Prof Lennart Nacke, PhD Profile picture
Oct 22, 2022 9 tweets 4 min read Read on X
During my academic career, I've spent 10,000+ hours editing LaTeX.

Want to know a secret?

I use these 5 easy-to-follow LaTeX snippets every time I submit a CHI paper, and this thread will save you the time of searching for how to do them.

You'll want to bookmark this. 🧵👇
1. Use the right documentclass options before submitting your paper to CHI

How it works:

- Comment out this line of code with % \documentclass[sigconf,authordraft]{acmart}
- Then add \documentclass[manuscript,screen,review, anonymous]{acmart}

This is the right review format. Screenshot of the replacement of the LaTeX code from the ACM
2. Format nicer-looking research questions

How it works:

Load in LaTeX doc header:
\usepackage{enumerate}
\usepackage[shortlabels]{enumitem}

Type in LaTeX doc body:
\begin{enumerate}[label= \textbf{RQ\arabic*:}]
\item x
\end{enumerate} The image shows the described code in the Overleaf editor an
3. Make sure to always define acronyms before use

How it works:

Load in LaTeX doc header:
\usepackage[nolist]{acronym}

Define acronyms:
\begin{acronym}
\acro{ANOVA}{Analysis of Variance}
\end{acronym}

Write the acronym in your text like this:
"We conducted an \ac{ANOVA}." The image shows the described LaTeX for the acronym package
4. Create pretty quotes for qualitative findings

How it works:

Define a new command called \quoting:
\newcommand{\quoting}[2][P]{``\emph{#2}''\emph{[\textbf{#1}]}}

Use the command like this to quote participants:
\quoting[P13]{This prototype rocked my world.}. The image shows the described LaTeX for the new quoting comm
5. Leave highlighted comments

How it works:

Load in LaTeX doc header:
\usepackage{xcolor}

Define:
\definecolor{highlighterYellow}{HTML}{fff100}
\newcommand{\lennartNote}[1]{\colorbox{highlighterYellow}{\textbf{Lennart:} \textit{#1}}}

Use:
\lennartNote{My nice comment} The image shows the described LaTeX for code to created high
TL;DR: 5 drops of my secret LaTeX sauce to write smooth #chi2023 papers

1. Use the right documentclass options for submission
2. Format nicer-looking RQs
3. Always define acronyms before use
4. Create pretty quotes for qualitative findings
5. Leave highlighted comments
Done like disco.

If you enjoyed this thread:

1. Follow me @acagamic for more tips on writing research papers
2. Buy my How to Write Better Research Papers course: chicourse.com
3. RT the tweet below to share this thread with your writing crew
When you're ready for it, there are two ways I can help you:

1. My newsletters inform you about UX, design, research, and writing. acagamic.com/newsletter

2. My writing course teaches you how to write research papers for CHI and other academic venues: acagamic.com/writingcourse

• • •

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More from @acagamic

Nov 13
Most researchers make a critical mistake in their methods section that instantly signals 'amateur' to reviewers. It's so common that I see it in 7 out of 10 papers, yet so simple to fix...

Delay writing your Methods section.

Spend time owning your research process first: 8 steps to a great methods section.
By answering 4 questions:

• What problem did you solve?
• For whom did you solve it?
• Why did this problem need solving?
• How did you solve it effectively?

Get comfortable thinking through each:

Think through your research design
Think through your ethical choices
Think through your data collection
Think through your analysis steps
Think through your limitations

Write down specific answers for each.

And if you have unclear answers:

→ Take time to better understand
Then, write Methods section in 8 steps:
(with the information needed in it)

1. Start with your "why"

Remind readers briefly what problem you solved
Link your methods directly to your research question
(No one cares about methods without context)

2. Pick your approach

Choose qualitative, quantitative, or mixed
Match it to your research goals
Clarify why THIS approach

3. Decode unusual methods

Got a unique approach? Explain it
Defend why you picked it
Show how it beats traditional options
Read 8 tweets
Nov 11
Every groundbreaking discovery in science started with someone willing to challenge their own assumptions. Your next literature review could be the one that changes everything.

