Review article
Kipling’s Guide to Writing a Scientific Paper
David Sharp
Abstract
The generally accepted structure of a scientific paper is four sections, an
introduction, a methods section, the results, and a discussion. This so-called
IMRaD format is, with a few small variations, found in most research articles
in biomedical journals. However, as a guide for someone writing up research
data for the first time, it is far from complete – for example, there is no T for
title or even S for summary. Nor does IMRaD explain what belongs in which
section and how much should be included in or excluded from any section. As
a supplement to, but not a replacement for, IMRaD research-workers could
bear in mind the “six honest serving-men” of the poet Rudyard Kipling. These
writer’s servants are called: What, Why, When, How, Where, and Who, and
they can be applied to all parts of the paper – from its title down to the tables
Keywords
journal article; authorship; IMRaD format; biomedical journals
Hrčak ID:
23347
URI
Publication date:
26.11.2002.
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