Most scientists I know enjoy doing
research. But writing? Not so much. When it’s time to write a manuscript after
having completed a research project, they often dread to get started. Some are
even consumed by anxiety. Here are a few tips.
Think
Before You Start to Write
If you cannot think clearly, odds are
you cannot write clearly. So before you start to write, spend some time reminiscing
the whole process of completing the project, step by step chronologically.
Step
1. Initiating the project. In this step, try to recall how you started the project.
Was there a critical question you tried to answer, or was there a pressing problem
you were so eager to solve? If so, what was it?
Step
2. Choosing the methods. To answer the question, or solve the problem, you identified
the methods you needed. Were there available methods from colleagues that you
could use, or did you have to design your own methods?
Step
3. Generating the data. After you had chosen a valid method to use, you
couldn’t wait to start generating data. Think about how excited you were while
you were collecting the precious data day after day.
Step
4. Analyzing the data. As you were diligently generating and collecting
data, you couldn’t help but analyze the data along the way. Were you excited,
frustrated, or confused? Why? What did the data tell you? And what changes did
you have to make?
After many months, or years, you finally
generated enough data as you had planned. And you analyzed the whole data set
using a pre-chosen method(s). Did the result of the analysis answer your original
question? Was your result the same as you expected? If yes, how did you come up
with your expectation, based on your previous study, other groups’ studies, or
something else? If not, what’s the difference and what’s your explanation for
the difference?
Step
5. Finishing the project. Based on the analysis, what conclusion did you get?
How would your result impact the basic research and/or the clinical practice in
your field?
Start
to Write After You Have a Story in Your Head
After you have gone over the above 5
steps, you have already created a full story in your head. Now write down the
story. Your written story is not in perfect shape, yet, but it’s an excellent
starting point, and it flows. More importantly, you have just overcome your
biggest hurdle of writing a manuscript, getting started.
Finish
Your Manuscript As Soon As the Project Ends
Start to write your manuscript as soon
as you have completed your study, and finish it while your memory is still
fresh. The longer you wait, the less interested you are to write up the
manuscript. And if you are doing research in a competitive field, chances are there
are other groups that are doing similar studies. If you wait too long, they may
publish their results ahead of you. If this happens, your results may just have
lost the value they deserve.
