Do as You Would Be Done By: Write as You Would Wish to Read

摘要

Imagine that you are starting an experiment, which involves a method that is new to your team. You have found a paper describing an experiment that is broadly similar to what you want to do, but when you start, you find that the description of the methods is unclear and insufficient. How frustrating that you cannot replicate the method! When you write up your own experiment you will now have the insight to consider your own readers with more respect: they are going to want to know exactly how you tackled the experiment. Without details of what materials were used, how they were handled, what control steps were needed, etc., how can others apply the method? Consider another scene: you read a paper that uses a method that you know inside out. You know well that there can be problems with this method. You look carefully at this report to see if the authors have anticipated and dealt with these problems adequately. You could indeed be reviewing a paper, and would then reasonably insist that those details are presented, and be suspicious if they are glossed over.