Make your mark in science : creativity, presenting, publishing, and patents : a guide for young scientists / Claus Ascheron and Angela Kickuth.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ascheron, Claus, 1952-

Contributor:

Kickuth, Angela, 1958-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Communication in science.

Science--Study and teaching.

Science.

Creative ability in science.

Physical Description:

xii, 235 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm

Place of Publication:

Hoboken, N.J. : Wiley, [2005]

Summary:

Make Your Mark in Science gives the young scientist the guidance and support much needed during the challenging early years of his or her career. It helps build the skills necessary to become successful in the world of professional science by answering the often neglected but career-defining questions of: How do I work creatively once I have left exams and course books behind? How do I effectively communicate my scientific achievements in oral presentations and written publications? Should I protect my accomplishments with a patent and, if so, how?

Most importantly, this book shows young scientists how to develop their own optimum working habits, an essential ingredient of a successful career in science. In addition, readers will gain an understanding of the machinery of scientific publishing, including electronic publishing. The final chapter is devoted to patents, an area in which scientists frequently fail to recognize and exploit good opportunities.

The authors have taken pains to write in a simple, informal style avoiding the minor but cumbersome technical details often encountered in such guides. Nearly every graduate student and working scientist will find useful hints for improving their creativity and communicating their ideas and results effectively. With proven techniques, useful tips, and practical perspectives on building a career in science, this book will enable you, the reader, to Make Your Mark in Science.

Contents:

