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

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

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

Assignments Problem sets Lab reports Essays and research papers

Lab Reports

Why? Prepare to become a scientist Demonstrate understanding 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 

How? Scientific Method QUESTION RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS 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?

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

Sections of a Lab Report QUESTION What is the problem or observation? Introduction Methods Results Discussion 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?

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

Sections of Lab Reports Introduction Methods Results Discussion 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!

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

Sections of Lab Reports Introduction Methods Results Discussion 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?

Writing Style

Writing Style Essay format Be clear, concise, and direct Complete paragraphs and sentences No point form! Be clear, concise, and direct Use the active voice whenever possible Use appropriate and consistent tense Avoid unnecessary words, phrases, and jargon Put the main verb early in the sentence and keep it close to its subject Use modifiers judiciously!

Writing Style Clear and Correct Have you avoided the errors that you have made in previous writing? Review your reports from last term! Have you used language which is clear and easy to understand? Have you avoided colloquialisms and jargon? Is your language as concise as possible? Have you maintained a formal tone? Are any sentences awkward, too elaborate, or difficult to follow? Have you avoided common grammatical errors? Is your report properly punctuated?

Writing Style Voice Use the active voice whenever possible! Passive Voice Active Voice Objective Subjective Obscures who/what is doing the action Highlights who/what is doing the action Indirect and cumbersome Direct and clear Object – Verb – Subject Subject – Verb – Object E.g., “The plants were measured by me…” E.g., “I measured the plants…”

Writing Style Tense Past Tense: reporting methods and results “My group measured the…” “There was an increase in…” Present Tense: discussing your results (rather than when referring to them), current state of knowledge, etc. “My results indicate that…” Historical Present Tense: reviewing literature “The findings by Lee et al. (2012) indicate…” “Stewart and Johnson (2010) discuss…”

Writing Style Avoid Unnecessary Words Write as simply as possible without compromising meaning – Eliminate unnecessary words Instead of… Use… Due to the fact that Because Have an effect on Effect Utilize Use A majority of Most A number of Many Are of the same opinion Agree Less frequently occurring Rare All three of the The three Give rise to Cause

Tips For Better Reports

Tips For Better Reports Plan 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

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

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?

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

Tips For Better Reports Follow 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

Tips For Better Reports Tables 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

Tips For Better Reports Referencing 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

Tips For Better Reports Referencing How should you reference? Paraphrase almost always; avoid direct quotations The purpose is to include what was said, not how something 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

Tips For Better Reports REVISION

Come see us at the Academic Skills Centre! Come Talk to Us! Do you want to ask questions about something you heard today? Do you want an instructor to look at work you did during these sessions (sample thesis, lecture notes, paraphrase)? Come see us at the Academic Skills Centre! We have booked and online appointments Monday-Friday. You can book an appointment online through our NEW Online Appointment Booking System at www.trentu.ca/sep You can also call us at 705-748-1720 during office hours. Academic Skills Centre Champlain College 206 www.trentu.ca/academicskills 705-748-1720