Scientific Grant Writing - Sessi

• Metaphor of a cereal

• Readability statistics

• Fog-Gunning Formula

Grade=0.4*nb of words/nb of sentences + 100*nb of words with > 2 syllables/nb of words

• When you want to emphasise something, use short sentences.

• First sentence: should be active and not too long.

• Scientific writing style

• Longer sentences

• Intensive use of passive voice

• Supremacy of nouns over verbs

• Multi-syllabic nouns of latin of greek origin

• Specialized vocabulary for specialized people

• Hegde words to handle uncertainty

• The first few sentences should address directly to the heading

• Cover letter:

  • style: casual language, manuscript.
  • purpose: suitability; impact; decide whether to send to peer review
  • content: context; development of the field; show the big picture; significance and novelty; different way; specify reviewers;

• Journal selector: edanz etc.

• The Title

  • Starting words get more attention.
  • Keyword specificity: highly specific -> intermediary keyword -> Generic keyword
  • Non-search keywords and verbs
  • Keyword Choice
  • Clear contribution
  • Expectations
  • Qualities: unique/ lasting/ concise/ clear/ easy to find/ honest/ representative/ catchy

• The Abstract

  • Attract or repulse the reader(filter)
  • Prepare the interested reader(peek)
  • Repeat title search Keywords
  • Explain and Justify adjectives, jargon
  • Parts: background, purpose, method, result, impact
  • Tense of abstract: present and present perfect
  • Qualities: complete, tied to title, concise and precise, stand-alone, representative, present.

• Headings/subheadings

  • Use words in the title and abstract
  • Contributions should be the most intended(have the deepest level)
  • Consistency
  • Qualities: informative, tied to title and abstract, logical, consistent, concise