the scientific method

1. the scientific method

2. The Scientific Method Funding Communicate

3. Scientific writeups

4. Purpose • Communicate research findings

5. Helpful Sources • Scientific Writeup Rubric • A Student Handbook for Writing in Biology • One of my published articles • This PowerPoint

6. General Tips • Use of Present Tense • When referring to published findings • Skeeter et al., 2012, found that heartworm is infected with bacteria…. • When making generally accepted statements • Mosquitoes are insects…. • When referring to figures or tables in the writeup you are writing • Figure 1 is a graph of the PCR results for heartworm….

7. General Tips • Use of Past Tense • Reporting your own previously published work • You don’t have any of this yet! • When referring to published authors work • Skeeter et al., 2012, found that heartworm is infected with bacteria….

8. General Tips • Use of Active vs Passive Voice • Active • We performed the PCR analyses…. • Passive • The PCR analyses were performed…. • Use active when you want the emphasis on who did the action • Use passive when you want the emphasis on the action itself

9. General Tips • Plagiarism • Intentional • Verbatim copying and claiming it is your own writing • Stealing ideas • Unintentional • Not recognizing the need to reference a piece of information • Not paraphrasing and making the writing your own

10. Parts • Abstract • Introduction • Materials and Methods • Results • Discussion/Conclusion • References

11. abstract

12. Abstract • Summary of the whole experiment including the hypothesis, purpose, background, materials and methods, results, and discussion • Allows a scientist to determine if the content of a research report fits into his/her needs without having to take the time to read the whole research paper • Very brief • Concise 100 – 200 words  • Placed first in the writeup but write it last!

13. Introduction

14. Introduction • Background information • What is already known • Literature search • What isn’t known • What is inconsistent • What is anomalous • Based on background information, state your Hypothesis • Based on your Hypothesis, list the specific research objectives

15. materials and methods

16. Materials and Methods • Writing Style • Full sentences and paragraphs, not lists • Use past tense • Choose between passive and active voice; generally use the passive voice for materials and methods • Active • We performed the PCR analyses…. • Passive • The PCR analyses were performed….

17. Materials and Methods • What to Include and Not Include • Do include • Enough relevant information so the experiment can be repeated • References • Do not include • Containers reagents are in • Bulleted lists of materials; Rather state only relevant materials in sentences and paragraphs • Bulletted lists of any kind • Lengthy descriptions of routine procedures • Data

18. results

19. Results • Describes findings, does NOT make conclusions • Actual data • Can include a lack of findings, that is a result as well! • Written in sentence/paragraph form • Also may include tables and/or figures (plots)

20. Discussion/Conclusion

21. Discussion/Conclusion • Interpret the meaning of your results • Do the findings support your hypothesis? • Explain why or why not • Relate it to what you discussed in the introduction • Consider alternative explanations • Can include that the method or technique was flawed • Interpret unique or anomalous findings • Based on your interpretation, state what your next step will be

22. references

23. References • Bibliography • You must provide a source for almost all information you put into a scientific writeup • The source is documented in two places • In the body of the writeup directly after where you place the referenced information • In a Reference list at the end of the paper • See p 77 – 89 of the Student Handbook for Writing in Biology