Take the University Challenge: Writing in the Sciences

1. Take the University Challenge:Writing in the Sciences The Academic Skills Centre

2. So you want to be a scientist? • Be curious • Think critically • Follow convention • Present your findings

3. Scientific Writing • Answer the question(s) • Be clear and concise • Creativity in thought rather than writing style • Follow conventions of discipline • Read the instructions! • Demonstrate your understanding of the topic

4. Assignments • Problem sets • Lab reports • Essays and research papers

5. Lab Reports

6. Why? • Prepare to become a scientist • Report findings to the scientific community • Contribute to body of research • Follow style of journal articles • Demonstrate understanding • How does the practical relate to the theory? www.icts.uiowa.edu 

7. How?Scientific Method QUESTION What is the problem or observation? RESEARCH Learn about the topic – what have others found out? HYPOTHESIS What do you think will happen? EXPERIMENT or STUDY Collect data to test your hypothesis ANALYSIS Summarize the results of your experiment or study INTERPRET Do your results support the hypothesis? COMPARE How do your results compare to those of other studies? WHAT’S NEXT? What’s the next question to be answered?

8. Sections of Lab Reports Basic sections “IMRAD” Additional and optional sections Introduction Methods Results Discussion Title Abstract Conclusions Appendices References

9. Sections of a Lab Report QUESTION What is the problem or observation? REASEARCH Learn about the topic – what have others found out? Introduction Methods Results Discussion HYPOTHESIS What do you think will happen? EXPERIMENT or STUDY Collect data to test your hypothesis ANALYSIS Summarize the results of your experiment or study INTERPRET Do your results support the hypothesis? COMPARE How do your results compare to those of other studies? WHAT’S NEXT? What’s the next question to be answered?

10. Sections of Lab Reports • Frame research within broad context • Present relevant background information • State hypotheses, predictions, and rationale Introduction Methods Results Discussion

11. Sections of Lab Reports • Describe how you conducted the experiment or study • Materials, procedure, subjects, location, analysis and statistics, etc. • Provide enough detail to allow a reader to repeat what you did • Use full sentences! Introduction Methods Results Discussion

12. Sections of Lab Reports • Summarize data collected • Report, don’t interpret! • Raw data in appendix only • Present data in tables and/or figures • Refer to in text Introduction Methods Results Discussion

13. Sections of Lab Reports • Interpret results • Did the data support your hypothesis and predictions? • Remember – you cannot prove, only support or reject • Compare to other studies • Are your results in line with previous findings? If not, why? • Implications of your research • How could you improve your study and/or what would you study next? Introduction Methods Results Discussion

14. Writing Style

15. Writing Style • Always use full sentences • Sentences should be • Concise • Direct • Active • Therefore • Avoid unnecessary words, phrases, and jargon • Put the main verb early in the sentence • Use the active voice whenever possible

16. Writing StyleVoice Passive voice • Objective • Obscures who/what is doing the action • Was the norm in scientific writing • Indirect and cumbersome • Object – Verb – Subject • E.g., “The plants were measured…” Active voice • Subjective • Highlights who/want is doing the action • Becoming much more common and encouraged • Direct and clear • Subject – Verb – Object • E.g., “I measured the plants…”

17. Writing StyleTense • Past or present? • Use past tense when • Referring to your study (you completed it in the past) • Another study done in the past • Use present tense the rest of the time

18. Tips For Better Reports

19. Tips For Better ReportsPlan Ahead - Lab • Read the lab manual BEFORE the lab • Make sure you fully understand what you’re doing and why – if you don’t, ask! • Prepare tables for recording data • Write out hypothesis and predictions BEFORE beginning the experiment/study • Take notes during your lab • Note any changes in the methods and any new details • Plan time to write your report as soon as possible after your lab

20. Tips For Better ReportsPlan Ahead - Writing • Begin with an outline • Suggested order of writing: • Methods • Results • Discussion • Introduction • References • Abstract (if required) • Title

21. Tips For Better Reports Remember! Scientific Method QUESTION What is the problem or observation? REASEARCH Learn about the topic – what have others found out? HYPOTHESIS What do you think will happen? EXPERIMENT or STUDY Collect data to test your hypothesis ANALYSIS Summarize the results of your experiment or study INTERPRET Do your results support the hypothesis? COMPARE How do your results compare to those of other studies? WHAT’S NEXT? What’s the next question to be answered?

22. Tips For Better Reports The Hourglass Analogy • Structure your report like an hourglass • Begin with the big picture, narrow to your hypothesis, experiment, and results, then expand throughout your discussion

23. Tips For Better ReportsFollow Instructions • This is REALLY IMPORTANT! • Formatting • Spacing, fonts, margins, pages • Sections • Title page, abstract, conclusions, appendix required? • Tables and figures • Embedded or separate? • Referencing style • Often follows a peer-reviewed journal

24. Tips For Better ReportsTables and Figures • Must stand alone – titles must be fully descriptive • Tables • Title above • Don’t use vertical lines • Display units • Define abbreviations • Figures • Title below • Ensure details visible in black and white • Label axes

25. Tips For Better ReportsReferencing • When should you reference? • Whenever you write something that is not your original thought or general knowledge • It may be difficult to know if something is considered general knowledge – if in doubt, reference! • This includes the methods from your lab manual • Most sentences should therefore be referenced • What sources should you use? • Lab manual, textbook, peer-reviewed literature • NEVER cite Wikipedia or other questionable sources

26. Tips For Better ReportsReferencing • How should you reference? • Paraphrase almost always; avoid direct quotations • The purpose is to include what was said, not howsomething was said • In-text citations and reference list • Abbreviated in-text citation directly follows each paraphrase • Reference list provides full reference information and follows report • Follow instructions in lab manual – very carefully!! • Try referencing software • E.g., RefWorks – free from library

27. Tips For Better Reports REVISION

28. Come Talk to Us! • Do you want to ask questions about something you heard today? • Come see us at the Academic Skills Centre during special 10 minute drop-in sessions!

29. Special Drop-in Appointments Wednesday, Sept. 4, Thursday, Sept. 5, and Friday, Sept. 6 10-minute drop-in appointments (first come-first served) Academic Skills Centre Champlain College 206 9am-4pm