Read all the material on lab reports at the beginning of the manual and read the rubric. Be sure you understand your experiment. I will grade by the rubric. Read scientific papers to become familiar with scientific style. Give me your best the first time. I will not correct your paper. Remember the importance of paragraph and sentence structure, grammar, and spelling. Double spaced. Auburn University Writing Center. ( Note: The scientific writing format described in the manual takes precedence over any other person’s opinion. You can call and see if there is someone with a scientific background available. Janice Dyer (4-7588) in Wildlife and Forestry will help W&F students with writing.

Never copy anything word for word from anywhere, not even a phrase, not even if you cite it. Plagiarizing in the first submission is also an academic honesty issue. Copying another’s work while changing it just enough to not be plagiarism does not satisfy the requirements of this course. Guard your work. If someone else copies your paper, you are responsible.

1. Read at least two scientific papers on the subject of the assigned experiment or a subject you enjoy. If you’re not writing in the style of a scientific paper you will lose points, so you must be familiar with this type of writing. 2. Read the material in the lab manual on writing papers including the rubric at the back of the laboratory you are writing up. 3. Write the introduction, methods, results, and discussion in that order. If you have not read enough material on your experiment to complete your introduction and discussion, search for more articles. 4. Write the abstract and title last. 5. Proofread. 6. Read your paper out loud to a live person if possible, and/or have someone else proofread for you. 7. See your TA with any questions at any point during this process.

Paper is due ed to me as a Microsoft Word document before the lab period begins. Date___ Send it two hours early and I will check for errors such as attachment failures and Word version conversion errors. Come see me!