Writing a research paper-I
"it's easier to embalm the dead than to write an article about it" (Paul Silva)
After you have some findings from your research, you may start looking potential journal to which you would like to submit your article. Some points that can be considered while selecting the target journal.
1. Acceptance chance
2. Readers
3. Reputation
4. Access
5. Impact factor (IF) (Note: some fake journals may also have IF, be aware!)
https://journalfinder.elsevier.com/
Author guidelines
Every journals have set their own manuscript guidelines and they expect authors to read and prepare the article based on it, do you read the author guidelines?
It covers detail instructions such as
1. Scope of Journal
2. Article types the journal publish
3. Ethical approval (animal, human, plant)
4. Max. length of article (words count)
5. Max. length of abstract (words count)
6. Sections to include and guidelines of numbering
7. Tables and figures (total count)
8. Refrencing and citation style
9. ........................................
You may see the guidelines of Elsevier and PLOS ONE
https://www.elsevier.com/journals/science-of-the-total-environment/0048-9697/guide-for-authors
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/s/submission-guidelines
The guidelines may differ journal to journal with in a publisher and also between two different two publishers.
You may see the differences when you compare the two journal's author guidelines. Check!
If you have many choices for your paper, prioritize and make a list of journals. You NEED to send your article to one journal at a time, first target. If the editorial decision was not in your favor then you still have second target and so on.
Goal of research writing- to communicate
Writing a research paper is a collaborative work. You need to share your research work progress with all of your co-authors and project head. Every authors have to give their significant contribution to the article.
How do you determine who should be the co authors of your article?
Are you now ready to write? Before that, you may read an article on "Writing a paper" Adv. Mater. 2004, 16, No. 15 August 4.
Creative writing
English and Grammar
Free online resources that may help to improve your writing skills
