Common errors in scientific research articles (for JAIST students)

Wm R. Holden III and John BlakeInstitute of General Education

Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

Common errors in scientific research articles科学研究論文に見られるよくある誤り

J-BEANSセミナー：第27回

www.postersessi on.co

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Increase the chances your manuscript will beaccepted

Identify and eliminate obstacles between yourmanuscript and your audience

http://www.postersession.com/


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Write with a journal in mind

- Submission guidelines

- Mission / vision

- Categories of submission

- Key subject areas

- Impact factor- Rejection rate- Reviewers- Audience



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Analyze target journal articles

- How are articles structured

- What level of detail is used

- Level of context provided

- Important types of evidence

- Prominent stylistic features

- Organisational features



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Rejection will likely occur where

- Submission guidelines ignored

- Aim of paper not clearly stated

- Content not important or timely

- Content & journal purpose not consistent

- Research design problems

- Results & data are at odds

- Unwarranted conclusions drawn

- Multiple submission



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To increase the chances that your paper is accepted, you should:

- Create time and space for writing

- Be willing to revise & rewrite

- Solicit opinions and input

- Work with an experienced author

- Collaborate with your peers

- Learn from reviewers` comments

- Take writing classes at JAIST

CONCLUSIONS



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Misconceptions about the writing process can lead to anxiety and lack of confidence or motivation

- Writing is easy

- You can`t write well enough

- Good writing ability is innate

- Your research is of poor quality

- Your English isn`t good enough

- The reviewer was unfair


DISCUSSION



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Investigate the possibility that working with a Writing Lab tutor can increase the chances

your manuscript will be published.



Types of errors

Hands-on practice

Edge, J. (1990). Mistakes and correction. Harlow: Longman.Brown , H. (2000). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.Selinker, L. (1972) Interlanguage. International Review of Applied Linguistics in LanguageTeaching, 10(3), 209-231

SourceIntralingual vs. interlingual errors (Selinker, 1972; Brown, 2000)Accidental slips, ingrained errors vs. attempts (Edge, 1990)Learner-induced vs. teacher-inducedFormLexical, grammatical vs. discoursalEffectIntrusive vs. non-intrusive errors Errors that lead to rejection vs. errors that don`t

Type Description

Accuracy concerning mistakes in facts, meaning, grammar, usage and spelling

Brevity using too many words to say something simple

Clarity using vague or ambiguous terms

Objectivity using terms that appear subjective*

Formality using abbreviations, contractions and informal terms

Common errors in SRAs in Writing Lab

Hands-on practice

Time to think…..30 errors to identify, correct and explain

Accuracy errors (1)

Hands-on practice

1. The population of Japan is 12,734,100 [1].

2. There are four types of… First,.. Second, ..Third,..

3. All women…

4. XXX will play a key factor in the near future.

5. This is a improtant topic

6. p < 0.5

Accuracy errors (1)

Hands-on practice

1. The population of Japan is 12,734,100 [1].

2. There are four types of… First,.. Second, ..Third,..

3. All women …

4. XXX will play a key factor in the near future.

5. This is a improtant topic

6. p < 0.5 cf. (p < 0.05)

Accuracy errors (2)

Hands-on practice

1. All the formulas on all the XXX for our XXX is completely XXX.

2. This paper first proposes a XXX[…] and then reformulate XXX in terms of XXX.

3. The XXX in the XXX of XXX are two.4. XXX (e.g. XXX , XXX, XXX) has attracted many

attention.5. However, past studies to date, including XXX, are

limited, since they have XXX on ”XXX data”.

Accuracy errors (2)

Hands-on practice

1. All the formulas on all the XXX for our XXX iscompletely XXX.

2. This paper first proposes a XXX[…] and then reformulate XXX in terms of XXX.

3. The XXX in the XXX of XXX are two. 4. XXX (e.g. XXX , XXX, XXX) has attracted many

attention.5. However, past studies to date, including XXX, are

limited, since they have XXX on ”XXX data”.

Accuracy errors

Hands-on practice

1. Factual errors related to the world

2. Factual errors related to the article

3. Overgeneralization errors

4. Overly bold claims

5. Spelling and grammar errors, esp. LaTeX users

6. Statistical errors

Brevity errors

Hands-on practice

1. The concept that was chosen as the primary focus of this research is XXX

2. ..providing the user with various XXX and asking him/her to XXX.

3. We analyze XXX regarding the XXX qualities, XXX qualities and XXX qualities.

4. On each and every occurrence, the XXX was noted.

Brevity errors

Hands-on practice

1. The concept that was chosen as the primary focus of this research is XXX

2. ..providing the user with various XXX and asking him/her to XXX.

