Interested in writing for the Node but struggling to think of what to write about? We have a few ideas for you.
If you’re interested in writing anything for the Node, we at the Node are always happy to help at any point of the process, from sketching out an outline to editing drafts to helping with the final posting of the piece. We would also love to hear ideas for different kinds of content not explored below — just email thenode@biologists.com! And don’t forget, the Node is a community site for developmental biologists, and is driven by content written by the community – once registered, you are free to post without requiring authorisation or approval.
Behind the paper stories
Have you recently published a paper or preprint? Tell us the story behind it – this could feature the personal side of scientific research or go deeper into the technical details than a traditional paper allows. We have had some great examples of ‘behind the paper‘ stories.
Lab meetings
Our ‘Lab meetings’ posts highlight developmental and stem cell biology labs from across the globe. We aim to build a directory of labs that will showcase research and researchers from the community, and provide a useful resource for scientists considering their next career step. If you would like to nominate a lab (including self-nominations), get in touch or use our contact form.
Fieldwork stories
Development has recently published a Perspective article highlighting researchers going into the field to study a diverse range of organisms. To accompany that article, we are inviting researchers who do fieldwork as part of their research to share their stories. Do you want to write about the fieldwork you do? There is no strict format or word limit for the post. You can talk about the science, the logistics, and share any fun tales from the field.
The field of human developmental biology – share your perspective
In this recent Perspective, science historian Nick Hopwood details the key historical events in the field of human development biology, and proposes that the field has gone through periods of attention and neglect. In a companion Perspective, a few researchers working in the field commented on how they believe their local legal, political, regulatory, societal and technological frameworks are influencing the field’s trajectory. We would like to invite more researchers from different geographical locations to write a short ‘response’ piece. Get in touch if you are interested.
A day in the life of…
Developmental biology is characterised by the diversity of organisms we put under the microscope. Our ‘A day in the life’ series gives insights into what it is like to work with a given organism. Want to talk about your day-to-day life working with a particular organism? Let us know – we’d love you to write a ‘day in the life’ for us!
Honest conversations
The aim of the ‘Honest conversation’ series is for people to write about the ups and downs in their academic journey and create frank conversations around less-discussed topics on the Node, such as unconventional career paths, mental health, and equity, diversity and inclusion in science. If you have an idea for a ‘Honest conversation’ post? Get in touch by emailing us.
Show and tell
In the ‘Show and tell‘ series, you can use an image or video to act as a hook for people to find out more about a paper, a technique, a location, or anything else that is of interest to the developmental and stem cell biology community. Write a ‘Show and tell’ post yourself by following the directions in this post.
Catching up with the literature
Write a ‘Research Highlight’ on a paper that recently blew you away. A good chance to try out less formal scientific writing, and help promote the science you love.
Our Forgotten Classics series explored unjustly overlooked papers in the history of developmental biology – we’d love to hear about your Forgotten Classic.
Resources
Our Resources page contains content on advocacy, outreach, education, audiovisuals and research – have we missed anything useful, particularly for researchers at home? Get in touch.
Meetings or symposia
Recently attended a meeting and had a good experience? You could share your experiences in a meeting report. See our blog on writing meeting reports here for guidance on what you can include in your post.