The Internet is a terrific place, where everyone can freely communicate as well as write as well as go over pretty much about everything. freedom is a terrific thing, sadly it likewise poses its risks. In fact pretty much everyone can put up a web site as well as ended up being a self proclaimed expert in everything as well as writing about sensational theories as well as claim they have developed something. Last however not least, a web site can likewise be a place where you can pretty much claim you know it all as well as everyone one else is wrong as well as claim magic effects of applications of your theories. I came across few of these, where self-proclaimed experts with no qualifications try to sell everything, from incredible training methods, to super-foods as well as supplement to remarkable exercise machines as well as selling their own pseudo-expertise.
(This image is copyright of Ben Tremblay, read his terrific blog here)
This is all possible simply since everyone can write whatever they want on a web site or blog without undergoing the peer review process which is the basis of a scientific publication. I can use this blog in fact to write whatever I want as well as I absolutely control the content. however my aim is to write as well as go over scientific matters related to sport supplying my views on particular issues and/or reporting some interesting (to me) findings published in the scientific literature.
I don’t propose wacky theories, I don’t claim to be the only person on the planet with all the ideal answers as well as I don’t plan to develop some cargo cult science following unlike so lots of individuals on the internet.
Some people in fact have web sites where they criticize everything as well as everyone, they claim to have the ideal theories as well as they claim to have made inventions as well as stating that scientists (the ones that publish on scientific peer examined journals!) don’t get it, are wrong as well as don’t understand what they are talking about. however such people have never published anything anywhere, have never patented an creation as well as a lot of of the times do not even have a fundamental degree in the field.
In this post I want to describe what is a scientific publication, what is the process needed to get a paper published as well as how a scientific paper looks like.
Scientific literature comprises scientific publications that report original empirical as well as theoretical work in the natural as well as social sciences. scientific research on original work initially published in scientific journals is called primary literature. Patents as well as technical reports, for minor research results as well as engineering as well as design work (including computer software) can likewise be considered primary literature. Secondary sources include articles in review journals (which supply a synthesis of research articles on a topic to highlight advances as well as new lines of research), as well as books for large projects, broad arguments, or compilations of articles. Tertiary sources might include encyclopedias as well as similar works intended for broad public consumption.
A blog or a web site is not considered (quite rightly) scientific literature or a scientific publication. None of the articles I write on this blog can be considered scientific literature.
What is the process to get a paper published on a scientific journal as well as how long does it take?The process is quite long as well as often it can take years from the idea to the publication on a scientific journal.
The fundamental criterion is that there is a formalized process of peer-review prior to publication – so this presents a barrier to publication that acts as a quality control filter. Typically, the journal editor will give a submitted paper to a small number of qualified peers – recognized experts in the relevant field. The reviewers will then submit in-depth criticism of the paper along with a recommendation to reject, accept with major revisions, accept with minor revisions, or accept as is. It is rare to get an acceptance as is on the first round.
The editor likewise reviews the paper, as well as may break a tie among the reviewers or add their own comments.
The process, although at times painful, is quite beneficial in not only checking the quality of submitted work, however improving the quality. A reviewer, for example, may point out prior research the authors did not comment on, or may point our errors in the paper which can be fixed.
This is not a best process however at least creates some filter to information. I am as well as have been a reviewer to hundreds of manuscripts submitted for publication to various journals as well as always strived to supply a fair as well as constructive review as well as rejecting work which was not of the ideal quality.
The value of a scientific publication goes beyond the basic benefit of being filtered by peer review. It’s likewise a way to communicate your ideas to your scientific peers, as well as invite them to express an informed view as well as using your findings to advance knowledge in the field.
Peer review is not always perfect. Peer review is typically represented as some kind of policing system for truth, however in reality, some awful nonsense gets published, as well as mercifully so: dubious as well as low quality material can often get published; then the academic readers of this literature, who are trained to critically appraise a scientific case, can make their own judgement. This is the real stage of review in my view.
After publication other scientists will decide. If there are problems in your case, actions can be written, as letters, or even whole new papers. If there is merit in your work, then new ideas as well as research will be triggered as well as your work gets cited. That is the real process of science.
Structure of a scientific paper
The first part is usually an abstract; this is a short summary of the work, as well as is intended to serve as a guide for figuring out if the articles is pertinent, as well as to furnish subject metadata for indexing services.
Abstracts must be read only when trying to find important articles. The real information is never in the abstract. If you only read abstracts you have not read the paper, you don’t know anything about the details of the experiment.
The content is presented in the context of previous scientific investigations, by citation of relevant papers in the existing literature, in a section called an “Introduction“.
This section helps the reader in setting the scene, presenting current state of the art as well as leading the reader to the hypothesis of the research project,
Empirical techniques, laid out in a section normally called “Materials as well as Methods“, are described in such a way that a subsequent scientist, with appropriate knowledge of as well as experience in the relevant field, must be able to repeat the observations as well as know whether he or she has obtained the same result.
The methods section allows the reader to understand what happened as well as read the research design as well as the statistical techniques used.
The results of the investigation, in a section normally called “Results”, are presented in tabular or graphic form (image, chart, schematic, diagram or drawing) as well as text.
Interpretation of the indicating of the results is normally attended to in a “Discussion” and/or “Conclusion” section. The conclusions drawn must be based on previous literature and/or new empirical results, in such a way that any type of reader with knowledge of the field can follow the disagreement as well as confirm that the conclusions are sound.
Conclusions need to not depend on personal authority, rhetorical skill, or faith however must be based on the results.
Finally, a “References” or “Literature Cited” section lists the primary sources cited by the authors in the format required by the journal.
Lessons
When reading information on the Internet try to understand where it is coming from. When you want to know as well as understand more, always go to the primary sources. Don’t read only the abstract, try to get the full paper as well as read as well as study each section to understand the details. Make your mind up as well as read again, often you might miss crucial points or relevant papers cited.
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