Lecture 4 Writing an Academic Paper

7/28/2019 Lecture 4 Writing an Academic Paper

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University of

Sunderland CSEM03 R.E.P.L.I. Unit 4

CSEM03

REPLI

How to critique the writing of an

authors research review or paper


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Objectives

At the end of this session you will be able to:

Identify the required structure of an academic

research paper

Identify how to write critically


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Guide to the process of

writing a critical review of the

literature

An author will select a topic to review

Be clear who they are writing for, who their

audience is produce a guiding concept or build a theoretical

structure that can explain facts and relationships

between them

Which may or may not lead to the formulation of

a theory


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Structure of a scientific

research paper Title

Authors (your name) Abstract

(normally about 100-200 words)

Introduction

Describe the problem youre investigating, why it needed to be investigated (including key citations)

Point out problems, infer hypotheses,

Method:

Subjects (or data)

Design

Method (if scientific)

Results Descriptive statistics, These describe the data you have collected inferential statistics these allow you to infer whether any differences were found between the groups

Discussion

Conclusion

References

This needs to be in the format of the Journal that you are submitting - for this module use the Harvard referencing system(see the module handbook for details).. Be precise with the exact format


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A review paper

Title

Authors (your name) Abstract

(normally about 100-200 words)

Introduction

Put your approach in the context of the key papers on the subject covered

Describe the problem youre investigating, why it needed to be investigated.. Point out problems

Main headings

Arrange your content not as descriptive headings but as pointers to your argument

Citations in the textalways include the date with authors surname

E.g. it was found by Turner (2000) that

Discussion

Start with a brief summary of your main findings, are there any implications from your findings?

References

Use Harvard referencing system

eg Dabbs, J.M., Chang, E.L., Strong, R.A., and Milun, R. (1998). Spatial ability, navigation strategy, and geographicknowledge among men and women. Evolution and Human Behaviour, 19(2), 89-98

These should be in alphabetical order at the end (not in footnotes)

Every assertion that you have made in your Introduction, main section or discussion

needs to be backed by evidence in the form of a citation

.


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Components of a paper

Abstract

This should summarise the context of the

paper, your approach, possibly the methods

used and the main findings It should be capable of being read separate

from the paper (so dont put citations in it)


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Abstract

This paper outlines the development andevaluation of a wireless personal digital assistant(PDA) based clinical learning tool designed topromote professional reflection for healthprofessionals.The Clinical e-portfolio wasdeveloped at the University of British ColumbiaSchool of Nursing to enable students immediatelyto access clinical expertise and resourcesremotely, and record their clinical experiences in avariety of media (text, audio and images).

The PDA e-portfolio tool was developed todemonstrate the potential use of mobile networkedtechnologies to support and improve clinicallearning; promote reflective learning in practice;engage students in the process of knowledgetranslation; help contextualize and embed clinicalknowledge whilst in the workplace; and to helpprevent the isolation of students whilst engaged insupervised clinical practice. The mobile e-portfoliowas developed to synchronise wirelessly with ausers personal Web based portfolio from any

remote location where a cellular telephone signalor wireless (Wi-Fi) connection could be obtained.

An evaluation of the tool was undertaken withnurse practitioner and medical students, revealingpositive attitudes to the use of PDA based toolsand portfolios, but limits to the use of the PDAportfolio due to the inherent interface restrictionsof the PDA.

A mobile clinical e-portfolio for nursing and medical

students, using wireless personal digital assistants

(PDAs) Bernard Mark Garrett and Cathryn Jackson 2006

Objectives of the

research

Methods used

Conclusions/Discussion

Did the results support your

hypothesis? or enabled you to attain

your objective? Discuss briefly howinformation from this project expands

our knowledge about the category

subject.


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University ofSunderland CSEM03 R.E.P.L.I. Unit 4

Introduction

This should set the scene

critically assess the main papers written in this

field (for example you may want to follow theapproach used by a cited author)

introduce the how the paper is structured (this is

normally the last paragraph).


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Main text

Sections should follow on logically from eachother and follow an argument

not just list many subheadings covering

descriptions of aspects of the subject Clearly articulate the main issues that

emerge from their perusal of the literature

Use citations to support their assertions


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Conclusion

This may be preceded by a discussion (of the results if yourresearch paper is describing results of an experiment)

Conclusion:

Review paper Summarise the conceptual approach (logical and summative) taken

and discuss the main points that have emerged from the literaturereview

Experimental work:

A summary of their interpretation of the data and results of theexperiment (summative conclusion).It should restate the hypothesisand whether they found the hypothesis to be true or false. Theyshould also comment on how the results of the experiment satisfiedthe original research question.


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References

For Sunderland assignments: These should be written in the Harvard style

Do not put numbers before the references-

references should be cited by Author name andyear in the main body of the paper, not be

numbers

Most of the references should be to peer-

reviewed academic journal papers, some recentbooks and web references kept to a minimum


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How to produce a

structured report

There is a convention for writing reviews/ researchpapers

The exact order and content may differ but allpapers have the same basic structure

Different Academic Journals require specificrequirements about length, format, referencing styleso if you want to be published you must write in therequired format

Every section should follow logically, you constructyour argument as though you were stringing beads,one point logically follows another.


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Preparing to write

academically

Practice It is difficult to write concisely

You must be objective

You must not use unfair tactics

Rhetorical questions

Appeals to authority

Exaggeration

Use of unsupported assertions


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The need for revision of

your writing

Writing means rewriting and rewriting It may read ok to you but you are too close to

the work.

Leave time in your planning for someoneelse to read over your work

No-one can write a perfect piece of prose at

a first attempt.


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Ethical issues in gathering

data/ information research

You must obtain permission from anorganisation before approaching people

This is a basic courtesy and you may well

need consent from the Ethics Committee atthe University to conduct the study

E.g. The British Psychological Society has

produced ethical principles for Research withhuman subjects


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Issues

Encroachment on privacy Confidentiality

Seeking guidance from more experienced

researcher if subjects ask for advice oneducational, personality or behavioural problems

Safety

Care when researching children

Not collecting data ostensibly for one purpose but

the subjects are not told the real purpose


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What can go wrong

A notorious example is where pathologiststook tissue samples from dead children for

research without the consent of their parents

Considerable distress was caused whenparents realised that children had been

buried with parts missing (like the brain)


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Stripping pituitary gland tissue and selling it to

pharmaceutical firms in the US

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/860235.stm

Glands were routinely stripped from dead bodies without consent so they could be used in research, it

has been claimed. The Department of Health has admitted that hospital workers were paid to removepituitary glands from dead patients.

There were never any consent forms or correspondence from relatives

Fred Foreman, former mortuary assistant

But it has refused to confirm claims made by a former mortuary assistant that the practice usually took

place without the knowledge or consent of grieving relatives. The practice was exposed by Fred Foreman, who worked at Liverpool's Fazakerley Hospital in the

1960s and 1970s.

He said the glands, found just below the brain, were used to manufacture growth hormone used to treatchildren.

Some were also sold to pharmaceutical firms in the US for the development of fertility treatment.

Mr Foreman said although he was disturbed by the practice, it was widely accepted as part of the job.

Statutory scheme

He said: "There were never any consent forms or correspondence from relatives. "They had no idea what was happening and would have been devastated if they had known."


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University ofSunderland CSEM03 R E P L I Unit 4

Summary

This lecture has introduced you to thefollowing issues:

the required structure of an academic

research paper how to write critically

An appreciation of the ethical issues in

writing research

Documents

Lecture 4 Writing an Academic Paper