How to write world class manuscript?

Do you know how to write the scientific paper? Are you looking for step by step procedure you should follow? Download Editor’s Presentation on “How to write a world class paper” prepared by the Elsevier.

The presentation covers each step of preparing manuscripts and submitting them to scientific journals for publication, and is delivered by Guowang Xu, Editor of Journal of Chromatography B.

I wanted to prepare outline of the presentation. However, it is full of the very interesting and comprehensive information and I didn’t want to omit any important one. Therefore I have chosen only one slide, which summarize all in one:

What gets you accepted?

• Attention to details
• Check and double check your work
• Consider the reviews
• English must be as good as possible
• Presentation is important
• Take your time with revision
• Acknowledge those who have helped you
• New, original and previously unpublished
• Critically evaluate your own manuscript
• Ethical rules must be obeyed

Nigel John Cook, Editor-in-Chief, Ore Geology Reviews

If you are interested in more information, visit the website with the presentation.

Why do I like science

Recently, I was thinking about my relationship to my work. Is this really what I want(ed) to do? Do I feel any kind of satisfaction? Is this what I want to do during rest of my life? And answers? Yes, definetely! In all cases. So, if you are insterested, read more why do I like science.

The beauty of my work is that it can be easily divided into the four individual jobs. Each of the job can stand alone, however their mutual connection is what make them even nicer.

Research

Unlimited discovery. There are almost no limitations in the research itself. Sure, one has to always take into account laws of the Nature. But what can be nicer (from the work point of view) if you are able to push the boundaries somewhere else? To explore something what nobody did before you. A who knows, in the future, this finding can make livebeing better and easier.

I like to work in the lab, to meassure my columns and to hope, that there, in between all of them, there is The One, which will do excatly what I want.

Story telling

Once you have data you have to sell them. Put all results together, compare, explain and disscuss them and finally find possible explanation and (future) application. Writing the scientific papers is like telling the stories. And reading well written paper is like listening to the interesting and amazing story.

I have to admit, I am still working on this issue and there is a lot of (a lot of!) room for improvement. It is also one of my scientific aims for the future (and reason for this blog).

Teaching

Labs. Seminars. Lectures. So far, I have personal experience only with student labs. Eventhough we are working (and teaching) in analytical chemistry lab, I have to say that I don’t mind so much about absolute accuracy of students results. More I care about their personal attitude. Do they look bored? Are they bored?  Are they trying to figure out the way how the solve the problem or do they prefere to ask labmates?

I am always trying to ask them three questions:

• What? What are you doing? What kind of experiment it is? What kind of techniques? What is the principle of the method? What do you mesure?
• How? How do you measure it? How do you deal with results? How do you know what to do?
• Why? Why are you using this protocol and not the other one? Why are the steps in this order? Why are you doing this? (One of the most important questions and Because I have to is not right answer).

Travel

It is always nice to have the possibility to travel, but what I consider as the most important on the scientific meetings are new ideas. Moreover, there is always opportunity to meet new people, explore cities and cultures and so on. But the ideas are (and should be) the most important part of the meetings. And you have to always present your best and newest data, of course.

I had never dreamed about the carier of the scientist. I thought I can be medicine doctor, teacher, lawyer. But it turned into the science. I am happy about that. Now you know why.

Literature talk

And what are the main literature talk rules?

Lit Talk Rules

1. Time and space are limited. The maximum number of slides is 4 and presentation shouldn’t take more than 6 minutes.
2. The attention must focus on the key results and conclusions. Why is this paper interesting for the group?
3. Lit talk should evoke the discussion since the topic will be of general interest of the group.

As you can see, the lit talk focuses on the main goal of the article. Which is important part of the paper selection. You want to find amazing article with the clear conclusions and/or findings and apply them to the group research.

Advantages?

• Lit talk keeps you close to the newest findings in your field.
• If it is not in your field, than lit talk helps expand your knowledge.
• It is always interesting to see what other person finds interesting.
• Each idea, even the smallest, can be use in your area and helps you.
• Last, but not least – it is a good scientific exercise.

Are there any disadvantages? Only that you have to find a paper and prepare the talk.

My lit talk

For my first literature talk I chose the article published in Organic Letters and published by the group of Stefan Hecht in Germany. The article describes the Immobilization of a photoswitchable piperidine base and their application as smart surfaces (surface, which specifically react on the external stimuli). In this case, the external stimulus is light, which switches two optical izomers: one izomer hides the active basic group, while the other not. It is than very easy to control the (test) reaction, which is catalyzed by the active site.

There is more information in following presentation.

Smart surfaces in chromatography?

And why I have chosen this article? This is where my separation heart starts to beat. With the monolithic stationary phases (in particularly organic polymers) we are able to modify various parts of the stationary phase with different functional groups (via photografting).

For example, if we modify the surface of the stationary phase with group which reacts on the external stimulus (light, temperature, …) and catalyzes the production of compound of the interest we can than very easily separate these products in situ on the stationary phase after the injection.

Of course, several limitation occurs. The reaction medium has to be used as the mobile phase, reaction should be fast and efficient, products can not react with the stationary phase or with each other, and so on.

But this is science.

What do you think? Could it works?

Looking for the job?

One of my colleagues has been recently searching for the job in chemistry. After a post-doc at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (which can be rightly supposed as one of the most prestigious scientific institution in the world) she is gathering several job talk experience and was so kind to share them with me.

So, if you are interested, read 10 questions you should ask yourself before the job interview.

The job interview is usually divided in two parts: scientific questions and HR (human resources) questions. Time is splitted equally for both of them. Sometimes, the human resources questions can prevail.

Here, you can see the list of the main topics which you can be asked during the interview. And it has not to be necessary in chemistry.

Scientific questions

• ability to discuss on topic (your research) and off topic science (their research)
• ability to brainstorm
• investigate level of scientific and technical knowledge
• investigate the potential to contribute

HR questions

• How do you deal with someone at work that you don’t like? (C’mon, do you really like everyone?)
• How to you manage a failure? (You never fail? And what about this interview?)
• How do you handle with a major interruption at work?
• How do you cope with stressful situation?
• Why a start-up company/well-establish company (pros & cons)
• For HR questions they want specific examples. On the second interview they may repeat couple of them (just to see if you said a true story)

Let me shortly discuss these nicely collected points.

From the scientific look, you should be able to discuss not only your research (actually, you are as good as possible, preferably the best), but also the research program of the company. How else do you want to show them your serious interest? Moreover, you should have prepared few ideas connecting your research with the research program / products of the company. With this, you already show your potential and skills. And even if these ideas are not really realistic, there are ideas for further discussion.

Moreover, they will be interested in your personality. None of us is as clear as we wish to be. They are looking for someone who can contribute to the production of company. Nowadays, there are no more solitaire scientists locked all days in the foggy laboratories. We are working in (and as) teams.

Of course, your contribution is your contribution and you have to do your work. But we are only parts of the chain. There are people providing you with the results as well as waiting for results from you. And you have to deal with them. Always and with all of them.

Sure, company is always looking for the ideal (existing only in the marketing and job searching books), but we have to be as close to this ideal as possible. Good way how to deal with this issue is reference letter. If someone you worked for confirms that you do not have a problem with cooperation and communication with others than why the company should not trust it?

Looking for the job is very difficult part of our career. Sometimes it can be only matter of time, good luck or right-time-right-place coincidence. But there should be always hard work and results behind us.

Actually, looking for the job is a full time job.  Now, we have two … . And we still have to sell our self.

Which is the tricky part.