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
Why?
• Prepare to become a scientist
– 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 MethodQUESTION
What is the problem or observation?
HYPOTHESISWhat do you think will happen?
EXPERIMENT or STUDYCollect data to test your hypothesis
ANALYSISSummarize the results of your experiment or study
INTERPRETDo your results support the hypothesis?
COMPAREHow do your results compare to those of other studies?
WHAT’S NEXT?What’s the next question to be answered?
RESEARCHLearn about the topic – what have others found out?
Sections of Lab Reports
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
Title
Abstract
Conclusions
Appendices
References
Basic sections
“IMRAD”
Additional and
optional sections
Sections of a Lab Report
REASEARCHLearn about the topic – what have others found out?
QUESTIONWhat is the problem or observation?
HYPOTHESISWhat do you think will happen?
EXPERIMENT or STUDYCollect data to test your hypothesis
ANALYSISSummarize the results of your experiment or study
INTERPRETDo your results support the hypothesis?
COMPAREHow do your results compare to those of other studies?
WHAT’S NEXT?What’s the next question to be answered?
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
Sections of Lab Reports
• Frame research within
broad context
• Present relevant
background information
• State hypotheses,
predictions, and
rationale
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
Sections of Lab Reports
• 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!
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
Sections of Lab Reports
• Summarize data
collected
– Report, don’t interpret!
– Raw data in appendix
only
• Present data in tables
and/or figures
– Refer to in text
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
Sections of Lab Reports
• 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?
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
Writing Style
• Always use full sentences
• Sentences should be
– Concise
– Direct
– Active
• Therefore
– Avoid unnecessary words, phrases, and jargon
– Put the main verb early in the sentence
– Use the active voice whenever possible
Writing Style
Voice
Passive voice
• Objective– Obscures who/what is
doing the action
• Was the norm in scientific writing– Indirect and
cumbersome
• Object – Verb –Subject
• E.g., “The plants were measured…”
Active voice
• Subjective– Highlights who/want is
doing the action
• Becoming much more common and encouraged– Direct and clear
• Subject – Verb –Object
• E.g., “I measured the plants…”
Writing Style
Tense
• Past or present?
• Use past tense when
– Referring to your study
(you completed it in the
past)
– Another study done in
the past
• Use present tense the
rest of the time
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
REASEARCHLearn about the topic – what have others found out?
QUESTIONWhat is the problem or observation?
HYPOTHESISWhat do you think will happen?
EXPERIMENT or STUDYCollect data to test your hypothesis
ANALYSISSummarize the results of your experiment or study
INTERPRETDo your results support the hypothesis?
COMPAREHow 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 howsomething 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
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questions about
something you heard
today?
• Come see us at the
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