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Introduction, related works, methods, OK, but writing the conclusion before doing experiments sounds like an integrity issue (assuming you re-write the conclusi

Introduction, related works, methods, OK, but writing the conclusion before doing experiments sounds like an integrity issue (assuming you re-write the conclusion after the experiments -- else I'd label it fraud). What is the idea behind it?

newen 6y ago
No. Obviously you rewrite the whole paper. Academics rewrite their papers multiple times before submitting them. The whole thing is a draft of a draft. The idea is to make your ideas very very concrete by writing them down as a paper. Really annoys me when the word fraud is thrown around so freely, so I'd appreciate it if you don't.
- rustybolt 6y ago
  Thanks for the explanation. > Obviously you rewrite the whole paper It is not mentioned and was not obvious to me. Still, I'd postpone writing the conclusion to after you actually have the data. To do otherwise would be steering the experiments to get the expected results. I also reckon this depends on your field, how long the experiments take and your confidence in the results. > Really annoys me when the word fraud is thrown around so freely, so I'd appreciate it if you don't. I agree, 'academic dishonesty' is a more appropriate term here.
  - newen 6y ago
    You typically have a finite set of overall results you expect to get, usually something like positive or negative. It helps to write out what you would conclude when you get either results. Think of this like a process that helps make your ideas clearer. And makes writing your final paper a lot easier.
valarauko 6y ago
As someone who was encouraged to do something similar, it was akin to creating a template manuscript for the project at hand: sketch out the experiments you plan to do, the likely results, and illustrative figures. This is meant as an exercise very early on in the project discussion phase, before any experiments have been performed, and while you're still figuring out the papers to read.

newen 6y ago

No. Obviously you rewrite the whole paper. Academics rewrite their papers multiple times before submitting them. The whole thing is a draft of a draft. The idea is to make your ideas very very concrete by writing them down as a paper. Really annoys me when the word fraud is thrown around so freely, so I'd appreciate it if you don't.

rustybolt 6y ago
Thanks for the explanation. > Obviously you rewrite the whole paper It is not mentioned and was not obvious to me. Still, I'd postpone writing the conclusion to after you actually have the data. To do otherwise would be steering the experiments to get the expected results. I also reckon this depends on your field, how long the experiments take and your confidence in the results. > Really annoys me when the word fraud is thrown around so freely, so I'd appreciate it if you don't. I agree, 'academic dishonesty' is a more appropriate term here.
- newen 6y ago
  You typically have a finite set of overall results you expect to get, usually something like positive or negative. It helps to write out what you would conclude when you get either results. Think of this like a process that helps make your ideas clearer. And makes writing your final paper a lot easier.

valarauko 6y ago

As someone who was encouraged to do something similar, it was akin to creating a template manuscript for the project at hand: sketch out the experiments you plan to do, the likely results, and illustrative figures. This is meant as an exercise very early on in the project discussion phase, before any experiments have been performed, and while you're still figuring out the papers to read.