这种题目没有明显的错误。在我刚做科研发表中文论文时也时常用“... 对...的影响”作为论文的题目。去年我在NIH参加了一期论文写作培训班后,我终于明白了为何在论文写作中要尽量避免使用这样的题目,理由有三:1)任何研究都应该有EFFECT,如果没有EFFECT就等于没做科研,所以说“The Effect of ...”是废话;2)The Effect of ...on...之类的题目过于含糊,没有能直接告诉读者你的重要发现是什么;3)这类题目的论文往往发表在档次比较差的杂志。在PUBMED上输入“Effect of ”,并限定为Title,English,以下我列出的是前十篇查出的论文题目,其杂志的影响因子(IF)多在2以下:
Waldemar G, et al. Effect of donepezil on emergence of apathy in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2010 Jul 2. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 20597141.(IF=1.981)
Keenan BT, et al. Effect of glutathione S-transferase T1, M1, P1 and heme oxygenase-1 polymorphisms interactionswith heavy smoking on the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2010 Jul 1. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 20597111.(IF=4.152)
Ktenioudaki A, et al. The effect of different mixing processes on dough extensional rheology and baked attributes. J Sci Food Agric. 2010 Jul 1.[Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 20597094.(IF=1.386)
Kersten ET, et al. The effect of reducing treatment on exercise induced bronchoconstriction. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2010 Jul 1. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 20597080.(IF=1.816)
Yan J, et al. The cessation and detoxification effect of tea filters on cigarette smoke. Sci China Life Sci. 2010 May;53(5):533-541. Epub 2010 May 23.PubMed PMID: 20596936.(IF=0.691)
Hunt RW, et al. Effect of Biochemical Stimulants on Biomass Productivity and Metabolite Content of the Microalga, Chlorella sorokiniana. Appl Biochem Biotechnol. 2010 Jul 3. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 20596899.(IF=1.420)
Slomiany BL, Slomiany A. Role of constitutive nitric oxide synthase S-nitrosylation in Helicobacter pylori-induced gastric mucosal cell apoptosis: effect of ghrelin. Inflammopharmacology. 2010 Jul 2. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 20596895.(No IF)
Rajasekaran R, et al. Exploring the structural and functional effect of pRB by significant nsSNP in the coding region of RB1 gene causing retinoblastoma. Sci China Life Sci. 2010 Feb;53(2):234-240. Epub 2010 Mar 7. PubMed PMID: 20596833..(IF=0.691)
Dallard BE, et al. The effect of a single intramammary infusion of a biological response modifier in cows at drying off. Vet Res Commun. 2010 Jul 2. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 20596773.(IF=1.050)
Martínez-Reina J, Domínguez J, García-Aznar JM. Effect of porosity and mineral content on the elastic constants of cortical bone: a multiscale approach. Biomech Model Mechanobiol. 2010 Jul 2. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 20596743.(IF=3.169)
例如:比较下面两个题目:
1)The Effect of Musashi1 on Activation of WNT and Notch1 pathways in breast cancer
2)Musashi1 Activates WNT and Notch1 pathways in Breast Cancer
在中文里,"preliminary study..."(初步研究)是一种谦虚的表达方式,但在科学研究里没有谦虚,只有对错,如果是一个preliminary study, 说明你的研究结果尚未证实,应不宜发表。在英语里,通常preliminary study (data) 只用在申请课题(Grants),意味着在你有了一些初步结果后,提出你的假说,表明有重大意义,并有继续研究的必要。在已发表的论文里仍然有一些文章还用“preliminary study..."做题目,但多发表在比较差的杂志。如:
Lee DW, Koo KT, Seol YJ, Lee YM, Ku Y, Rhyu IC, Chung CP, Kim TI. Bone regeneration effects of human allogenous bone substitutes: a preliminary study. J Periodontal Implant Sci. 2010 Jun;40(3):132-8. Epub 2010 Jun 25. PubMed PMID:20607058.
Blut D, Santer S, Carrabre J, Manfredini F. Epidemiology of musculoskeletal injuries among elite biathletes: a preliminary study. Clin J Sport Med. 2010Jul;20(4):322-4. PubMed PMID: 20606520.
Kushnir V, Menon M, Balducci XL, Selby P, Busto U, Zawertailo L. Enhanced smoking cue salience associated with depression severity in nicotine-dependent individuals: a preliminary fMRI study. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2010 Jul7:1-12. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 20604987.
Noamesi GK. A preliminary study of the susceptibility of Simulium larvae to DDT, gamma-BHC and dieldrin. Bull World Health Organ. 1962;27(4-5):620-2. PubMed PMID: 20604132.
Kimura M, Rabbani Z, Mouraviev V, Tsivian M, Caso J, Satoh T, Baba S,Vujaskovic Z, Baust JM, Baust JG, Polascik TJ. Role of Vitamin D(3) as a Sensitizer to Cryoablation in a Murine Prostate Cancer Model: Preliminary In Vivo Study. Urology. 2010 Jul 2. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 20599255.
No.4 .其他如“Study...on”、“Contrubuting to...”、“ Ananlysis of”、“role of ”
这些用词跟"Effect of ..."类似,属于废话类题目,而且过于笼统,缺乏针对性,应尽量避免在论文题目中使用。例如:
Poor:A Study of Matrilysin-1 on bronchiolization of alveoli, a potential premalignant change in lung cancer
Better:Matrilysin-1 mediates bronchiolization of alveoli, a potential premalignant change in lung cancer