Interlude: Study Questions, Manuscript Templates, and Promotional Language
Hi Crystal,
Yesterday, I was out for my usual trail run. I was enjoying the cool morning air and a beautiful view of the mountains. And then it happened.
I stumbled to the ground in what seemed like slow motion but was probably a mere 2 seconds. (Don't worry, I'm okay.)
Any number of variables could have contributed to my fall. I've run the route many times and know it well. But I happened to be wearing a new pair of shoes I wasn't used to. Or maybe a loose rock "jumped out in front of me." Or maybe I was still just a little off my game from not sleeping well the night before.
Sometimes we don't know why things happen. But we can still learn from them.
My fall was a good reminder of an important life lesson. Sometimes you get knocked down and don't know why. But you get back up, dust yourself off, and then try again.
I think this is a great lesson for when our manuscripts and grants don't go as planned. Sometimes you get rejected and don't know why. But you get back up, dust yourself off, and then try again.
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
🎉 Featured
Five Pitfalls to Avoid When Crafting the Study Question for a Research Manuscript
I'm delighted to share my latest publication in the AMWA Journal. In the article, I share 5 pitfalls to avoid when crafting the study question for a research manuscript: focusing on the objectives of the study, only stating what was done in the study, reversing the order of the formula in the study question, focusing on the hypothesis of the study, and summarizing the key findings of the study.
💻 From My Desk
Research Manuscript Template
Are you tired of wrangling the format of your research manuscripts? You're in luck! I created a general template that you can use for most original research manuscripts (some journals have other requirements). The template has built-in styles that you can customize as you wish, as well as guidance and links to resources to help you draft each section. And you can have it for free!
👓 Reading
Promotional language and the adoption of innovative ideas in science
"Our analyses showed that across diverse datasets, the percentage of promotional language in a grant is a key predictor of a grant’s funding decision, innovativeness, and productivity and citation impact after controlling for PI and grant characteristics. Our raw data indicate that on average a grant contains one promotional word in every 100 words or about one promotional word every fourth sentence."
*This article is interesting to think about. But be careful not to overinflate your writing with promotional language. If you do, you risk making overstatements or exaggerations that can damage the credibility of the work. Remember that it’s not only about what words you use, but also how you use them.
💬 Quote
“Our investment in reading changes the book because the book has changed us. ... If books are merely a means of transferring information, then perhaps, yes, a book is a waste of time. If a summary of its thesis and key points could be presented in a brief article or Substack post, why not just save the hours and read the Substack post? All the more if the information is outdated or questionable for one reason or another. But that mistakes what a book is for. A book is a tool. It’s a machine for thinking. And “all machines,” as Thoreau once said, “have their friction.” The time it takes to engage with ideas—whether factual or fictional, emotional or intellectual, accurate or inaccurate, efficient or inefficient—might strike some as a drag. But the time given to working through those ideas, adopting and adapting, developing or discarding, changes our minds, changes us. It’s not about the wisdom we glean. It’s about what wisdom we grow.” – Joel Miller
💭 Thoughts
The best way to describe complexity is, paradoxically, with simplicity.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
