To write a text for a scientific journal requires specialized expertise and advanced writing skills if you want to be published in scientific journals!
For good reason, scientific publications are subject to very specific editorial codes: sentences must be short, concise, direct, and tailored to the readership. The argumentation requires thorough research and must be original and relevant…
When successful, scientific writing serves as a reference for subsequent research and brings you undeniable recognition. To help you in your process, here is a complete guide to writing the perfect scientific article!
Before starting to write the scientific article
The first step when you want to publish a scientific article is to adapt to your readership.
Either you have not yet targeted the journal you want to write for, in which case it is important to analyze your skills and capabilities to identify a journal that matches your level.
Or you are responding to a call from a scientific journal, in which case you will need to adapt your writing to its audience and their level of knowledge.
For a generalist audience, on the other hand, define technical terms, make short, easily understandable sentences and illustrate your ideas with concrete examples.
Define the subject of the scientific text
If the topic is open, you will need to think about a research problem.
The problem depends on two things:
- To approach a topic scientifically, you must master it. Stay focused within your area of expertise. Not only will you be more credible, but the research will be easier.
- The research question must be original and precise. Writing a scientific article on a topic that has already been rehashed would be pointless. The aim of your research paper is to provide new elements to open up new avenues and scientific debates.
- Your initial question should be as precise as possible, first to avoid getting lost in your writing and above all to spark readers' curiosity.
Gather your various scientific research
Do not rush into writing your research text; take the time to gather all your information beforehand.
Although the Internet offers a wealth of relevant information, the scientific article is essentially based on a literature review:
- Some online sites allow you to consult scientific journals in open access or restricted access depending on their publication date: Érudit and OpenEdition among others.
- Search libraries for all the scientific documents that can support your thesis.
- Deepen your scientific reading with journals or periodicals covering the topic, take out several subscriptions if necessary.
Cross-check your information to verify their authenticity, it is a long and tedious task, but it is essential for your credibility!
The steps to write a good scientific text
Writing a text for a scientific journal follows a structured protocol, and it is a academic work and it is important to respect its conventions.
Before you begin writing, never lose sight of two essential elements:
- Your article must be fluid and captivating.
- One concept = one explanation. Without this basic principle, you risk losing your readers as soon as the first slightly more technical concepts appear!
1st step: the title and abstract of the research article
Choosing the title The title of your scientific text requires thought. It is the first thing the reader will see of the article. It must convey the essential information while being short and engaging.
The abstract must also be attractive. It is sometimes wise to write it last since it summarizes your article. It will serve to highlight the topic discussed, the questions that arise from it, and the conclusions that result.
Be careful not to go into details. In general, a good abstract does not exceed 250 words.
2nd step: the introduction
The introduction presents the topic by raising what is problematic in order to emphasize the importance of the research article. It helps demonstrate an informational gap and the relevance of addressing it.
In short, to underline the scientific necessity of your text.
To do this, your introduction must follow a few principles:
- Start with explain the importance your research.
- Next, state the question that follows from it.
- Describe the objective or hypotheses of the article.
Your introduction represents about 10 to 15% of your scientific text.
3rd step: the methodology
One of the principles of scientific writing is to detail the methods used for your research. You must describe clearly and concisely the different steps of your work and your reasoning.
The methodology must follow a experimental protocol :
- You must provide all necessary details so the reader can reproduce your research process: data collection, their analyses, the main stages of your research, etc.
- The description of your research method should allow the initial hypothesis to be validated or invalidated.
4th step: the results
This is the most important part of your scientific text since it represents the culmination of your research.
Present your results and analyses in a objective manner. The aim of the research article is to allow the reader to reach their own conclusions.
Whether presented as text, tables, or charts, your results must be clear and relevant.
Step 5: the discussion
The discussion section will allow you topresent your own conclusions. For greater readability, use one paragraph per idea and begin the section with the conclusion, then demonstrate how you reached that conclusion.
The discussion also reports on the limitations of the research, and how you addressed them to obtain convincing results.
Step 6: Conclusion
Conclusion of your scientific text should restate the questions posed, summarize the answers, and reiterate the necessity of your research. It can also end with a open question, leading to another research topic raised by your article.
Step 7: Bibliography
A scientific article is based inevitably on the work of others. It is therefore necessary to cite its sources and references bibliographic.
Tips:
- Before submitting a complete and relevant article, write one two versions. When you compare the two texts, keep only the insightful ideas from each!
- Wait a few days before proofreading and correcting your final text. If you lack time, delegate this task to a professional proofreader. A second look is sometimes necessary to avoid those spelling mistakes that seem unprofessional and would discredit you in the eyes of the scientific community!
3 writing tips for crafting the perfect scientific article!
To perfect your scientific publication and make it unique, here are some tips and tricks to consider:
1. Use an effective writing style
The purpose of your text comes down to four points. After publishing an article, your readers should be able to:
- Understand its content.
- Remember the key points.
- Quickly find the scientific information.
- Make the most of your scientific demonstration.
To achieve your goal, it is important to use short, easy-to-understand sentences. Follow your writing plan step by step to maintain a coherent throughline, and make sure your ideas flow logically.
Write in the present tense and always favor the active voice.
2. Adopt a relevant working method
Applying writing techniques and following a well-defined structure doesn't do everything. Sometimes psychological barriers or bad work habits can hinder the writing of your scientific article.
Lack of experience, the anxiety of failing the challenge or of not submitting one's article on time, lack of self-confidence, the feeling of not being legitimate or of not sufficiently mastering the demands of scholarly writing. All these reasons can stop your momentum.
However, by adopting a good working method, you should be able to overcome these difficulties:
- Start writing even if your research results are not finished. Don't try to produce a perfect first draft. Write down all your ideas; the structure will come later. However, don't throw away your draft — information that doesn't seem relevant at the moment may prove useful in the final writing!
- Begin with the paragraphs where you feel most comfortable and move on to the next if you get stuck. Don't force yourself to finish it at all costs!
- Find the time of day when you are most productive and avoid long writing sessions for your scientific article to prevent exhaustion. If your mind is overloaded, you will inevitably face writer's block.
- Try the freewriting method, which consists of setting specific time slots during which you dedicate yourself exclusively to writing. Don't worry about spelling or grammar mistakes or about the structure of your article.
- Don't wait to be inspired to put your ideas on paper; inspiration will come by itself! However, always keep a notebook within reach so you can capture your ideas at any time.
3. Seek input from scientific specialists
Colleagues, co-authors, teacher-researchers… Don’t hesitate to have your research article read by your peers. Ask your review committee to annotate your work objectively and take into account any relevant comments!
A good peer review is worth a thousand rereadings and puts you in the best position to have the article’s publication approved immediately by the editor-in-chief!
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