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1Writing for Conservation (Provisional title)

C.Velson HorieJuanita Navarro

Introduction

Writing a first paper can be daunting for a conservator. But conservation is full ofinterest and if ou !rite about !"at is interesting to ou# ot"ers !ill beinterested too. We all !ant to learn about ne! t"oug"ts and tec"ni$ues t"atcarr conservation for!ard.

% paper is a ver efficient !a of getting t"at &essage over' to a large nu&berof people# all over t"e !orld# for decades to co&e. ac" person t"ins differentl.*or t"is reason# a co&&on code "as been developed in order to &ae it easierfor everone to follo! !"at t"e aut"or is saing. +"is paper describes "o! toconstruct a paper !it" a ,scientific, for&at. +"ere are ot"er possible for&ats#

suc" as t"e essa# !"ic" "ave t"eir o!n conventions for stle and content.

People !rite because t"e "ave so&et"ing to sa - a &essage. W"at is our&essage /eep it si&ple0 +"e &ore co&ple t"e &essage# t"e &ore liel t"ereaders (and ou) !ill be confused. Interesting sidelines can be saved for ournet paper. It costs a lot of ti&e and &one to publis" a paper. +"is is !ort"!"ile if it !ill &ae a difference to conservators or ot"er readers.

+"ere are t!o &a2or ingredients to a paper# facts and opinions. +"e 3elp"icoracle in ancient 4reece !as never !rong# because it !as 1556 fact free.7pinion unsupported b facts &aes a !ort"less paper. *acts are interestingonl if t"e lead to a conclusion. % paper s"ould &ae clear !"ic" state&entsare facts and !"ic" are opinions.

+"e standard for&at "elps to !rite and read papers !"ic" are clear# eas tofollo! and co&plete. +"e referee and t"e editor &a point out t"e odd &uddleand even &ae suggestions to relocate tet. Ho!ever# a ver &uddled paper&a not be accepted if t"e editor considers it to be too fla!ed in its constructionor &a as t"e aut"or to re-!rite t"e !"ole t"ing. Conservation is fortunate int"at encouraging referees and editors usuall provide feedbac.

In general# a paper falls into four &ain parts'1. %n introduction# outlining t"e bacground and stating eplicitl t"e ai&s of

t"e !or described.8. 7b2ective description of t"e !or carried out and its results.9. % discussion of t"e !or itself and t"e success in ac"ieving its ai&. 7ne

!ould nor&all include an evaluation of its !ider relevance toconservation as part of t"e conclusion.

:. ;upple&entar infor&ation suc" as title# references# &aterials list.

Writing is re!arding. It can carr ou into ne! !as of t"ining and !oring.

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investigation# and t"e co&pleted paper. *or t"e treat&ent of an ob2ect# ou!ould evaluate different treat&ent options and gat"er t"e necessar &aterials#in order to ensure t"at evert"ing essential is to "and before starting !or. %si&ilar process &ust be carried out for t"e paper. P"otograp"s and notes of t"einitial state of t"e ob2ect &ust be taen. It is i&possible to tae a ,before,p"otograp" after t"e ob2ect "as been cleaned. =ou s"ould ensure t"at ourrecords# bot" tet and i&ages# are suitable for publication not 2ust for arc"ivalpurposes. It is !ise to approac" eac" interesting pro2ect as a publicationopportunit# see %ppendi 1.

ac" pro2ect "as its contet !"ic" gives t"e bacground to our &essage. W"atare t"e crucial aspects of t"is pro2ect' art "istor# conservation tec"ni$ue#&aterials, properties >eading and discussing t"e sub2ect before ou start canprovide valuable insig"ts# prevent &istaes and save a lot of ti&e# bot" for t"epro2ect and t"e paper. +"is eploration of t"e sub2ect usuall continues fro& t"efirst ti&e ou t"in about t"e pro2ect to after it is sub&itted for publication' oudon,t stop t"ining about it. +"e infor&ation revealed &a even c"ange our

ideas about t"e pro2ect and t"e &essage of t"e paper. W"at ou discover !illfor& t"e bul of t"e introductor section and &uc" of t"e co&parative &aterialfor t"e discussion section.

+"e process of !riting

People nor&all find it easier to start !it" !"at t"e no! !ell. ;o it is oftenbest to start !riting t"e description section detailing t"e facts of !"at ou didand !"at ou found. It is nor&al to eep opinions out of t"is section. 7ften t"ediscussion section is !ritten net# !"ere t"e aut"or s"o!s "o! "is?"er opinionsare derived fro& t"e !or described in t"e paper# co&pares t"ese !it" previous!or and t"e opinions of ot"ers# and provides a general conclusion. @suall t"e

introduction is !ritten net# !"ic" gives ou t"e c"ance to !rite t"e ai& in afor& t"at is piced up in our conclusion. 3ifferent people c"oose different&et"ods of !riting' so&e people use cards for eac" topic# so&e prepare plans#so&e tpe straig"t into t"e co&puter. +"e i&portant t"ing is to c"oose a&et"od !it" !"ic" our are co&fortable.

