Writing up your work

1. Research Skills Writing up your work

2. Ted Talk: Hans RoslingStats that reshape your world http://youtu.be/hVimVzgtD6w

3. Title • Straightforward and informative (not more than 15 words). • Enough to explain your study without going into too much detail. • Examples: • Too little detail: Fast food purchases • Too much detail: Differences in the fast food purchasing habits of men and women in the last month in Brighton • Just right: Differences in the fast food purchasing habits of men and women

4. Abstract • Must have: • Explanation of research area • Aims • Main results and interpretations • Implications of your results for science and/or society

5. Introduction • Quick explanation of research area • Summary of relevant past research • Purpose of study • Brief description of methods • Hypotheses

6. Methods • Subsections: • Participants: Who? • Materials: What? • Design: How? • Procedure: How?

7. Results • What are the main findings? • For example: • Female participants ate fewer hamburgers on average than males (Table 1). • Note: If you give numbers in tables, there is no need to repeat them in text. If you present information in a figure, give exact numbers in text as well.

8. Tables: quantitative Table 1: The mean number of fast food purchases made by males and females in last month.

9. Tables: qualitative Table 2: Frequency of internet usage among men and women.

10. Figures: quantitative Figure 1: The mean number of fast food purchases made by males and females in last month. Error bars show ± 1 S.E.M.

11. Figures: qualitative Figure 2: Frequency of internet usage among men and women.

12. Discussion • Summary of purpose and results • Comparison to previous research • Possible faults • Wider implications (back up your assertions) • Future directions • Conclusions

13. References • List of all references cited in the lab report.

14. Microscopy The world in a tiny drop of water http://www.microbehunter.com/2012/12/16/using-the-microscope-slide-adjustment-focussing/

15. Microscopy • Microscopes are used to view things that are too small to see without help. • Dissecting microscope– view entire 3-D objects under low power. • Compound light microscope– examine very small or thinly sliced objects under higher magnification.

16. Microscopy • Stainsthat bind to cellular structures are used to help increase the contrast and allow you to see the structures more clearly.

17. Using the Microscopes • Always use 2 hands to handle the scopes! • Be VERY CAREFUL when moving the microscopes. • Never remove any part of the microscope.

18. Using the Microscopes • ALWAYS adjust the nosepiece so that the LOWEST OBJECTIVE LENS is in place when removing a slide and when putting the microscope away! • NEVER, EVER use the COARSE FOCUS when you are working with high power!

19. Using the Microscopes • Always start with the lowest power lens – this gives you the widest field of view. • Find what you are looking for, CENTER and FOCUS as well as you can. • Then, change to the next objective lens. • Return to low power before removing the slide.

20. Rules • Lowest power objective lens in position at beginning and end. • Use only lens paper for cleaning lenses. • Do not tilt the microscope when you are using a wet mount. • Keep stage clean & dry. • DO NOT REMOVE PARTS!!!! • Turn light all the way down, then turn off before unplugging. • Replace cover when finished. • Report any problems.

21. Total Magnification • Compound Light Microscopes have 2 magnifying lenses. • Objective lens – 4X, 10X, 20X, 40X • Ocular lens (in the eyepiece) – 10X • Total magnification– multiply the objective lens (4, 10, 20, or 40) by the ocular lens (10).

22. Field of View • Field of view– the circular area that is visible when you look into the microscope. • Measure the diameter, estimate lengths of objects that take up part of the field of view. • Depth of field– play with the focus while viewing the slide with colored threads.