点击就看怎样成为一名合格的研究生

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The establish phase is where authors lay out why they undertook the study in the way that they did. Within a conventional manuscript structure, the establish phase largely comprises the introduction section, although the methods section may also be involved. Here, authors must introduce the problem that they are trying to solve, the obstacles in their way, and how prior work—whether by the authors themselves or by others—has led them to their current position.

Using a recently published article in Science Immunology by immunologist Bali Pulendran’s group from Stanford University as an example, the first sentence of the first paragraph immediately lays out the problem facing scientists in their field, while the second sentence explains why that problem needs to be solve. The remainder of the first paragraph then explains what the authors are investigating (memory B cells) and why they are investigating it (they serve as a second line of defense for developing broad and long-lasting immunity ). Within a single paragraph, the authors have clearly outlined the problem that they are trying to solve and a potential solution.

The prove phase is where authors showcase how they addressed the problem that they built up during the establish phase. This phase not only entails presenting data-based evidence, but also the rationale behind the selected experimentation strategy. Why the author chose a particular assay is just as important as the data that the assay generated. To that point, many journals today choose to omit the materials and methods section within published manuscripts and jump straight from the introduction to the results. This forces authors to explain their data and discuss why they sought to generate it in the first place—in other words, building a narrative.

Finally, the convince phase is where the author must tie the narrative together. Having explained the why and the how, the scientist must now explain what it all means and why it matters. In this phase, the author outlines the implications of their findings, where their findings fit within existing frameworks, and what the next steps should be. Here, it is important to circle back to all of the questions initially raised during the establish phase and outline how the new data addresses them. The author should take care to minimize the introduction of new questions or trains of thought—new information should be placed within the context of the generated data and resulting interpretations.

While the discussion section comprises most of the convince phase, strategic sentences can be sprinkled throughout the results and even the methods to explain the authors’ rationale as the audience moves through the study.