Scientific writing advice - Revision history

Peter Turchin: /* Common Mistakes */

2012-09-07T14:58:57Z

Common Mistakes

Peter Turchin at 13:50, 7 September 2012

2012-09-07T13:50:29Z

Elizabeth Jockusch: /* Scientific Style */

2012-02-14T05:28:35Z

Scientific Style

Elizabeth Jockusch: /* Scientific Names */

2012-02-14T05:23:58Z

Scientific Names

Elizabeth Jockusch at 05:15, 14 February 2012

2012-02-14T05:15:33Z

Elizabeth Jockusch: /* Common Mistakes */

2012-02-14T05:12:11Z

Common Mistakes

Elizabeth Jockusch: /* Scientific Style */

2012-02-14T05:11:34Z

Scientific Style

Elizabeth Jockusch: /* Scientific Style */

2012-02-14T05:06:17Z

Scientific Style

Elizabeth Jockusch: /* Common Mistakes */

2012-02-14T04:53:16Z

Common Mistakes

ElizabethJockusch: /* Scientific Style */

2012-01-19T16:07:59Z

Scientific Style

@@ Line 48: / Line 48: @@
 *There is no such word as "specie."  Species is used as the singular and plural.
 <br/><br/>
-[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/EEB2245W_Spring_2012 Return to main EEB 2245W page]
+[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/EEB2244W_Fall_2012:_Prof._Turchin#Checklist Return to main EEB 2244W page]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/EEB2245W_Spring_2012 Return to main EEB 2245W page]
 ==Scientific Style==
 Your paper is an exercise in '''formal scientific communication''', and as such, should conform to certain conventions and patterns of word use typically followed in this type of writing.

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 Appropriate would be: Jockusch and Nobody (2001) investigated how birds use their sense of smell.
-'''State the authors' findings in past tense''': Jockusch and Nobody (2001) reported a general increase in researcher preferences for smelly birds.
+'''State the authors' findings in past tense''': Jockusch and Nobody (2001) reported that prey are detected by smell.
 '''Avoid “touchy-feely” writing''' that relies on personal experience or feelings. Your papers should not contain the phrase "I feel that X". The important question is what you think and what you can support. (In many cases, "I feel that X" can be appropriately replaced by "I think that X" in scientific writing).  In some areas of science, first person constructions are not used at all.
@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 Do not use '''contractions'''.
 <br/><br/>
 ==Quotation==
 '''Avoid quotations''': In scientific writing, you should paraphrase what the authors say, not quote it. Quoting is appropriate only when the original phrasing is particularly memorable. Unlike in some fields, where support for a claim comes from citing statements made by authorities, in science the primary support comes from presentation of the authors' data, not of their words.  As you will see when reading the scientific literature, most papers contain [[no direct quotes]].  Remember that you still must use citations to give credit for the ideas, even when you are explaining them in your own words.

@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
             Chordata, Insecta, Pongidae, Plethodontidae, Scincidae
-*Many taxonomic category names are also used informally (with different endings), in which case they are not capitalized.  For example, the formal scientific name Plethodontidae (which identifies a family a salamanders) is capitalized, but the adjective derived from it (plethodontid) is not.
+*Adjectives can be formed from the names of higher taxa. These are not capitalized.  For example, the formal scientific name Plethodontidae (which identifies a family a salamanders) is capitalized, but the adjective derived from it (plethodontid) is not.  These derived forms can also used in place of the formal taxon names in some cases.
            Not everyone is as fond of plethodontid salamanders as Dr. Jockusch is.<br/>
-*'''Common names''' should generally be capitalized
+          Newly discovered pongid fossils change our understanding of primate evolution.  These fossil pongids were found in Indonesia.
            Turkey Vulture
 <br/>
 ==Common Mistakes==
 *The word “data” is the plural of “datum”. Therefore, it is correct to say that “the data show...” not “the data shows...”.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/EEB2245W_Spring_2012 Return to main EEB 2245W page]
 ==Scientific Names==
 Special formatting rules apply to scientific names
@@ Line 21: / Line 40: @@
 *'''Common names''' should generally be capitalized
            Turkey Vulture
+<br/>
-−
-==Scientific Style==
-Your paper is an exercise in '''formal scientific communication''', and as such, should conform to certain conventions and patterns of word use typically followed in this type of writing.
-−
-'''Scientific Writing'''. In general, discuss ideas, not “papers" or “articles”. Do not talk about the “assignment”. Avoid a book report style. Write for a professional audience.
-−
-For example, do NOT begin with a long-winded introduction:  Dr. Elizabeth Jockusch and Dr. Ima Nobody of the University of Connecticut published the following paper in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology: “The role of olfaction in passerine birds.”
-−
-Appropriate would be: Jockusch and Nobody (2001) investigated how birds use their sense of smell.
-−
-'''State the authors' findings in past tense''': Jockusch and Nobody (2001) reported a general increase in researcher preferences for smelly birds.
-−
-'''Avoid “touchy-feely” writing''' that relies on personal experience or feelings. Your papers should not contain the phrase "I feel that X". The important question is what you think and what you can support. (In many cases, "I feel that X" can be appropriately replaced by "I think that X" in scientific writing).  Note that in some areas of science, first person constructions are not used at all.
-−
-See [http://www.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/General_rules_for_citing_sources_in_scientific_writing '''this web page'''] for information about citation practices in scientific writing.
-−
-Do not use '''contractions'''.
-−
-==Quotation==
-'''Avoid quotations''': In scientific writing, you should paraphrase what the authors say, not quote it. Quoting is appropriate only when the original phrasing is particularly memorable. Unlike in some fields, where support for a claim comes from citing statements made by authorities, in science the primary support comes from presentation of the authors' data, not of their words.  As you will see when reading the scientific literature, most papers contain [[no direct quotes]].  Remember that you still must use citations to give credit for the ideas, even when you are explaining them in your own words.
-−
 ==Common Mistakes==
 *The word “data” is the plural of “datum”. Therefore, it is correct to say that “the data show...” not “the data shows...”.

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:06, 14 February 2012
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	You can download a short, humorous '''example''' of scientific writing a citation [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/SchwenkCitationPrimer5_08.pdf '''HERE.''']		You can download a short, humorous '''example''' of scientific writing a citation [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/SchwenkCitationPrimer5_08.pdf '''HERE.''']
		+
		+	Do not use '''contractions'''.

	==Quotation==		==Quotation==