This document is meant to provide some additional guidance for SimBuild authors beyond the formatting requirements provided in the Microsoft Word and LaTeX templates.
We recommend that authors also read the Guide for Reviewers to better understand the criteria according to which their papers will be rated.
Emphasize Impact
Start your paper off strong by keeping the “so what” in mind when you write it. Why does your work matter? What is the motivation behind it? Weave this motivation into the introduction section and throughout the paper. Consider adding an explicit impact statement at the end of your introduction which summarizes the most significant contributions from your paper in a sentence or two.
Consider the following to make sure your paper will make in impact in the field:
Consider Your Audience
When you write your paper, think about the people who will read it. As this is a simulation conference, most readers will be familiar with simulation fundamentals. If your focus is in applied research, focus on more background about the non-simulation work, and describe how the circumstances guided your design decisions. If your work is more theoretical in nature, focus on describing the research gap to help your readers understand why this work is useful. Consider addressing your target audience directly in the abstract or the introduction, e.g., ‘this paper is intended for researchers/practitioners interested in xyz’.
Understand Your Paper Type
The building simulation community has a range of experiences. Depending on your type of paper, you may write up the same content in different ways.
- Research Paper:
- Summarize the relevant field to make it accessible to a wider audience.
- Clearly state the research gap you are addressing, and how your work fills it.
- Describe what makes your research novel.
- Provide sufficient detail to make your research reproducible.
- Show solid evidence to support claims through case studies.
- Case Study Paper:
- Explain the background of your project, and how it sets the boundary conditions for your work.
- Clearly state the question(s) you are trying to answer, and what answers you found.
- Describe what makes your case study unique. E.g., what adaptations did you have to make due to the specific boundary conditions you are dealing with?
- Provide lessons learned.
Further Guidance
If you would like to learn more about how to write great papers, you may enjoy our webinar series “Your Guide to SimBuild Success”, which includes guidance on writing abstracts, writing papers, and visualization.
