academic writing and statistics
DESCRIPTION
Rules for writing a good research article (focuses on economics)TRANSCRIPT
L/O/G/O
Academic Writing and Statistics
From clueless to
journal publishing
PhD Candidate Silvia PalașcăPhD Candidate Sebastian Enea
“If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time
(or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”
― Stephen King
Structure
I. Thinking and preparing the article
II. Writing the paper
III. Editing the material
Thinking & Preparing the Article
Decisions...decisions...
What?• Article• Lit Review• Thesis
Where?• Journal• Conference• Thesis
defence
About what?• Own results• Overview • Contradict
How?• Clear• Concise• Simple
Overview of the Writing Process
Narrow down a
topic for the article
Determine what type of
article to write
Select a journal to submit the
article
Write the
article
Submit the
articleReview
Re-submit article
Choosing a theme
Working Title
Choose theme
Study
Narrow theme
More study
The Writing Process in numbers
• 1. Prewriting (70%)• 2. Writing the first draft (10%)• 3. Revision (20%)
First draftRevisingPre-writing
Choosing a topic- Example
• Crisis• Prediction
Business
cycle
• Synchronization• Dynamic equations• Use GDP
Study • The dynamic estimation of business cycle transmission between US and the Euro area
Working title
• “Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.” ― John Steinbeck
Documentation
• Databases for literature reviewFree databases•Google Scholar•Directory of Open Access Journals
•NO WIKIPEDIA!
Institutional subscribtion•Elsevier • Sage • JSTOR • Springer•Thomson Reuters’ Web of
Knowledge• Taylor & Francis• Wiley-Blackwell
Payed
•EMBASE•Project Muse•Science Direct•Ulrich’s Directory
Documentation- Tips and TricksArticles•Google scholar account- daily
notifications, free articles on your theme
•All ... versions – early (free) versions of a payed article
Books •Libgen.org
•Google books
Organize information
• Theme/ variables/ methods/ chronological• Make a table with articles/books you have
read
• Use JabRef (or other referencing software)• Use Word’s Masterlist option to build a
bibliography list for future use
Organize information- Examples
• MS-Word Masterlist
Get Data
• Questionnaires• Databases (Choose only institutional DB!)
Compute resultsState hypothesis
Apply/develop models
Test models (in/out of sample)
Save results /draw graphs
Compute results
Statistic tools
MS Excel
SPSS
EViews
R
MATLAB
USERFRIENDLY
GeneralPurpose
CODESpecific
toolboxes
Wrapping up!
Lit Review Articles
Table with ideas
DatabaseRaw data
Data sources
ResultsNumbersTables
Graphs (high quality)
Templatesfrom selected
journals
Article folder
Selecting a journal
• Check that your article would fit with the Aims & Scope of the journal;
• Check whether the journal is by invitation only – some journals only publish invited articles;
• Check that the publication options of the journal meet your needs (ISI/ BDI).• SUBMIT ONLY TO ONE JOURNAL
AT A TIME!
Selecting a journal
• Check the Guide for Authors-types of articles published, acceptable language and article length;
• Read the abstracts of recent publications to find current hot topics;
• Articles in your References section may also lead to the right journal;
• Use automated abstract matching tools (only if you have already an abstract).
Selecting a journal- International
Review Speed
The average number of weeks it takes for an article to pass through the review process for this journal. We have selected two key points:
1. From manuscript submission to the initial decision on the article.2. From manuscript submission to the final decision to accept.
Impact factorIt is a measure of the number of times an average paper in a particular journal is cited during the preceding two years.
ISI Journals ← HOT LINK!
