Don't Perish! A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Scientific Paper: 2026 Edition

Don't Perish! A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Scientific Paper: 2026 Edition This workshop by Sophien Kamoun provides a comprehensive guide to writing and publishing scientific papers, with a focus on clarity, structure, and strategic planning. The session emphasizes integrating publication planning into the research process, including early development of storylines and outlines to guide experimental design and literature review. Key elements of a strong manuscript – knowledge gaps, main findings, and broader implications – are highlighted as the foundation of effective scientific communication. Practical guidance is provided for each section of a paper: results are structured around finalized figures; introductions are developed after results; discussions contextualize findings and explore implications; abstracts are synthesized from key messages; and titles are designed to be precise and informative. The workshop also addresses open science practices, including preprinting, reproducibility through clear methods, and archiving code and data with persistent identifiers. Additional topics include writing style (clarity, active voice), responsible use of AI tools, journal selection, and strategies for responding to peer review. This resource is intended for researchers seeking to strengthen their scientific writing and publication practices. The attached files include a summary of the workshop and the Q&A. Click here for the slides. Click here for the video. YouTube.