3. We analyze XXX regarding the XXX qualities, XXX qualities and XXX qualities.

4. On each and every occurrence, the XXX was noted.

Brevity errors

Hands-on practice

1. Using multiple vague words

2. Repeated words

3. Redundant words

Clarity errors

Hands-on practice

1. XXX is something which is XXX from XXX of somewhere of, is something which XXX

2. It is really good for XXX.

3. Referring to Smith [10], Jones notes that he…

4. XXX found two AAA and one BBB, which CCC

5. The journal plans to publish this paper were just a rumour.

Clarity errors

Hands-on practice

1. XXX is something which is XXX from XXX of somewhere of, is something which XXX

2. It is really good for XXX.

3. Referring to Smith [10], Jones notes that he…

4. XXX found two AAA and one BBB, which CCC

5. The journal plans to publish this paper were just a rumour. (jb)

Clarity errors

Hands-on practice

1. Vague expressions

2. Lexical ambiguity

3. Referential ambiguity

4. Syntactic ambiguity

5. Garden path sentenceBrevity

Clarity

Objectivity errors*

Hands-on practice

1. We are confident that XXX will become XXXX

2. We are pleased to announce that XXX

3. …such as services to your XXX, to your XXX, and to XXX.

4. I interviewed 10 of my best students. (jb)

* ‘taming’ one’s subjectivity

Peshkin, A. (1988). In search of subjectivity. One`s own. Educational Researcher,

17 (7), 17-21.

Objectivity errors

Hands-on practice

1. We are confident that XXX will become XXXX

2. We are pleased to announce that XXX

3. …such as services to your XXX, to your XXX, and to XXX.

4. I interviewed 10 of my best students. (jb)

Objectivity errors

Hands-on practice

1. Focus on people & feelings, not things & ideas

2. Emotive wording

3. Excessive personalization, e.g. use of pronouns

Formality errors

Hands-on practice

1. To be more precise, act doesn’t directly cause the effect (E).

2. What’s more, we could not only control the torque,….

3. This is the RQ of this paper.

4. A bunch of IT engineers collaborated and launched…

5. They launched the website right after the earthquake

6. The key question to ask is: how can we…?

Formality errors

Hands-on practice

1. To be more precise, act doesn’t directly cause the effect (E).

2. What’s more, we could not only control the torque,….

3. This is the RQ of this paper.

4. A bunch of IT engineers collaborated and launched…

5. They launched the website right after the earthquake…

6. The key question to ask is: how can we…?

RQ = CO2 eliminated / O2 consumed

Formality errors

Hands-on practice

1. Contractions

2. Abbreviations

3. Slang

4. Informal terms

5. Rhetorical questions

Example paragraph A

Hands-on practice

This is a hot topic nowadays. So, how can you accept both the potential pros and cons of the Internet? It’s important for us to remember that hi-tech developments are not good or bad by themselves.

Example paragraph B

Hands-on practice

This has become a controversial topic recently. Therefore, it is necessary to identify both the potential advantages and disadvantages of the Internet. It is important to remember that technological developments are neither intrinsically positive nor negative.

Example paragraphs A & B

Hands-on practice

This has become a controversialtopic recently. Therefore, it is necessary to identify both the potential advantages and disadvantages of the Internet. It is important to remember that technological developments are neither intrinsically positive nornegative.

This is a hot topic nowadays. So, how can you accept both the potential pros and consof the Internet? It’simportant for us to remember that hi-tech developments are not good or bad by themselves.

(Taken from new E113 Unit 11, formerly E112)

Type Advice

Accuracy Check facts, spelling and grammar

Brevity Remove redundancy

Clarity Avoid ambiguity; be precise

Objectivity Focus on things and ideas, not people and feelings

Formality Avoid abbreviations, contractions and informal terms

Common errors in SRAs in Writing Lab

Hands-on practice


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Recommended

TOEIC scoreSpoken Technical Communication Written Technical Communication

TOEIC < 500

Pre-

Intermediate

Interaction Seminar A

Interaction Seminar B

TOEIC 501 – 600

Intermediate

E111 Academic Discussion & Debate E112 Academic Writing

E113 Reading Research Articles

TOEIC 601 – 700

Upper

Intermediate

E212 Presenting Research E211 Writing Research

E213 Scientific Discussion I: Critical and logical thinking

TOEIC 700 plus

Advanced

E411 Writing Short Research Articles

E412 Writing Extended Research Articles

E413 Scientific Discussion II: Critical and logical thinking

Technical communication courses 2016-7



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Writing Courses 2016

E112Students will produce a 5-7 paragraph essay introducing their research.

E113Students will learn to read research articles more effectively and efficiently.

E211Students will plan a writing project from conception to completion, and produce an outline and the methodology section of a short RA.

E411Students will learn to write a short RA based on research conducted in their field of study.

E412Students will learn to write a longer research document that can be submitted for publication.