Selecting a journal- Romania
• Romanian ISI Jornals- Economics
• AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC• ECONOMIC COMPUTATION
AND ECONOMIC CYBERNETICS STUDIES AND RESEARCH
• REVISTA DE CERCETARE SI INTERVENTIE SOCIALA
• ROMANIAN JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC FORECASTING
• TRANSYLVANIAN REVIEW OF ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES
• Romanian BDI (B+) Journals
REBS
CES Working Papers
ECTAP
Add your text in here
Add your text in here
Writing the article
Article structure
Title
Abstract
Introduction
Methodology
Results
Conclusions
Hot Tip
Start from the core of your article
and work your way to the outer layers
Conclusion
Introduction
Results
Methodology
Literature review
New article structure
Literature review
Methods
Results
Introduction
Conclusions
Abstract
Fancy title
Reference list
Literature review
2 Reasons
Not re-inventing the wheel
Position your current research
Structure of LR
Introduction• Generalization• Widely known
information• OR• State controversy
Main body• Present previous
works• Choose an order• Use linkages
Ending remarks• Summarise the
main findings• Position your paper
Examples
• In the last two or three decades the emphasis put on the process of economic globalization has shifted the analysis’ focus towards an international level.
• The international literature focused mainly on analyzing the GDP as an absolute variable or as a growth rate (Krolzig, 2003), (Li & Liu, 2004) and its connections with …, proposed by Frankel and Rose (1998), further developed by Imbs (2004).
• As a general remark, the I.L. considers that the complex process of economic globalization should bring a higher degree of business cycles synchronization.
Good vs. Bad
• Remember the purpose
• Read about purpose • Write within the
purpose
• Try to read everything• Read but not write • Not keeping
bibliographic information
• Try to include almost everything
• Give to many details
A PHRASE IN NEED, A FRIEND INDEED !
http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/sources.htm
Google search - phrasebank
GENERAL RULE !!!
DO YOUR HOMEWORK !!!
Methodology and / or methods
Methodology
• The study of a single or multiple methods
Methods
• Ways, instruments, procedures employed to complete the research objectives
Empirical approach
1. •Population / Sample
2. •Data•Variables
3. •Methods
Population and Sample
• “The research population is represented by all the European states ...”
• “... out of which we have selected a number of 24 European Union members, and 6 neighbouring countries of the EU”
Mention the target population of the
analysisDescribe
the sample
Very very important !
Mention if you have excluded a number of entities from the sample and motivate why !!!
• “Some entities were deliberately excluded from this analysis either on lack of relevant data or a very different economical situation, leading to outliers”
Data and variables
Source
Description of data
Mention the calculus method
Data Variables
Data and datum
Datum = noun, singular form Data = noun, plural form
DATAS - Pieces of Data
Do not try to dribble the
English grammar !
Methods section
• Explain how you have studied the research hypotheses / issues / problems etc.
• Identify and structure logically the procedures employed
New method
• Give precise and correct details
Previously published method
• Name and cite it
Mathematical method
• Include the formula
Results to be validated
and replicated
Results & Discussions
• Present results in a clear, logical sequence• Link findings to the aim of the article• WHAT’S NEW ?• Discuss findings by reffering to existing
literature• Possible implications• Also report uncertainties• DO NOT SPECULATE, JUST REPORT
Results & Discussions• Use tables and figures to support
your arguments
• Provide captions and legends for all your figures and tables
• Use measure units where appropriate
• NEVER USE RAW DATA
• Be parsimonious about tables and figures
• Never duplicate (same information both in table and in figure)
Results- Statistical issues
1. Descriptive analysis of the variables and checking assumptions
- to check for correctness of the data
- to acquire a feel for the raw data, so that you recognize unusual outcomes in your results;
- to check whether the assumptions of the main analysis technique have been fulfilled to a reasonable level
- to detect and explain of missing data, or subjects with unusual data.
Dependent variablesIndependent variables
Reporting statistics
• Mean,Standard Deviation and percentages are most clearly presented in parentheses:
“The sample as a whole was relatively young (M = 19.22, SD = 3.45).” �
• Never report the significance level as
p =.0000; correct is
p <.0001
• Chi-square -degrees of freedom and sample size in parentheses, followed by chi-square statistic (round to two decimal places) and the significance level.
