Ten simple rules for structuring your paper
If you’re wondering how to go about writing a paper then this overview by Brett Mensh and Konrad Kording might be just the thing for you! Originally published in PLoS Computational Biology but applicable to all papers. You can read the full text of the article here and you’ll find a few snippets below :-)
General rules
Rule 1: Focus your paper on a central contribution, which you communicate in the title
Rule 2: Write for flesh-and-blood human beings who do not know your work
Rule 3: Stick to the context-content-conclusion (C-C-C) scheme
Rule 4: Optimize your logical flow by avoiding zig-zag and using parallelism
The components of a paper
Rule 5: Tell a complete story in the abstract
Rule 6: Communicate why the paper matters in the introduction
Rule 7: Deliver the results as a sequence of statements, supported by figures,that connect logically to support the central contribution
Rule 8: Discuss how the gap was filled, the limitations of the interpretation, and the relevance to the field
Process
Rule 9: Allocate time where it matters:Title, abstract, figures, and outlining
Rule 10: Get feedback to reduce, reuse, and recycle the story