=ou cannot sa evert"ing in a single paper and &uc" "as to be left out. =ou"ave to eep focusing and re-focusing# on t"e central &essage. W"ile !riting# itis co&&on for aspects to be included# re&oved# t"en included again so&e!"ereelse as our ideas develop. It is usuall productive to allo! so&eone else to readt"roug" t"e &anuscript as it develops. Criticis& at t"is stage can be "ard but it

is usuall !ell &eant and it is &uc" better to respond to it earlier t"an later.;o&eti&es a &anuscript is abandoned and a ne! and better one is !ritten.

+"roug"out t"e preparation and !riting process# ou !ill be dra!ing on our o!nand ot"er peoples, observations. It is i&portant t"at for ever state&ent ou&ae about a &aterial# a fact or an opinion# t"e reader can be referred to t"esource of t"e state&ent. +"is &a be &anufacturer,s infor&ation# a literaturereference# or a personal co&&unication.

%nato& of t"e paper

+"e for&ats for papers specified b conservation 2ournals or conference

proceedings are fairl si&ilar# but ou &ust follo! t"e appropriate guidancenotes for t"e intended publication.

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conclusions and reco&&endations are not included "ere.

+"e follo!ing are so&e ea&ples of section "eadings found in conservationpapers'3escription. Condition. +ec"nical ea&ination. +ec"nical investigation.peri&ental. ;a&ple preparation. %naltical tec"ni$ues. easuring +ec"ni$ues.Current &et"ods. aterials and &et"ods. Case studies. >eal ea&ples.Conservation treat&ent.

+"e second part of t"is section reports t"e ob2ective findings and results.

A >esults - 7utco&e of t"e tests# eperi&ents# surve# etc. W"at !as found %nans!ers found# interpretation and evaluation of test results. +"is section s"ouldnot introduce ant"ing ne! or t"at "as not alread been &entioned in t"e paper#i.e. t"is section is a direct conse$uence of t"e procedures detailed in t"eprevious section# no ne! approac"es s"ould be introduced nor an sub2ectiveconclusions or opinions. +ables of results are invaluable for dra!ing facts

toget"er and facilitating co&parisons.

:. >ounding up

+"is is t"e stage at !"ic" t"e facts ou observed are co&pared !it" previousno!ledge and ou la out t"e (sub2ective) value of our results. It is oftenconvenient to divide t"is into t"ree parts'

A 3iscussion - +"e discussion s"ould be a reasoned interpretation of t"e results#co&paring eac" set of our results !it" t"ose reported else!"ere.

A Conclusions - Having previousl covered all t"e relevant topics# analsed t"e

contents and discussed t"e results t"e aut"or states t"e &ain findings# for&s anopinion# and dra!s inferences. +"is is a s"ort but crucial section !"ere t"e &ainoutco&es are broug"t toget"er as a co"esive !"ole.

A >eco&&endations - If t"is section is included# t"e reco&&endations s"ouldarise directl fro& t"e conclusions. If t"e researc" or t"e findings indicate t"at ac"ange in attitudes or procedures is desirable# t"ese c"anges are eplainedconcisel. +"e reasons for t"e proposed c"anges s"ould be clear and it &ust bes"o!n t"at t"ese c"anges !ould i&prove present practice. +"is section &ig"toutline# for instance# t"e need to c"ec t"e c"lorine content of !ater before useor identif potential researc" pro2ects.

. ;upple&entar infor&ation

+"is part contains essential infor&ation t"at !ould interrupt t"e flo! of t"epaper,s argu&ent.

A Healt" and safet - +"e use of &aterials# e$uip&ent or tec"ni$ues# regulationsor guidelines# etc. !"ic" &ig"t "ave a detri&ental effect on t"e conservator orot"ers.

A 3isclai&ers - Increasingl# aut"ors are including state&ents to absolvet"e&selves of responsibilit fro& t"e use or &isuse of t"e infor&ation in t"e

paper.

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A %cno!ledge&ents - +"e aut"or &a !is" to t"an individuals !"o "ave"elped !it" advice and support# tec"nical "elp# per&ission to use e$uip&entDindividuals or bodies for financial or ot"er assistance# etc. +"is is not a list of !"oou no!# but a s"ort list of t"ose people !"o reall &ade a difference to t"eprocess or outco&e.

A >eferences - % list of eternal sources of infor&ation in t"e tet. Bibliograp"icalreferences include' aut"or# na&e of t"e paper and in !"ic" publication# na&e oft"e publis"er# place of publication# ear of publication and page?s in !"ic"relevant infor&ation &a be found. ac" publication follo!s a c"osen stle !"ic"is provided b t"e editor in appropriate guidance notes. >eferences are tediousto co&pile but etre&el i&portant to t"e reader. +"e s"ould be tpedaccuratel and in t"e for&at re$uested.

