Neuromag November 2017 | Page 12

should always depend on their advice to select readings , as this ability will improve with your continuous understanding of a research topic . This advice should be an initial push to create a raw idea of what the map looks like . Don ’ t worry , even experienced academics ask for advice from their peers when traveling new roads .
Previous reviews are a bit easier to find than seminal papers . Use your favorite search tools and reference managers with keywords ( e . g . Mendeley , EndNote , PubMed , Web of Knowledge , Google Scholar ) and look only for the most recent reviews – if possible , not older than 10 years , but it really depends on the field .
After finishing the initial reading list and taking good notes on those – always take notes of the articles you read , I bet you will forget most of what you read – create your first outline . This outline should contain topics that will guide you to select the next round of readings .
At some point , it will be better to start outlining each sub-section of your literature review independently as those gain higher and higher resolution . It is as if you are planning your activities in each site that should be visited . When doing this , it is hard to look both at the low-level resolution map – main topics – and to start increasing the level of detail in each of them . In this case , I believe it is easier and less overwhelming to plan , read and write each sub-chapter at a time . Divide and conquer ! By doing this , planning won ’ t only be part of your literature review at the beginning , but rather develop along the way as the map resolution increases . Every once in a while take some time to re-evaluate your outline .
Notice though that an outline is not set in stone .
It can change while writing your literature review . Umberto Eco reminds us that when actually taking a road trip , we may realize that there are some sites worth spending more time on and others less . Another possibility is to visit a site that is outside of the initial plan . This is part of the iterative process . You will only realize some things when actually reading and writing , not planning . Allow yourself to change and don ’ t be too attached to the initial plan . As William Zinsser says , “ Fondness of material you ’ ve gone to a lot of trouble to gather isn ’ t a good enough reason to include it if it ’ s not central to the story you ’ ve chosen to tell .”
Creating the map feels like an overwhelming task at the beginning : how can you sketch a map of a place you have never seen before ?
With this piece , I hope I have encouraged you to start reading and planning as soon as you can . Start broad and then focus as you build a more detailed high-resolution map . Create the map and get some feedback on it . It should be motivating to write for someone to read and give you some constructive critiques , point you in directions you have not explored , or help to drop some extra weight you should not be carrying around . The actual writing should only be done when the map is in high-resolution ; at least that is my opinion . However , you should never stop taking notes – lots of notes – and maybe a small draft of what you think would be a potential paragraph when the thought strikes you . Most important of all , never stop reading and taking notes to record places you have already visited . As my father often reminds me “ É caminhando que se constrói o caminho ” – it is only by walking that you build your path .
References : 1 . Eco , U ( 2015 ) How to write a thesis . 2 . Zinsser , W . ( 2006 ) On writing well
Raymundo Machado de Azevedo Neto investigates how contextual factors modulate visuomotor control by combining psychophysics , fMRI and TMS at the Institute of Radiology of the University of São Paulo , Brazil and the Centre for Integrative Neuroscience of the University of Tübingen , Germany .
Foggy Tübingen captured by Raymundo
12 | NEUROMAG | November 2017