Writing scientific papers Understanding how to do science is a powerful insight Communicating science is critical to success and progress in science Good writing comes from clear thinking Precision in writing language is critical to communication ID: 459844
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Slide1
Writing in Biology -Slide2
Writing scientific papers Understanding how to do science is a powerful insight
Communicating science is critical to success and progress in science
Good writing comes from clear thinking
Precision in writing (language) is critical to communicationSlide3
Good writing starts with a well organized lab/data notebook
Keeping the laboratory notebook:
goals and objectives – clear statements grounded in clear rationale (record questions and uncertainties)
a well thought through experimental approach that is clearly laid out serves as the basis for planning the experiment – flow charts, time-line, equipment, leads to paragraphs of text
the procedure should be laid out in check list format to ensure that laboratory work will be done quickly and accurately
a record of data – if in doubt write it down
the lab notebook becomes the starting place for scientific writingSlide4
Keys to successful writing in biology – from WAB
‘There is no easy way to learn to write in biology or in any other field. It helps to read a lot of good writing and not just in biology. … But mostly you just have to work hard at writing – and keep working hard at it, draft after draft, assignment after assignment. That will be much easier to do if you have something in mind that you actually want to say
.’ (page 4,
Pechenik
2013)Slide5
More keys to successful writing in biology – from WAB‘All good writing involves 2 struggles: the struggle for understanding and the struggle to communicate that understanding to readers. Like the making of omelets or crepes, the skill improves with practice. There are no shortcuts and there is no simple formula that can be learned and then applied mindlessly to all future assignments
.’ (page 4,
Pechenik
2013)Slide6
Rules for writing from George OrwellPolitics and the English Language:
“I think the following rules will cover most cases:
(
i
) Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
(ii) Never use a long word where a short one will do.
(iii) If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
(iv) Never use the passive voice where you can use the active.
(v) Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
(vi) Break any of these rules sooner than say anything barbarous.”Slide7
Basic structure of a scientific paper
In order:
Abstract
Introduction
Methods (Materials and Methods)
Results
Discussion
Literature cited
Tables
FiguresSlide8
Materials and MethodsSlide9
When writing the paper, don’t begin at the beginning, start with the materials and methods• It is the least complicated section, though it is quite detailed.
• Careful reconstruction of what was done brings freshly to mind the whole of the study.
• It is often tightly linked to the Results section, and it may be beneficial to begin a
rough
draft or at least an outline of
the results
section as
Methods section
is written.Slide10
Repeatability is: a fundamental feature of science
what makes science so powerful
would not be possible with a weak Methods sectionSlide11
The Methods section contains subsections:•
Materials
- describe the plant or animals used in the study (you may subtitle it as
Plant Material
or
Animal Materials
, etc
.) (rather unusual today, unless specifying a specific strain)
Use Latin names for species, designating strains where appropriate
Make it clear how they were maintained and prepared
May also provide a list of unusual or necessary equipmentSlide12
Methods - for each experimental manipulation used in the study, make a separate subtitled section (eg
.
Pulse Rate Measurement
or
Determination of Photosynthetic Rate
,
etc.)
Assists a reader in locating a method while reading Results
Details are introduced in context
When a protocol from another paper is followed exactly, cite that paper and then note any deviations, if appropriate
The source - manufacturer of any supplies or instrumentation should be notedSlide13
Example Methods Sectionfrom Allison 2002Slide14
What not to include:Unnecessary detail about how to run instrumentation
The room number where the experiment was done
How to prepare a solution (unless it is
highly
unusual)
Words that can be abbreviated (see p.
11 & 268
WAB) (but never begin a sentence with an abbreviation)
How statistics or measurements were performed (unless
highly
unusual) – but useful to mention name
of
computer program
Any unnecessary detail (such as how samples were numbered)