Resources

Below you'll find a constitutively updated list of useful resources. These include guides for for writing papers or grants and other various articles of interest to the burgeoning graduate student. 

Papers

  • "How to write a first-class paper" - Six experts offer advice on producing a manuscript that will get published and pull in readers; one of them is the managing editor at Nature Research Editing Service, so one would be wise to take a gander at this article. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-02404-4
  • "Ten simple rules for structuring papers" - These useful rules are split up into principles of good writing, identifying and nailing down the components of a paper, and the writing process. https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005619
  • "The art of writing science" - From the article: "Imagine, for example, that you hold in your hand two papers, both of which describe precisely the same set of experimental results. One is long, dense, and filled with jargon. The other is concise, engaging, and easy to follow. Which are you more likely to read, understand, and cite? The answer to this question hits directly at the value of good writing: writing well leverages your work. That is, while even the most skillful writing cannot turn bad science into good science, clear and compelling writing makes good science more impactful, and thus more valuable." Self-explanatory. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pro.514
  • "Publications: Publish like a pro" - An in depth guide on getting your manuscript noticed, approved, and put in print. If you're wondering how to get that slam-dunk paper accepted to Science or why it may be better to publish one big article rather than a few small ones, read on: https://www.nature.com/articles/nj7317-873a
  • "Tips on How to Write 'Good'" - A short article by Steven W. Cranford, Editor-in-chief of Matter, on a few habits you can get into to make your writing better and some of his inspirations, including Steven King! https://www.cell.com/matter/fulltext/S2590-2385(19)30394-7
  • "Whitesides' Group: Writing a Paper" -  George Whiteside is one of the best scientific writers Tosh has encountered during his (long!) career. Follow his advice and you will not go wrong in writing your papers! A main takeaway: "realize that your objective in research is to formulate and test hypotheses, to draw conclusions from these tests, and to teach these conclusions to others. Your objective is not to 'collect data'". (Free Access, PDF below) https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.200400767https://www.cell.com/matter/fulltext/S2590-2385(19)30394-7
  • "5 Steps to Writing a Scientific Paper" - Most scientific manuscripts do not pass the journal’s initial editorial process. In this article, the editorial process is reviewed and RayBiotech provides 5 steps for writing a scientific paper that will improve its chances of being published. https://raybiotech.com/learning-center/5-steps-to-writing-a-scientific-paper/

  • "Write Accessibly - It's not easy" - Writing in a way that is informative, clear, and accessible is a skill that needs practicing but pays many dividends over the long run. Scientific papers are often dense and difficult to decode; even experts want to read papers that flow easily and effectively communicate the point. This Nature Biomedical Engineering editorial provides lots of tips on how to write in a way that makes your writing stand out by being easy on the brain. (PDF below) https://www.nature.com/articles/s41551-021-00816-8
  • "How to make cover letters instructive" - An editorial from Nature Biomedical Engineering about the common pitfalls with article cover letters and how you can make yours better. From the article: "...the widely held belief that editors of Nature-branded journals select manuscripts largely on the basis of the cover letter is a myth; manuscripts are examined. Are cover letters for first submissions therefore a wasted effort? Are they an unhelpful relic of the pre-internet era? Do they bias manuscript selection? Many arguments can be made for and against these questions. Instead, discussing how cover letters accompanying first submissions of original research articles can be made more instructive would be more fruitful. That’s our aim for the remainder of this piece." https://www.nature.com/articles/s41551-022-00957-4
  • "Judging a manuscript by its cover (letter)" - An excellent guide on how to write a good cover letter. (PDF below) https://www.cell.com/matter/fulltext/S2590-2385(21)00286-1
  • "Boosting your acceptance chances as an author: a brief guide" - a great, concise guide on a few strategies you should use to boost the odds your paper is accepted. From the article: "The steps you take before you submit your article manuscript can have a big impact on your chances of getting accepted. These are the steps that start after you have your results, and before you submit them. Most of them happen in between writing up your results and submitting the manuscript, but some parts can influence how you write up your results." https://www.springernature.com/gp/researchers/the-source/blog/blogposts-getting-published/boosting-your-acceptance-chances-as-an-author/24029788

Grants

  • "What the F? An Introduction to the NRSA Fellowship" -  NRSA fellowships support the unique training pathway of an individual trainee. Unlike R01s or similar research grants awarded based on scientific merit, fellowship awards value the training plan as much as, if not more than, the scientific merit of a trainee’s research project. Good science needs to be presented, but a thoughtful and intentional training proposal that highlights your plans to engage in educational, professional, and scientific training activities is essential. A commitment from your mentor and institution stating how they will support your training is also required. https://edgeforscholars.org/what-the-f-an-introduction-to-the-nrsa-fellowship/