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+"e paper rollercoaster'- 3edicated conservator carries out researc"# conservation# etc.- /een aut"or-to-be gat"ers t"e notes and relevant literature# all t"e ti&ei&agining !"at it !ill loo lie in print.- nt"usiastic aut"or prepares t"e tpescript (+;) i&peccabl follo!ing t"eeditor,s guidelines# e.g. correct nu&ber of co&&as in t"e references.- Illustrious aut"or saves a t"ousand !ords b c"oosing appropriate figures# andfollo!s t"e editor,s guidelines.- @nsuspecting aut"or sends perfect and co&plete +; to editor b deadline.- 7&niscient editor tracs do!n an e&inent# i&partial and !illing referee (!"oseidentit is usuall unno!n to t"e aut"or).- agle-eed referee reads +;. He?s"e suggests c"anges# points out fla!s orareas to be epanded or re&oved altoget"er# repetitions# !ooll t"ining#unclear or insufficient eplanations# etc.- %ltruistic referee returns +; to editor pro&ptl !it" co&&ents andreco&&endations for action.- Co&&itted editor infor&s t"e aut"or of t"e decision and relas# if appropriate#

"is o!n and t"e referee,s incisive co&&ents.- Hard-pressed editor proposes a deadline for revised +;. (+"e editor !rites tot"e epectant aut"or saing ,It &a appear perfect to ou# but t"e +; needs et&ore input. %nd !e need it in t"e net t!o !ees. Please.,)- Crus"ed aut"or retreats to corner.- +earful aut"or revises and a&ends t"e +;.- Courageous aut"or returns t"e +; to editor !it"in t"e deadline.- >igorous editor &a carr out slig"t c"anges !it"out consultation.- Harassed editor sends t"e collected +;s and dis to t"e printers.- Bus printers tpeset contents and send copies to editor for approval.- 3eter&ined editor re-reads proof and sends t"is# or galle proof# of t"e paper toaut"or for proofreading.

- +"oroug" aut"or corrects cop and returns proof to fraed editor !it"in t"eti&e allo!ed (around t!o das).- Hair-pulling editor returns all annotated proofs to printers# in t"e nic of ti&e#!"o carries out t"e corrections.- fficient printers finalise and bind publication and deliver it to t"e distributingoffice.- %d&iring public rus"es to read t"e latest eciting advances.- lated editor can rela and can "ave a free evening.- 4ratified referee en2os a !ar& glo!.-

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Consult t"e editor or t"e appropriate guidelines !ell before ou sub&it t"e&anuscript.- *or colour plates' clear colour slides and p"otograp"s of good $ualit areacceptable. +"e plates are often placed a!a fro& t"e &ain tet in a coloursection.- P"otograp"s are generall referred to as ,*ig. , !it"in t"e tet.- Credits' t"e originator of t"e p"otograp" s"ould be acno!ledged.

A 3ra!ings# diagra&s and grap"s - +"ese carr tec"nical infor&ation and s"ouldbe presented in a precise and accurate for&at. +"e i&age !ill be &uc" reducedbut still needs to be readable# so t"e &ust be ept si&ple and uncluttered# nottring to cra& too &uc" infor&ation# particularl !ritten# into one i&age. +"es"ould be of a professional standard and &a be co&puter generated. +"e editor&a re$uire t"e !riting !it"in a dra!ing or diagra& to be presented in aseparate s"eet of paper.- +"e are also referred to as ,*ig. , !it"in t"e tet.- Credits' see P"otograp"s# above.

A +ables - Contain nu&erical infor&ation# lists# etc. !"ic" &ae difficult readingin prose for&. +"e infor&ation is easier to digest# co&pare# and even re&e&ber#in tabulated for&. +"e are usuall referred to as ,+able , !it"in t"e tet.

%ppendi 9 - Helpful "ints

- +"e generall accepted convention in scientific !riting is to use'- t"e t"ird person# e.g. ,+"e aut"or believes ..., (rat"er t"an t"e first

person# e.g. ,I believe...,- t"e passive voice# e.g. ,% solution !as &ied..., (rat"er t"an t"e active

voice# e. .g. ' ,+"e aut"or &ied a solution...,)

- ae sure t"at eac" sentence sas so&et"ing significant to!ard t"e statedai&.- %l!as bac up state&ents !it" our o!n evidence# a co&plete reference fro&a printed sourceD or as a ,personal co&&unication,. ,It "as been found t"at so&e&oulds catalse sucrose and turn ello!., W"o found t"at# !"ic" &ould# do ourtests prove it# !"ere !as it publis"ed- 3irect $uotes s"ould be distinguis"ed b t"e use of inverted co&&as and a fullreference.- +radena&es &ust be !ritten accuratel and t"e &anufacturer acno!ledged.- /eep sentences to a co&fortable lengt"' one idea to one sentence. Better to erron t"e s"ort side t"an confuse or tire t"e reader. Cut !affle0

- Bullet points# lists and tables can conve infor&ation in a clear !a !"ic" iseas to read# co&pare and even to re&e&ber.- W"o is our audience It &a be !ider t"an ou t"in# so be careful in !"at ouassu&e t"e reader alread no!s or understands.- %void ant"ropo&orp"ic epressions !"ic" endo! inani&ate t"ings or ani&als!it" "u&an attributes# e.g. ,+"e &etal bo !as suffering fro& corrosion,# &etaldoes not suffer.- Nu&ber t"e pages.