To write peer-reviewed journal articles and get them published is probabally the hardest and most important part of graduate school life. An “algorithm” for writing a paper was proposed by Professor Pete Carr in a youtube video titled “How to write a paper in a weekend” . (What an attractive and exciting title!)

The outline of the algorithm extracted from the video is presented as the following:

• Just get started don’t procrastinate.
• Create an outline by making a list of all your figures and tables. Put them in order of presentation as they may appear in the results and discussion. Always work from an outline. If you have to stop you can easily pick up the writing later. You have the data so this part is easy.
• Do not write the introduction now. It is the hardest part of the paper to write. Again it could be a waste of time to write it now.
• Now write the results and discussion following the outline.
• Wirte the conlusion. I like a numbered format.
  1. …
  2. …
• and you write the “abstract” and “acknowledgements” after the “Conclusions”!
• “References”

An old saying attributed to Sir Francis Bacon from his essay “Of Studies” was quoted in the video to stress the importance of writing.

Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.

The algorithm above is not only informative but also clear and easy to follow.