The Structure of a Scientific Research Paper

For Research Through Technology class at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts

Objectives

To learn the format for reporting scientific resultsYou will use this format for: RTT projects Your FIRM paper All lab reports at ASMSA

Grammar & Usage

Past tensePassive voice – “… the water was boiled”Third person – no I, we, you pronounsFormal language Avoid slang, contractions, etc.

Citations Cite all quotes, paraphrases, etc. as shown in composition class

See the style handbook and websites supplied in JEC for examples

Structure

IntroductionProceduresData & ResultsDiscussionReferences

Introduction

State problem or question under investigation Justify why this question is worthy of investigation

Background research Relevant previous work by yourself and others Library & internet research

Hypothesis/Design Goal/Theorem State it clearly Phrase it as a definite prediction in terms of what was measured

“The hypothesis of this investigation was that the current through the resistor would be directly proportional to the potential difference.”

Briefly discuss how it was tested

Procedures

Make a materials list for rough draft In order of usage Complete Detailed

Manufacturers names & model numbersConcentrations & volumes of chemicals

Dosages of drugs

Integrate list into narrative in final draft “… 250 mL of 1.0 M HCl were added and stirred …”

Measurements should be given as numbers, not text, with SI units (use standard abbreviations )

Use leading zeroes for numbers less than 1 ( 0.25 g)

Procedures

Procedures

In a narrative, never as a listChronologically orderedUse signal phrases as transitions Next, after, then, first, second, etc.

Past tense, passive voice, third person

Procedures

Detailed enough for trained outsiderDo not write it as instructions thoughTell how data were analyzed too

Data & Results

Data in tables, graphsNo raw dataProperly format tables, graphsDescribe tables & graphs in textFinish by showing calculations & giving results

Discussion

Summarize three previous sectionsExplain meaning/significance of resultsEvaluate success/failure of hypothesis or design goal Never say “…the hypothesis was proven…”

Discuss sources of error Discuss implications & possible improvements

References

All works used in the paper must be listed on a separate References pageUse APA format for citationsAll quotes, unique facts, & paraphrased passages must be immediately followed by a parenthetical citation.Failure to cite = plagiarism (more later)

Teamwork

Work in teams to collect dataBUT … Do your own calculations Write your own paper

Examples of Plagiarism*

Failing to list the source of a quote, unique fact, or paraphraseCopying from classmate’s or previous year’s paperCopying from a published source w/o quoting & citingCopying & pasting or retyping from an electronic sourceFabricating sourcesBuying a paper

* Not a comprehensive list

Three Word Rule

If you pull three or more consecutive words from a source, it must be treated as a quotation and not as a paraphrase.Put it in quotation marksMake a parenthetical citation immediately afterwardsInclude the source on Works Cited page

Turnitin.com

You will be required to submit all your RTT papers to this plagiarism detection serviceYour instructor will show you how to subscribe before Project 1 is due

Penalties

1.Zero on the assignment2.Zero + 5 day suspension3.Academic withdrawal

Offenses are cumulative over all classes and both years