1.1 What Does It Take to Be a Successful Scientist? 1

1.2 Creativity 2

1.3 Presenting 3

1.4 Publishing and Electronic Publishing 4

1.5 Patents 5

2 Scientific Creativity 7

2.1 What is Creativity? 7

2.2 Creativity in Science 8

2.2.1 On Inspiration 9

2.2.2 On Language 11

2.2.3 Creativity in the Daily Work of a Scientist 12

2.2.4 Underexploited Creativity 14

2.2.5 The Elusive Insight 16

2.3 Prerequisites for Creative Work 17

2.3.1 Mental Attitude and Personal Qualities 17

2.3.2 Background Knowledge 19

2.3.3 Stress Versus Relaxation 20

2.4 Personal Working Conditions 22

2.4.1 Daily Routine 23

2.4.2 Environment and Lifestyle 25

2.5 Group Creativity: Cooperation and Competition 30

2.6 Intelligence and Creativity 33

2.6.1 Fluid Intelligence 34

2.6.2 Crystalline Intelligence 36

2.6.3 Combining Fluid and Crystalline Intelligence 37

2.7 Scientific Creativity and Productivity Worldwide 37

2.7.1 Conditions and Opportunities 38

2.7.2 Number of Publications 40

2.7.3 Highly Cited Publications 41

2.7.4 Nobel Prizes 43

2.7.5 Patents 44

3 Scientific Presenting 47

3.1 Planning a Presentation 49

3.1.1 When to Begin 49

3.1.2 Audience 49

3.1.3 Title and Abstract 51

3.1.4 Collecting Material 52

3.1.5 Detailed Structure and Content 55

3.2 Visual Aids 60

3.2.1 Preamble 60

3.2.2 Computer Presentation with a Projector 61

3.2.3 Conventional Transparencies 63

3.2.4 Photographic Slides 64

3.3 Preparing Slides 64

3.3.1 How Many Slides? 65

3.3.2 Amount of Information 65

3.3.3 Headings 66

3.3.4 Keywords and Key Statements 66

3.3.5 Typography and Font Sizes 67

3.3.6 Diagrams 68

3.3.7 Mathematics 68

3.3.8 Use of Colour 70

3.3.9 Revealing Information Step-by-Step 71

3.3.10 Animation 71

3.3.11 Handwritten Transparencies 72

3.3.12 Check List 73

3.4 Practicing Before the Event 73

3.5 Delivering a Talk 77

3.5.1 Style and Manner of Speaking 78

3.5.2 Audience Contact 82

3.5.3 Behaviour and Body Language 87

3.5.4 Being Relaxed 92

3.5.5 Pointing to Overheads 95

3.5.6 Time Discipline 96

3.5.7 Evaluation 97

3.6 Surviving the Discussion 98

3.7 The Art of Asking Questions 102

3.8 Poster Presentations 104

3.8.1 A Curse or a Blessing? 104

3.8.2 Optical Features 106

3.9 Some Tips for Chairing Meetings 107

3.9.1 Conference Sessions 107

3.9.2 Seminars and Internal Meetings 109

3.10 Dos and Don'ts 110

4 The Culture and Ethics of Scientific Publishing 113

4.1 Purposes of Scientific Publishing 113

4.1.1 Duty to Publish 114

4.1.2 A Motor for Scientific Progress 114

4.1.3 Teaching and Reference 115

4.1.4 Establishing Priority 116

4.1.5 Other Benefits to the Individual 118

4.2 Types of Publications 121

4.2.1 Report on a Homepage or Preprint Server 121

4.2.2 Conference Proceedings 122

4.2.3 Journal Publications 123

4.3 A Few Words About Ethics 129

4.3.1 Historical Cases of Unethical Scientific or Publishing Practice 132

4.3.2 Gatekeepers 137

5 Writing and Publishing Your Own Paper 141

5.1 Planning and Preparation 141

5.1.2 Choosing a Journal 145

5.1.3 Who Should Be Named as Authors? 146

5.1.4 Coordination Between Authors 149

5.1.5 Planning and Preparing the Contents 149

5.2 Style of Writing 155

5.2.1 Who Will Read Your Paper, and Where? 155

5.2.2 Keep It Clear, Concise and Logical 155

5.2.3 Scientific Prose 156

5.2.4 Importance of Good English 157

5.3 Structure of a Scientific Paper 159

5.3.1 Title 162

5.3.2 Authors and Affiliations 163

5.3.4 Keywords, Classification Codes 163

5.3.5 The Introduction 164

5.3.6 Method/Experimental Details 164

5.3.7 Results and Discussion 165

5.3.8 Conclusions or Summary 166

5.3.12 Other Styles 169

5.4 Formal Aspects of Manuscript Preparation 170

5.4.2 Units 172

5.4.4 Symbols 173

5.4.7 Camera-Ready Manuscripts 178

5.4.8 Some Notes on Copyright 179

5.5 Submission, Refereeing, Revisions 181

5.6 Writing for Profit? 184

5.7 Dos and Don'ts 186

6 Electronic Publishing 189

6.1 Milestones in the Development of Electronic Publishing 190

6.2 Today's Electronic Media and Products 192

6.2.1 Media 192

6.2.2 Products 193

6.2.3 Online Products 194

6.3 Use and Benefits of Online Publications 196

6.3.1 Prerequisites for Use 196

6.3.2 Advantages of Online Publications 198

6.4 The Role of the Publisher 202

6.4.1 Tasks Involved in Electronic Publishing 203

6.4.2 Are Publishers Needed? 204

6.5 Problems and Potential Pitfalls 204

6.6 Future Prospects, Near and Medium-Term 207

6.6.1 How Predictable Are Future Developments? 209

6.6.2 Electronic Paper: A New Technology 209

6.7 Open Access Publications 213

7 Patents 217

7.2 What Is a Patent? 219

7.3 What Can and Can't Be Patented? 219

7.4 Conditions for Patentability 220

7.5 Who Should Apply? Patent Ownership 221

7.6 Before You Apply 223

7.7 Patent Application Procedure - Example of European Patent Office 225

7.8 The Patent Examination Process (EPO) 226

7.9 Differences Between US and European Patents 228

7.10 Costs of Patents 230

7.11 Getting Assistance 232

7.12 A Little Light Relief 233.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0471657336

OCLC:

56798891