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Writing Titles and Captions for Scientific Figures

Writing Titles and Captions for Scientific Figures. AP Biology 2011-2012. A little practice…. Pretend you are a newspaper reporter. Look at the picture and jot down on a paper what you think it is a picture of.

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Writing Titles and Captions for Scientific Figures

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  1. Writing Titles and Captions for Scientific Figures AP Biology 2011-2012

  2. A little practice… • Pretend you are a newspaper reporter. • Look at the picture and jot down on a paper what you think it is a picture of.

  3. Image Src: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/3TWP1eBexIv/San+Jose+Sharks+v+Phoenix+Coyotes/JWJ-uApldM7/Patrick+Marleau

  4. Which of these could be a good title? • Man plays sports • Hockey player shoots puck • Two players on the ice • Very athletic people • None of the above 

  5. Why not? • If a title could be easily applied to any other figure, then it is not an effective, descriptive title. • Man plays sports • Hockey player shoots puck • Two men on the ice. • Very athletic people. Image Src: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/r6Txr2bJB8L/San+Jose+Sharks+v+New+Jersey+Devils/GG01jTSWRRk/Joe+Thornton, http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/FIBohCTfmgM/New+York+Mets+v+San+Francisco+Giants/kEO8dCu_EsY/Jonathan+Sanchez

  6. The Title should… • Be specific • Answer the question, “What am I looking at specifically?”

  7. What information would be necessary to make the title of this picture more appropriate? • Name of players • Team names • Date of game • Etc. • Specifics!

  8. The Caption should… • Highlight relevant information found in the figure. • Note trends in the data • NOT restate the title • NOT include any analysis of the data (state what the data shows, not what it means).

  9. Practice with scientific figures • Take a minute to look at the sample figure you have been given. Ask yourself these questions: • What is this graph showing? • What are some specific details I want someone else to notice about this graph? • Now, describe the figure to your partner while he/she writes down what you say. • Switch roles and repeat for the second figure.

  10. Generating a title • Look at what you said to your partner and pick out the one sentence/phrase in there that best sums up what this graph is showing. You can reword it a little if needed. • This would be your title! • If this was the only info someone got along with the figure, would explain what he/she is looking at?

  11. Generating a caption • 1-2 additional sentences. • Look at the rest of what you said. These are additional things you wanted the reader to notice– they would be what you put into your caption. • But… no analysis! If any of the statements you made draw conclusions about the data then they should not be included • If it could follow the phrase “Therefore…”.. Leave it out!

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