critically important with so many issues." (Ausmarine, June 2010) "I am tremendously excited to use this volume as a guiding framework for teaching my own students how to write." (The Quarterly Review of Biology, March 2010) "Useful for self-study or in the classroom, the book is for native and non-native English speakers, for research students and those who teach them paper-writing skills, and for early career researchers wanting to hone their skills as authors and mentors." (Book News, September 2009) "Even for a more seasoned writer, the very well laid out and accessible style of the book offers a dip-in reminder of aspects of good scientific writing practice." (Chemistry World, August 2009) "[The book is] clearly written, has a logical step-by-step structure, is easy to read and contains a lot of sensible advice about how to get scientific work published in international journals. The book is a most useful addition to the literature covering scientific writing." (Aquaculture International, April 2009) "Margaret Cargill's background as a linguist and research communications educator and Patrick O'Connor's experience as both research scientist and educator synergize to improve both the science and art of scientific writing. If the authors' goal is to give scientists the tools to write and publish compelling, well documented, clear narratives that convey their work honestly and in proper context, they have succeeded admirably." (Veterinary Pathology, July 2009) “As our political and bureaucratic ruling classes continue to converge in an educational and cultural sense it is becoming vital to speak their language in order to get your point across. Reference to this book will certainly pay major dividends in that sense." (AUSMARINE Magazine June 2010)