• “The proportion of older male teachers was 0.86, whereas the proportion of younger male teachers was 0.52. This difference is significant, (2, N = 167) = 22.01, p < .01.”.
2
Reporting statistics
• Correlations are reported with their degrees of freedom (N-2) in parentheses, together with the significance level, in this way:
• “The two variables were strongly correlated, r(55) =.49, p <.01.”
• t Tests are reported �with the degrees of freedom in parentheses, followed by the t statistic (rounded to two decimal places) and the significance level.
• “There was a significant effect for gender, t(54) = 5.43, p <.001, with men receiving higher scores than women.”
Reporting statistics
• Regression results are often best presented in a table.
• Include the standardized slope (beta) along with the t-test and the corresponding significance level.
• “Social support significantly predicted depression scores, beta= -.34, t(225) = 6.53, p <.01. Social support also explained a significant proportion of
variance in depression scores, R2 =.12, F(1, 225) = 42.64, p <.01. ”
Tables and figures
Tables• Remove grid lines!• Make sure everything
lines up.• Keep a reasonable
number of significant figures.
• Leave out unnecessary info!
Figures• Line Graphs-Used to
show trends over time, age
• Bar Graphs- Used to compare groups at one time point
• Scatter Plots- Used to show relationships between two variables
Tables and figures- Example
Tables and figures
Do-s• Labeling• Numbering• Positioning• In-text referencing• Larger tables and
figures—place large tables or figures in the appendices
Don’t-s• Don't restructure data
from an information source into another format
• Don't give extensive descriptions in your writing of the contents of a table or diagram. The information in a table or diagram tells its own story.
Insights regarding the Introduction
Comunicates the reseach area
The author’s position
Create the RESEARCH SPACE
Short structure
• Establish a territory – identify the research topic1.
• Identify a niche – issues, gaps, dilemmas that demand attention2.
• State what your paper is going to address3.
Suggested structure
I.
•Generalization about the topic
II.
•Short insights regarding the topic and / or concepts (definitions, debates, academic conflicts)
III.
•Find the research issue or gap
IV.
•State very clearly the purpose
V.
•Structure of the article
GENERALIZATION ABOUT THE TOPIC
“Considered to be one of the most important contemporary phenomena by the national and international literature, globalization represents a key research issue within in the academic field.”
SHORT INSIGHTS REGARDING THE TOPIC AND / OR CONCEPTS
“Used, as a term, for the first time in 1983 in order to ... (citation) globalization can be perceived as ...”
The literature on business cycles acknowledges two types of cycles: the “classical” cycle, as defined by … (citation) , and the one based on deviations or growths where the underlying idea is that … (citation) “.
FIND THE RESEARCH ISSUE OR GAP
“The main challenge that globalization puts forward, ..., is that of finding alternative methods that can evaluate its impact on the international economy.
...
an analysis based on the idea that business cycles synchronization represents a direct effect of globalization offers the possibility to better grasp the nature and dynamics of these vast processes.”
State very clearly the purpose
• Link with the gap in the literature
• Further develop a previous research (personal or someone else's)
• Address a question or a number of questions.
• The present study seeks to address the following questions Are there pieces of evidence
regarding the synchronization of business cycles between the G7 countries?, and if this is proved to be true,
Can these seven countries be considered the promoters of economic globalization?
This paper aims to estimate the synchronization of business cycles, perceived as an effect of globalization, on the basis of the relationship that exists between the growth rate of the GDP and inflows and outflows of foreign direct investments (FDI), considered as percentage of the GDP.
Tips for writing the Conclusions
• Conclusions = the summing-up of an argument or text
• From the verb to conclude = to bring or come to an end, to sum up.
