SCIENTIFIC WRITING 3.4.

Transcription

1 SCIENTIFIC WRITING 3.4. Fudan University Morten Pilegaard, Aarhus

2 Discussion Purpose: Function: Move structure: Discuss results Discuss results in context Assess results/methodologies Evaluate possible applications Recommend future research Linguistic models Growing consensus on need for structured discussion in medical journals (see handout) TEXT TYPE MIX: Descriptive: Describe present results in light of previous results Argumentative: State rationale of own Methodology Expository: Set the scene for future research

3 Discussion Move Linguistic models: Berkenkotter & Huckins: structure: Discussion mirrors introduction: Introduction: Discussion: 1. Outline research area 1. Occupy research niche 2. Establish research niche 2. (Re)establish research niche 3. Occupy research niche 3. Extend research area Move 1 Occupying the niche Step1b: Statement of principal findings Move 2: (Re)establishing the niche Step 1: Statements showing how results respond to the larger issue stated in the Introduction. Statements usually include comparison of present results to related findings or claims made by other investigators, with the present results shown to be either superior or of a different nature Move 3: Establishing additional territory Step 1: Commentary on implications of study, including plans for future

4 Discussion: Hopkins & Dudley-Evans MOVE 1: MOVE 2: MOVE 3: MOVE 4: MOVE 5: MOVE 6: MOVE 7: MOVE 8: MOVE 9: MOVE 10 MOVE 11 Cyclical structure of discussion: moves 2, (3), 4, 6, 7/8, 9 obligatory Background Information Statement of Result (Un)expected outcome, where writer comments Reference to previous research (comparison) Explanation of unsatisfactory result Exemplification to support his or her explanation Deduction = claim about generalisability of particular results Hypothesis = general claim arising from experimental results Reference to previous research supporting deduction/hypothesis Recommendation = suggestions for future work Justification, in which writer justifies need for the future work

5 Discussion: Hopkins & Dudley-Evans 1 Result statement 2 Reference to previous research (comparison) 3 Explanation 4 Decuction (conclusion) 1 5 Explanation 6 Deduction (conclusion) 2 7 Restriction (on deduction) 8 Example backing restriction (7) 9 Backing of deduction 2 by quoting result (6) 1The single patient with biopsy-proved hepatic involvement also had a positive spleen. 2This is in accord with the original observation of the Stanford group, who reported no instance of hepatic involvement without concomitant splenic involvement. 3The liver scan was primarily responsible for 8 of 9 false-positive liver evaluations. 4We conclude that as with the spleen scan, the liver scan has little value in the initial staging of Hodgkin's disease. 5Since liver function tests are also unreliable, 6it is clear that open biopsy is necessary in order to evaluate the liver more definitively. 7Even the latter technique is subject to the limitations of sampling procedures. 8One patient died of an acute myocardial infarction three months after staging laparotomy with negative liver biopsy. 9Hepatic involvement was found at autopsy.

6 Discussion: Structured format required by journal BMJ: ( Statement of principal findings Strengths and weaknesses of the study Strengths and weaknesses in relation to other studies, discussing particularly any differences in results Meaning of the study: possible mechanisms and implications for clinicians or policymakers Unanswered questions and future research

7 Discussion: Strength/force of claims: Modify probability A reduced speed will result in fewer highway injuries A reduced speed limit may result in fewer highway in-juries A reduced speed limit might/could result in fewer highway injuries modal verbs It is certain that It is almost certain that It is very probable/highly likely that It is probable/likely that It is possible that It is unlikely that It is very unlikely/highly improbable that There is a strong possibility that There is a good possibility that There is a definite possibility that There is a slight possibility that There is a remote possibility that a reduced speed limit will result in fewer injuries a reduced speed limit will result in fewer injuries preparatory moves qualifying adjectives

8 Discussion: Strength/force of claims: Distancing Patients have less confidence in the physicians today than 10 years ago Patients seem to have less confidence in the physicians Patients appear to have less confidence in the physicians verbs It would seem/appear that patients have less confidence in the physicians Preparatory moves

9 Discussion: Strength/force of claims: Generalization 1 Patients have less confidence in the physicians Patients tend to have less confidence in the physicians 2 Many patients have less confidence in the physicians A majority of patients have less confidence in the physicians In most parts of the country, patients have less confidence in the physicians Patients in most income brackets have less confidence in the physicians 3 With the exception of a few lucky patients, most are not Apart from likely to improve from within a Except for foreseeable future 4 Cutbacks caused the waiting lists Cutbacks contributed to the waiting lists

10 Discussion: Linguistic form of moves Reference/localization The results of models 10 and 11, shown in Fig. 7.14, suggest that... Fig 7.15, which displays the results of model, demonstrates the effect of.. Result confirms hypothesis/preliminary conclusion The results computed for model C confirm the conclusion that X These results thus confirm the importance of X It was expected that changing the bandage would improve healing. The results (see Table 5.1) show that this did, indeed, take place Result is surprising An unexpected, but interesting result of this analysis was the discovery of The use of NSAID cream to reduce pain did not produce the expected results Result is interesting/valuable BB was the most important result obtained from this model Interestingly, in the above experiments both P and Q displayed similar stress proteins

11 Discussion: Linguistic form of moves Result confirms previous research In previous studies Z (1982) revealed the marked effect of X upon Y. The present study also demonstrated this effect in... The sample drawn from this site is the same as that detected in... The observation that X is consistent with the results of PP - Result corroborates others hypotheses/assumptions The results of the investigation outlined above confirmed... This would be in keeping with the argument that... The results obtained in these kinetic studies support the tentative hypot-hesis advanced by YY that X Result conflicts with others results/assumptions Thus this observation serves as evidence against X We have no evidence in the present study that...as reported by CC This value is greater than the mean value of...reported by DD

