The structure of a scientific paper: How to write one (and how to read one)

The structure of a scientific paper: How to write one (and how to read one) Today’s agenda: Update – did everyone pick a journal and paper? Learn the structure and function of a scientific paper Consider the special role of the Introduction Examine the papers that students chose. How are they similar and different? Presentations by students of the objectives of their studies.

A scientific paper is really three (3) separate papers. This fact is critically important when you set out to write a paper, or to read one. Title: Fishing for readers Abstract: The Reader’s Digest version The body of the paper: the whole story

The body of the paper in a typical journal* • Introduction • Materials and Methods (sometimes just “Methods”) • Results • Text • Tables • Figures • Discussion • Acknowledgements • References Cited * A number of journals, including some prestigious ones like Science and Nature, have very different formats. Frankly, I do not like them and will teach the standard format used by the vast majority of journals.

The Introduction • Begin with the broadest scope and get progressively narrower, leading steadily to the statement of objectives in the last paragraph of the Introduction.

Statement of objectives: The key to the whole paper • The last paragraph needs to flow from the rest of the introduction and transition to the description of the study’s methods. It is critical that the goals and objectives be stated clearly and quantitatively.

Examples of objectives: Not so good: The purpose of this study was to see if there was a differences in the fish in three parts of the stream. Better: The overall goal of the study was to test the hypothesis that habitat complexity was positively correlated with fish species diversity and density. Specifically, we sampled the fish community and physical features in two habitat units in each of three reaches of stream and also measured the microhabitat features where individual fish were caught. These data were used to…

The Methods (or Materials and Methods) • Description of what was done and how it was done, when and where (if these are necessary details). Not a narrative, as one might write to one’s mother describing our day (“First we drove the van to the river, then we …”) but rather what a reader would need to envision, understand, assess and (if needed) replicate the operation.

The Results • Verbal description of the findings of the study as they pertain to the hypotheses and goals, in the order in which the hypotheses were posed. • Tables (as needed) • Figures (as needed) • Statistical analysis (as needed) • No interpretation! (Just the facts, no editorializing on the news page.)

The Discussion • Begin with the interpretation of the data with respect to the specific objectives of the study, and get progressively broader, interpreting papers by others, ending with the concepts used to start the Introduction.

Acknowledgements • Common professional courtesy (distinct from authorship, though this can be contentious) • Indicates source of financial support • People who contributed field help, lab help, ideas, statistical help, etc. but whose contributions were less than those expected for authorship • Only professional, not emotional help (find other ways to thank your boyfriend)

References cited • Acknowledges the work done by others • Allows the reader to learn more • Bolsters arguments and facilitates interpretation of results Everything cited in the paper must be listed, and nothing else. This is not a list of relevant papers on the subject, only the ones actually used in the paper. They must be listed in alphabetical order, in the format specified by the selected journal.

Class activity: Let’s look at your chosen papers, see how they are organized, and how to read them. I never read a paper from start to finish. Read the title first, then the abstract, then the last paragraph of the Introduction, then the first paragraph of the Discussion, and look at the figures and tables.

Let’s hear about your own projects: Give us a 1-minute summary of what you intend to do. In such situations you must assume that the audience is interested but not informed. Thus the introductory sentences are most critical. Avoid jargon and try to use simple sentences.

Assignment: Read your chosen paper again, from the perspective of what we have learned. Be prepared to tell the class, in one minute, what it is all about. Paradoxically, it is harder to say something in such a short period of time than it is to speak for a longer time. So, practice!

The structure of a scientific paper: How to write one (and how to read one)