Suggested structure
I.• G
eneral assessment of the topic
• Link to the purpose of the paper
II.• S
hort and concise remarks regarding the findings
III.• C
ontributions of the study
IV• L
imitations of the research
• Future research directions
GENERAL ASSESSMENT OF THE TOPIC &LINK TO THE PURPOSE OF THE PAPER
“Both globalization and business cycles are elusive economical phenomena, hence they represents a continuous research puzzle for the academic community and an inexhaustible source of possible inquiries”.
“The main purpose of the research was to assess the business cycle synchronization patterns inside the G7, in order to better grasp the transformations that …“.
SHORT AND CONCISE REMARKS REGARDING THE FINDINGS
“The study has showed that, in general, …. One of the more important findings that emerge from the research is fact that …The second major finding is that …, thus it highlights the cases of … previously discussed. It can also be said that …”
CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE STUDY
“The contribution of the research, founded on the existence of ..., resides in the explanation of ..., and also the .... Another implication of the present paper is that it highlights the importance ...”
“The novelty of the study is the use the << X >> method in order to study the …”
LIMITATIONS & FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS
“The future directions of study will aim to enlarge the sample and employ, if possible, additional variables and quarterly data.”
“The limitations of the research derive from the”:
• sample size, • variables employed, • types of data (annual,
quarterly etc).• methods• time span
Connection with the future study direction
Abstract
• Summarizes the research and the conclusions• Is your advertisment = ”Sells” your work• 50-300 words (200 typical length) (Refer to
author guidelines)• Stand-alone (NO references)• Indicates usefulness • Targets the audience
Writing the abstract-Long version
• Based on the Emerald Structured Abstract
Writing the abstract-Short version
Fancy title
• Academic Titles Have Three Parts• (A) A catchy "hook" that introduces the
paper in a creative way• (B) Specific keywords that identify the
concepts the scholar will be exploring • (C) The "location" where those keywords
will be explored• 8-15 words• Main theme/research topic: research
design + population + geographical area
Fancy title- Examples
• Globalization versus Segregation-Business Cycles
Synchronization in Europe• Is trade a vector of business cycles synchronization? A
Fuzzy Cluster Approach of Globalization• Leaders and Followers in the Business Cycle Game. A
Case Study of the G7.• Hard or fuzzy clusters in assessing business cycle
transmission?• The reverse alchemy of the business cycle
References section
In-text citations
Any information that is taken from other
sources (even personal) MUST be
cited !!! All the cited works compose the Reference
List
Types of in-text citation
• Varies from Journal to Journal
• Always check the Author’s Guidelines
• MS Office offers: APA
Harvard
Chicago
IEEE (reference order)
ISO 690 (Numerical reference)
Reference
s
Bibliography
Includes only the works cited in the
paper
Contains papers read, not
necessary cited
Editing the Article
What makes good writing?
Having something
to say!
Logical thinkin
g.
A few simple, learnable rules of style
Writing- Tips and tricks
Read, pay attention, and imitate.
Talk about your research before trying to write about it.
Stop waiting for “inspiration.”
Revise. Nobody gets it perfect on the first try.
Learn how to cut ruthlessly. Never become too attached to your words.
Drop the balast
• 1. Cut unnecessary words and phrases; • 2. Write with verbs: use strong verbs,
avoid turning verbs into nouns, and don’t bury the main verb!
The BAD Writing Contest• The move from a structuralist account in which capital is
understood to structure social relations in relatively homologous ways to a view of hegemony in which power relations are subject to repetition, convergence, and rearticulation brought the question of temporality into the thinking of structure, and marked a shift from a form of Althusserian theory that takes structural totalities as theoretical objects to one in which the insights into the contingent possibility of structure inaugurate a renewed conception of hegemony as bound up with the contingent sites and strategies of the rearticulation of power.