12 Discussion: Linguistic form of moves Result gives grounds for claim This observation may be due to / can be attributed to X Variation in this parameter may again be viewed as a result of a change in failure mechanism with the formation of... The higher values from the controls may be due to the causes mentioned in the literature (Halliday and Hansen, 1999) which lead controls to overestimate... X may have been caused by... X may be a possible reason why Y is Z Result gives ground for hypothesis This result suggests/indicates that... This suggests that the incidence would vary according to.. The rise in incidence suggests that it is a methodological bias... X may possibly be interpreted as evidence that... Thus this result may be interpreted as showing that... The results of this part of the analysis led to the conclusion that Y

13 1. The average score of all the results 67.8% 2. A total of 7,000 PhD students taking the English course 3. Half of the PhD students asked to answer an experimental question 4. Nearly 19% of the candidates unable to complete the test 5. Approximately 46% of the test population from Jutland 6. One quarter of the students required to take the course again Center for Medical LSP Language focus: Concord Standard rule: Verb follows number of grammatical subject A total of 678 writing samples was obtained... Exception: When first noun is a part, fraction or percentage. Then verb follows number of noun closest to the verb A minority of the students were native speakers Exercise: Singular or plural?

14 Example: Discussion Nusse R et al had showed that WNT-1 contributed to mammary oncogenesis when overexpressed (Nusse R and van Ooyen A, 1984). WNT-1 also seemed to play an important role in the neoplastic progression of basal cell carcinomas of head and neck in which the areas of dedifferentiated BCCs demonstrated a high granular positive staining (Lomuzio L and Pannone G et al, 2000). To our knowledge there is no report on WNT-1 expression on OSCC. Our results showed that there was no expression of WNT-1 in normal oral epithelium, and strong expression was observed in dysplastic oral epithelium and well-differentiated OSCC, however redisappearence was observed in the poor differentiated OSCC.. MOVE 2: Result We demonstrated a strong Wnt-1 expression in dysplastic oral epithelium and well-differentiated OSCC, a transient expression in poorly differentiated OSCC, but no expression in normal oral epithelium To our knowledge this is the first report of WNT-1 expression on OSCC. MOVE 4: Reference to previous research Our results corroborate previous reports of a Wnt-1 contribution to mammary oncogenesis when Wnt-1 was overexpressed (Nusse, van Ooyen 1984), and the important role of Wnt-1 in the neoplastic progression of head and nect basal cell carcinomas, where areas of dedifferentiated BCCs have demonstrated a Highly granular positive staining (Lomuzio L and Pannone G et al, 2000). Center for Medical LSP

15 Example: Discussion Nusse R et al had showed that WNT-1 contributed to mammary oncogenesis when overexpressed (Nusse R and van Ooyen A, 1984). WNT-1 also seemed to play an important role in the neoplastic progression of basal cell carcinomas of head and neck in which the areas of dedifferentiated BCCs demonstrated a high granular positive staining (Lomuzio L and Pannone G et al, 2000). 1 To our knowledge there is no report on WNT-1 expression on OSCC. 2 Our results showed that there was no expression of WNT-1 in normal oral epithelium, and 3 strong expression was observed in dysplastic oral epithelium and well-differentiated OSCC, however 4redisappearence was observed in the poor differentiated OSCC.. MOVE 2: Result We demonstrated a strong Wnt-1 expression in dysplastic oral epithelium and welldifferentiated OSCC, a transient expression in poorly differentiated OSCC, but no expression in normal oral epithelium To our knowledge this is the first report of WNT-1 expression on OSCC. MOVE 4: Reference to previous research Our results extend previous reports of a Wnt-1 contribution to mammary oncogenesis when Wnt-1 was overexpressed (Nusse, van Ooyen 1984), and the important role of Wnt-1 in the neoplastic progression of head and neck basal cell carcinomas, where areas of dedifferentiated BCCs have demonstrated a highly granular positive staining (Lomuzio L and Pannone G et al, 2000). Center for Medical LSP

16 Example: Discussion Nusse R et al had showed that WNT-1 contributed to mammary oncogenesis when overexpressed (Nusse R and van Ooyen A, 1984). WNT-1 also seemed to play an important role in the neoplastic progression of basal cell carcinomas of head and neck in which the areas of dedifferentiated BCCs demonstrated a high granular positive staining (Lomuzio L and Pannone G et al, 2000). 1 To our knowledge there is no report on WNT-1 expression on OSCC. 2 Our results showed that there was no expression of WNT-1 in normal oral epithelium, and 3 strong expression was observed in dysplastic oral epithelium and well-differentiated OSCC, however 4redisappearence was observed in the poor differentiated OSCC.. MOVE 2: Result We demonstrated a strong Wnt-1 expression in dysplastic oral epithelium and welldifferentiated OSCC, a transient expression in poorly differentiated OSCC, but no expression in normal oral epithelium To our knowledge this is the first report of WNT- 1 expression on OSCC. MOVE 4: Reference to previous research Our results extend previous reports of a Wnt-1 contribution to mammary oncogenesis when Wnt-1 was overexpressed (Nusse, van Ooyen 1984), and the important role of Wnt-1 in the neoplastic progression of head and neck basal cell carcinomas, where areas of dedifferentiated BCCs have demonstrated a highly granular positive staining (Lomuzio L and Pannone G et al, 2000). Center for Medical LSP