manuscript-writing

# Academic Manuscript Writing Guide the drafting and revision of academic manuscripts following journal conventions and scientific writing best practices. ## When to Use - Drafting a new manuscript from scratch - Writing or revising specific sections (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion) - Structuring a paper from experimental results - Converting a conference paper to a journal submission - Responding to reviewer comments with revised text ## Manuscript Structure ### Standard IMRAD Format | Section | Purpose | Tense | Length Guide | |---------|---------|-------|-------------| | Title | Convey main finding | N/A | 10-15 words | | Abstract | Self-contained summary | Past (methods/results), Present (conclusions) | 150-300 words | | Introduction | Context, gap, hypothesis | Present (known facts), Past (prior work) | 3-5 paragraphs | | Methods | Reproducibility | Past | As needed | | Results | Report findings | Past | Parallel to Methods | | Discussion | Interpret findings | Present (interpretation), Past (what was found) | 4-6 paragraphs | | Conclusion | Key takeaways | Present | 1-2 paragraphs | ### Section-by-Section Guidance #### Introduction Structure as a funnel: 1. **Broad context** - Establish the field and importance (1-2 paragraphs) 2. **Narrow focus** - What is known about the specific topic (1-2 paragraphs) 3. **Gap statement** - What remains unknown or problematic 4. **Objective/hypothesis** - What this paper addresses and how #### Methods - Enough detail for replication - Subsections mirror Results sections - Include: participants/subjects, materials, procedures, analysis - Statistical methods: specify tests, software, significance thresholds - Ethics: IRB/IACUC approval statement #### Results - Present findings without interpretation - Start each subsection with the analysis performed, then the outcome - Report effect sizes, confidence intervals (not just p-values) - Reference figures and tables in order - Use "significant" only for statistical significance #### Discussion Structure: 1. **Summary of key findings** (1 paragraph) 2. **Interpretation in context** of prior literature (2-3 paragraphs) 3. **Limitations** (1 paragraph, honest but not self-defeating) 4. **Future directions** (1 paragraph) 5. **Conclusion** (1 paragraph) ## Writing Principles ### Clarity - One idea per sentence - Active voice preferred ("We measured..." not "Measurements were taken...") - Define abbreviations on first use - Avoid jargon unless writing for a specialist audience ### Precision - Quantify claims ("increased by 23%" not "significantly increased") - Cite sources for factual claims - Distinguish correlation from causation - Use hedging appropriately ("suggests" vs "proves") ### Flow - Each paragraph: topic sentence, evidence, interpretation - Transitions between paragraphs connect ideas - Logical progression within and across sections - Consistent terminology (don't alternate between synonyms for key concepts) ### Citations - Cite primary sources, not reviews (when possible) - Recent citations show awareness of current literature - Cite competing or contradictory findings - Self-citation should be relevant, not gratuitous ## Revision Checklist After drafting, check: - [ ] Abstract accurately reflects the paper content - [ ] Introduction gap statement matches the study objective - [ ] Methods are sufficient for replication - [ ] Results match Methods (parallel structure) - [ ] Discussion addresses all major findings - [ ] Figures are referenced in text in order - [ ] All abbreviations defined on first use - [ ] References complete and consistently formatted - [ ] Word/page count within journal limits - [ ] Run `manuscript:humanizer` as a final natural-writing pass (strips AI tells like significance inflation, em-dashes, "evolving landscape" filler, rule-of-three padding) before review ## Additional Resources - Reference: [references/section-templates.md](references/section-templates.md) - Templates for each manuscript section - Reference: [references/revision-response.md](references/revision-response.md) - How to write point-by-point responses to reviewers - Sister skill: `manuscript:humanizer` (invoke through the host's skill-invocation mechanism) - Removes 29 categories of AI-writing tells while respecting academic conventions (e.g., passive voice in Methods, hedging in Discussion). Run after drafting and before peer review.