BISC219:Guidelines for writing a lab report in the form of a scientific paper

Guide for Scientific Writing

Papers for this course will be done in scientific writing style, which is the way most scientific work is published. This is the style used in professional journals; however, it varies somewhat according to the publication. This format has been developed to make all parts of scientific studies (e.g., hypotheses, background and pertinent literature, methods, implications of results) readily accessible to the reader. Thus using the appropriate format is a very important part of scientific writing. Arbitrary modifications of the format by "creative" writers can only confuse readers and lessen the clarity and impact of the results. The best way to learn this type of writing is to read papers in journals and to practice writing. Here are some guidelines to the general format of scientific writing (all sections should be labeled except 'Title' and 'Introduction'):
1. Title: Choose a title that reflects the major conclusion of the paper. It is usually less than ten words. Compare these two example titles:
        "Response of Patients to Different Doses of Ice Cream"
        "Frequent Administration of Ice Cream Boosts Patients' Morale"
The second one tells the reader much more about the findings of the study than does the first, which is a bland, non-committal statement that tells your reader little other than the subject matter of the report.

2. Abstract:The abstract is a very brief summary of 1) what you did, including a statement of the hypothesis tested, 2) how you did it, i.e. the general methods used, 3) the specific, major findings of your study, and 4) your conclusions. Present the information in this order. Conclusions should include a statement about how the findings contribute to scientific theory or to the solution of applied problems in the area of study. If species, e.g., white oak (Quercus alba) or taxa, e.g., bumblebees (Bombus spp.) are mentioned, scientific names should be given and italicized. Readers should be able to use the abstract to find quickly what is in the paper before deciding to read the entire thing. No information should be given in the abstract that was not given in the rest of paper. The abstract should be written in the past tense and is generally written last.

3.