• Butlers� , Diacritics (1997)
Balast to drop-Examples
1. Dead weight words and phrases
• As it is well known• As it has been shown• It can be regarded that• It should be emphasized
that
2. Empty words and phrases
• methodologic• important
3. Long words or phrases that could be short
4. Unnecessary jargon and acronyms
5. Repetitive words or phrases
6. Adverbs• very, really, quite,
basically, generally, etc.Substitute 'damn' every time you're inclined to write 'very'; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.(Mark Twain)
Active vs. Passive voice
Passive voice (Was done...)• For previous studies• Literature review
Active voice (I /We did...)• For new, exciting, own results• Original research
Verbs make the World go round
Don’t turn verbs into nouns Don’t bury the main verb
Writing Environment
• MS Word• Developed for average
users• WYSIWYG• Auto references• Thesaurus
• LaTeX• Developed for
profesionals • Requires learning the
syntax• Latex makes difficult
things easy, and easy things very difficult
• Prefered by publishers
LaTeX
Tables and figures
Tables• Most journals use three
horizontal lines: one above the column headings, one below the column headings, and one below the data
• Follow journal guidelines• DO NOT copy-paste
result tables directly from software
Figures • Visual impact• Show trends and patterns• Tell a quick story• Tell the whole story• Highlight a particular
result• Always provide caption• Use high resolution (1000
dpi B&W; 300 dpi color)
Tables-Examples
Figures- Examples
Final draft check-list
• Check for consistency• Check for numerical consistency• Do the numbers in your abstract match the numbers in your
tables/figures/text?• Do the numbers in the text match those in the tables/figures?• Do the numbers in each table/figure match those in other tables/figures?
• Check your references style• Check your overall style
Submitting the Article
Submission information
• Authorship
This can be a point of contention when writing in groups, so establish expectations for roles and responsibilities early in the writing process.
• Permissions and Approvals• permissions for reprinting copyrighted
material• Ethical Considerations
Plagiarism & Self- plagiarism
• Passing off other people’s writing (or tables and figures) as your own.
• cutting and pasting sentences or even phrases from another source
• slightly rewriting or re-arranging others’ words
Recycling your own writing or data
• Copying or only slightly rewriting text from your own published papers.
• Adding new data to already published data and presenting it as new results.
Submitting identical or overlapping data to multiple journals!
Submission checklist
• Keywords • JEL Codes• All figure captions • All tables (including title, description)• Manuscript has been 'spell-checked' and 'grammar-checked' • References are in the correct format for this journal • All references mentioned in the Reference list are cited in the text, and vice versa • Permission has been obtained for use of copyrighted material from other sources (including the Web)
Cover letter
Put the puzzle together!
L/O/G/O
Thank You!
Bibliography • Jaba, E. (2002) Statistica. Editura Economică, București• Day, A., & Peters, A. D. (1996). How to get research published in journals. Aldershot:
Gower.• Academic Writing and Research Skills Workshop, Mancester University• APA Research Style Crib Sheet by Professor Russ Dewey & Dr. Abel Scribe PhD -
Fall 2007• Writing Articles for Peer-Review Publications: A Quick Reference Guide• Chin, B. (2004). How to write a great research paper. John Wiley & Sons.• Pieter M. Kroonenberg, (2007)How to write an article, Leiden University• Daniel. P. J. Soule, Lucy Whiteley, and Shona McIntosh, Writing for Scholarly
Journals, eSharp• Stephen E. Dew , (2013)The 5 Step Essay Writing Process, • Kristin Sainani, Writing in the Sciences, Stanford University• http://web.up.ac.za/sitefiles/file/40/753/writing_an_academic_journal_article.pdf• Sebastian-Florian Enea, Silvia Palașcă, Claudiu Țigănaș, (2013) G7 COUNTRIES –
ADVOCATES OF THE GLOBAL BUSINESS CYCLE, GEBA 2013, Iași• Enea Sebastian, (2013) EVALUATING GLOBALIZATION BY MEANS OF FUZZY
CLUSTER ANALYSIS, IE, Bucharest• Oxford Dictionary http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/