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The Practical Process of Doing Science Research

The Practical Process of Doing Science Research. Overview . Plan the project Gather resources Perform the research Analyze the results Present the work Publish the work. Planning the Project. Identify a problem worth solving Library research prior work! Define an original approach

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The Practical Process of Doing Science Research

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  1. The Practical Process of Doing Science Research

  2. Overview • Plan the project • Gather resources • Perform the research • Analyze the results • Present the work • Publish the work

  3. Planning the Project • Identify a problem worth solving • Library research prior work! • Define an original approach • Get feedback • Refine plans

  4. Gather Resources • People • nearly all projects done by groups of people • Funding • inexpensive projects • small grants • big grants • research centers

  5. Obtaining Grants • Find a source of funding • Write the grant proposal • Review process • Funding decisions • Proper administration • Reporting outcomes

  6. Funding Sources • Private companies • Scientific societies • Private foundations • Federal agencies • Science, energy, environment, defense related • NSF, NIH, EPA, DOD, ONR, etc.

  7. Grant Proposals (1) • Describe context and importance • Written plan for your work • Request for support • Promise for what will be done • Instrument of persuasion

  8. Grant Proposals (2) • Tell your story • Write well • Answer questions before they are asked • Provide all requested information • objective, plan, timetable • personnel, capabilities, budget • outcomes

  9. Grant Review Process • Peer review • Review criteria • clarity of writing, clarity of vision, completeness, fit to agency’s goals, importance, likelihood of success • Approval rates 5-10% to 35% maximum • Seek feedback whether denied or approved

  10. Perform the Research • Pre-plan all aspects • sketch sequence of steps and a timeline • define answerable questions • pre-plan data analysis • Work carefully, evaluating as you go • Revise as you go

  11. Analyze Results • Replicates • Controls • Biases • Alternative explanations • Get feedback • Analyze before moving on to new questions

  12. Presentations • Local • Regional meetings • Discipline specific or regional ACS • National meetings • Discipline specific or national ACS

  13. Types of Presentations • Oral • consider the audience • plan for the desired length • descriptive title and abstract • Poster • dozens or hundreds displayed simultaneously • bigger audience • need to capture attention

  14. Posters • Space typically 4’x6’ • LARGE title, authors, affiliation • Text readable from 3 feet--24 font • Tell the story visually: graphs, structures, diagrams, color • Bulleted lists, avoid long narrative • Organize the flow: top left to lower right • Prepare a one-minute oral story

  15. Publications • Local • Regional • Virginia Academy of Sciences • Specialty • Undergraduate research, industry specific • National/international journal

  16. Writing the Paper (1) • Title: descriptive, capture reader • Authors: who to include, order of listing • Abstract • what was done • not primarily a purpose statement • often the only thing that gets read

  17. Writing the Paper (2) • Introduction • set historical context • define problem and its importance • report all related work from literature • outline approach • Materials and Methods • specific details for reproducing work • tight, terse, third person

  18. Writing the Paper (3) • Data and Results • tables or graphs • raw data usually omitted • summary of results • Discussion • identify relationships, generalizations, problems, context

  19. Writing the Paper (4) • Conclusions • short--often just one long paragraph • restate main points • be sure significance is clear • Acknowledgements • funding sources • people who enhanced project without directly participating

  20. Writing the Paper (5) • References • Use format the journal requires • ACS format followed by most ACS journals • text contains only reference number • number is superscripted1, or parenthetical (1) • Tuazon, E.D.; Atkinson, R. Int. J. Chem. Kinet. 1990, 22, 1221-1236. • Lefferts, R. Getting a Grant in the 1990s; Prentice Hall: NewYork, NY, 1990; pp. 7-9.

  21. Writing the Paper (6) • Submission • choose an appropriate journal • follow that journal’s format • paper or electronic submission • camera ready art • Peer review • Revisions and Publication

  22. Why Do We Publish Research? • Share results with other researchers • Benefit from peer review • Establish record of the intellectual property • Job requirement • Advancing science

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