Scientific Writing 2/3Learner Development UnitLearner Development Unit

Scientific Writing:Week Two: Lab ReportsWeek Two: Lab Reports

Lab report: Structure and overview

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Lab reports: title page

D D ’tDo• Explain what the

experiment involves in a

Don’tOne word titles:

‘Ch t h ’experiment involves in a long phrase (be specific).

‘Chromatography’ or ‘Enzymes’

• The effect of … on …The influence of on

Avoid phrases such as:"An experiment to show "The influence of … on

• Include title on front cover

An experiment to show ..." A study of..."" An investigation into..."

• Include title on front cover & first page

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Write the abstract last!

30/10/12Slide 5

Lab reports: Introduction

(1) Introduce the area and previous research in the area

General

in the area

(2) Indicate a gap in th i hthe previous research; include why there was a need to conduct the experiment(s)

(3) Outline the purpose Specific

( ) p pand relevance of the experiments

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(4) End with the aims

Lab report: aims

3-5 bullet points

Statements of scientific intent fusing the infinitive:

• To investigate…• To analyseTo analyse…• To determine whether …

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Lab report: Introduction language

Outline the claims about statements from other research (use ‘that’) ( )

) Th th i di t th t ida) The … theory indicates that acids are…b) The … theory confirms that acids are…b) e t eo y co s t at ac ds a ea) Smith and Wilson (2009) state that …b) Smith and Wilson (2009) argue that …

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Lab report: method section

Do Do not

• Use paragraphs• De-personlise

• Use bullet points• Use I or we:• De-personlise

The acid was transferredE l i h t d

• Use I or we:• I transferred the acid

W it i t ti• Explain what was done • Give enough detail

• Write instructions

for replication• Illustrate (& write)( )

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Lab report: method language

• “…describes the process of obtaining data, rarely makes claims about other statements yand consequently has almost no ‘that’ constructions” (Swales 1990)constructions (Swales 1990).

• Verb tense: tendency to be in past tense though not always

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Lab report: methodWhat to include:What to include:

• Place, time and dateWh h li d i h d l• Whether you replicated a previous methodology

• Sample• Sampling rationale (how it was chosen)• Limitations (for example a small sample)Limitations (for example, a small sample)• Procedure

D t ll ti• Data collation• Data analysis

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Lab reports: results

St t ith ll f lt• Start with an overall summary of results (describing key findings)

• Label graphs and tables (Table 1... Diagram 2... )D ib fi d t bl ( f t th i t t)• Describe figures and tables (refer to them in your text)

• Complete sentences!• Descriptive statistics, not raw data• Describe, but do not interpret yet• Do not begin with a table/illustration

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Lab reports: results structure

(1) Start with written description of results: main findings

(2) Th i l d t bl / h t i fi di(2) Then include table/graph to summarise findings

(3) Use a locating statement(3) Use a locating statementAs can be seen in Table 1…As illustrated in Figure 2 … Table 3 shows the effects of temperature on…

(4) Highlighting statements: evident occurrences or trends(4) Highlighting statements: evident occurrences or trends

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Lab reports: discussion

• Logical interpretation of results(What do they tell you? What happened /didn’t happen? Why?)( y y pp pp y )

• Speculation• Speculation(might, could, may, should, may be deduced that, this suggests that..)

• Link results to theoretical framework. (Di lt i l ti t i h it f )(Discuss results in relation to previous research: cite references)

• Identify limitations of your experiment

• Implications for future researchers? Or generally?14

Lab reports: discussion section language

• Make claims about the research findings using ‘that – clauses’g

H it h ld b i t d t th t– However, it should be pointed out that ... – It is clear from both analyses that …– These results do suggest that this study ..– The findings do not demonstrate that ..The findings do not demonstrate that ..

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Lab reports: conclusion

Do Keep each paragraph

Do notInclude any new p p g p

to one point onlyy

information or any new aspects of results or any new interpretation

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Lab report: reference list

Alphabetical list of references

See your citation and referencing guide(in your module handbook)

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Lab report: abstracts

Just four moves to cover in an abstract:

WHY, HOW, WHAT, SO WHAT

30/10/12Slide 18

Lab report: abstractsThe basic approach

The  conclusion The basic approach and methodology, usually in one sentence

(briefly) and the broad implications of it

sentence

WHY, HOW, WHAT, SO WHAT

The main findingsThe reason behind the research being done

The main findings (results) in very few 

sentences

30/10/12Slide 19

Lab report: abstract

D D ’t!Do

• Summarise whole report in

Don’t!

• Use references• Summarise whole report in ONE paragraph

• Use references

• Refer to report structure• Should be able to stand alone

as a description of the study

p

• Include statistics

• Although at the beginning,it is last section to write • Use abbreviations

• It is not an introduction!

• Up to 200 words20

Lab reports: the language of abstracts

1. Full sentences2 Past tense2. Past tense3. Impersonal passive (“The acid was applied”)

4. Avoid negatives (not, no)

5 Avoid abbreviations symbols and any other5. Avoid abbreviations, symbols and any other language ‘shortcuts’.

(Graetz 1985 in Swales & Feak 1994)

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TaskTask 1 - From which section of a lab report has this paragraph been taken?2- How would you rewrite the passage below more formally

There are 2000 different types of salmonella and theThere are 2000 different types of salmonella, and the occurrence of these different types of salmonella differ from one place to another. For example, in the States all outbreaks of food poisoning are caused by Salmonellaoutbreaks of food poisoning are caused by Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis. But there are other species of Salmonella , which as we know always

t h id f A h i f d bcauses typhoid fever. A much more serious food-borne illness. Kids and old people are at high risk of loosing more water than they can drink - dehydration can get y y greally serious though. We can go into shock and the food poisoning period can cause us to die (Dr Catherine Sayers 2009). Saye s 009)

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A suggested re-write:

• There’re 2000 different types of salmonella, and the occurrence of these different types of salmonella differ from one place to another In thedifferent types of salmonella differ from one place to another. In the States all outbreaks of food poisoning are caused by Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis. But there are other species of Salmonella , which as we know always causes typhoid fever. A much , y ypmore serious food-borne illness. Kids and old people are at high risk of loosing more water than they can drink - dehydration can get really serious though. We can go into shock and the food poisoning period can cause us to die (Dr Catherine Sayers 2009)cause us to die (Dr Catherine Sayers 2009).

• There are more than 2000 strains of salmonella and the occurrence of different types of salmonella differs from one place to another Fordifferent types of salmonella differs from one place to another. For example, in the US most outbreaks of food poisoning are caused by Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis. However, there are also other species of Salmonella such as Salmonella typhi, which is the p yp ,causal agent of typhoid fever, a much more serious food-borne illness. (Sayers 2009). The very young and the elderly are at high risk of losing more water than they can take in; thus, dehydration can become very serious The body can then go into shock and the food poisoningserious. The body can then go into shock and the food poisoning episode can be fatal (Sayers 2009).

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Lab report: layout

• Arial 11 or 12 points• 1 5 line spacing1.5 line spacing• Print on A4• 1500-2000 words

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DON’T FORGET EAGLE EYEEAGLE-EYE EDITING!EDITING!

I’ve broken the code!I ve broken the code! I can write a lab report!