Scientific Articles

Reporting on the scientific method…

Title

• statement of the question or problem

Author

• Primary author first

• Other authors listed by importance of contributions

Abstract

• Short summary of the paper <250 words

• With hypothesis and outcome for hypothesis

• Searchable index

• Overview of methods

Introduction

• Background and significance of the problem explored in your study (why is this important?)

• Scientific name (Scientific name) of organisms used

• Review of literature

Materials & Methods

• Report of exactly what you did, “protocol”

• Detailed enough to be duplicated by another scientist, who was not present.

• Diagrams of apparatus if necessary

Results

• Identify control(s) and variable(s)

• Presentation of quantitative data as well as qualitative data

• Data in narrative and graphical form

• Data should be repeatable

• No interpretation, leave that for discussion

Discussion

• Interpretation and discussion of results

• Was your hypothesis supported or refuted?

• What do your results suggest?

• What would you do differently?

• What is the next step?

Acknowledgements

• Any special thanks/acknowledgements

References

• Any books or periodical used, especially in the background information

• Any information that would be helpful, but is too copious and distracting to put in the body of the paper.

Appendix

Helpful Resources

http://www.an.psu.edu/jxm57/sciwrit.htmlhttp://aerg.canberra.edu.au/pub/aerg/edupaper.htmhttp://www.csic.cornell.edu/201/paperguidelines.html