Your academic work needs to fight confirmation bias.

It's blocking you from great research.

And it's easier to fix than you think.

Here's how to destroy confirmation bias in your research:Image
1. Plan before you search

→ Write your research questions
→ Define inclusion criteria
→ List your search terms
→ Pick your databases

2. Document everything

→ All search strings used
→ Every database checked
→ Number of results found
→ Selection decisions made

3. Remove author identity

→ Code your studies
→ Hide author names
→ Mask institutions
→ Review methods first

4. Use two reviewers

→ Independent assessments
→ Compare decisions
→ Discuss differences
→ Record resolutions
Don't trust your first instinct.

Your assumptions should be challenged most
when you assume they cannot be challenged.

The choices you question, question the choices you make.

Good research starts with honesty.
Bad research ends with lies.

Confirmation to evidence.
Certainty to suspicion.
Source to citation.

Proof not belief.
Read 4 tweets
Oct 23
Most PhD students fail at research questions.

(I used to be one of them)

See, back when I started my research journey, I thought coming up with research questions was pure luck.

Just throw something at the wall and hope it sticks.

Wrong.

Here’s the step-by-step breakdown: 4 steps to building a research question infographic
1. Define the broad topic area of research

Start broad.

In just one or two sentences, outline the general area you’re interested in.

(Example: “User interaction in virtual reality environments.”)

This sets the stage for deeper investigation.
2. Describe the problem to address here

Now, narrow down.

Identify a specific issue within your broad topic that demands attention.

(Example: “Users often experience motion sickness during extended VR sessions due to disorientation.”)

Show the real problem.
Read 7 tweets
Oct 22
Stop writing academic papers like a robot.

Tell stories instead.

Most academic writing puts people to sleep.

But it doesn't have to.

Academic storytelling changes everything.

Here's why it works: 5 academic storytelling techniques
→ Builds emotional connection
→ Creates memorable content
→ Makes complex ideas clear
→ Keeps readers engaged
→ Drives more citations

Yet most academics fail at storytelling.

So I broke it down into 5 simple techniques:
1. Sustain a compelling narrative

Don't just sprinkle anecdotes.
Weave a cohesive story.

Create
• Suspense
• A narrative arc
• A sense of progression

Keep your readers hooked until the very end.
Read 10 tweets
Oct 17
How I turned a 50-page literature review into a concise 10-page masterpiece using 9 simple questions:

Most researchers get lost in endless summaries.
They miss the big picture.

But there's a simple framework to fix this.

I call it the 9-Question Literature Review Framework: Flowchart of the 9 literature review question framework.
1. What has been done?
2. What were the hypotheses?
3. What were the research questions?
4. How was the work done?
5. When was it done?
6. Who did it?
7. What were the main findings?
8. What were the conclusions?
9. What should be done next?

This framework helps you:

• Organize your thoughts
• Identify research gaps
• Develop your own questions
Here's how to use it:

1. Ask these questions for each relevant study
2. Organize answers into themes
3. Identify patterns and contradictions
4. Spot gaps in current research

The result?

A focused, insightful literature review that adds value to your field.
Read 5 tweets
Oct 15
Feel like giving up on research proposals? (Read this, please)
Back in my early career, I lost two grant applications.

In my PhD, I nearly quit academic writing altogether.

I almost gave up on research. Twice.

But as Associate Professor, something shifted. 3 things, actually: Content of the SHARP research proposal.
1. Proposal structure → without compromise

I committed to using a foolproof outline for every proposal:

Title Page → Your research's first impression
Table of Contents → A roadmap for reviewers
Abstract → Your research in a nutshell
Introduction → Set the stage and state your case
Methodology → Your research blueprint
Operational Planning → Show you can execute
Appendices → Support your proposal

I viewed it as honing my research skills. Consistently.
(the next one flipped the script)
Read 11 tweets

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