Writing a good science paper is hard, but we’re here to
help. We’re going to show you the structure of a good science paper along with
some pointers that you need to keep in mind.
The Structure of a Good Science Paper
The structure of a science paper is as follow:
.
* Introduction
.
What was the problem you’re trying to solve? Use the
introduction to establish the context of your work and explain its importance. Present
the purpose of the study in the form of questions and hypothesis. Also, explain
the things you know and didn’t know prior to the study and how the study is
expected to improve your knowledge on the topic.
.
* Materials and
methods
.
How did you solve the problem and what materials did you
need to it? Include all the relevant information related to the object(s) being
studied then describe how you carried out the study. Organize your sentences so
the readers understand the logical flow of your study method.
.
* Results
What did you find out?
Present your key findings objectively whether they’re positive or
negative. Remember that your job is to present the findings only. Reserve any
interpretation for the next section.
.
To help convey your results as clearly as possible, use a
combination of text, tables, and figures. Just make sure that each table and
figure is presenting different data.
.
* Discussion
What does it all mean? Now is the time to interpret your key
findings you’ve just described in the result section. Answer the questions and
hypothesis you presented earlier in the introduction.
.
Always connect your key findings with what others have found
by explaining any similarities and/or differences. Referencing other people’s
work also helps in interpreting your results.
.
At the end of the discussion, draw a conclusion based on
your interpretations. Remember that your conclusions must be drawn from the data
presented in the result section. Never introduce new results in the discussion
section.
Some Pointers to Help You Write a Good Science Paper
Now that we’ve got the structure taken care of, let’s
discuss some pointers that can help you write a good science paper.
.
* Use the past tense
Since your work is done, using the past tense throughout the
paper is the correct approach.
.
* Use active voice
.
Occasionally, you can’t help but use the passive voice,
especially when describing the result. Still, whenever possible, use active
voice as much as you can.
.
* Limit to one message
per paragraph
.
Each paragraph must cover only one topic. Most of the time,
you present the main idea in the first sentence then use the following
sentences to elaborate on the idea.
.
* User short
sentences
.
Short sentences are easy to read and understand. You’ll get
your point across easier that way.
.
* Avoid redundancy
.
Don’t repeat what you say just to state its significance.
.
* Go for quantitative
over qualitative
.
Instead of saying “Seeds
in group B germinated faster than
the seeds control group did” say “Seeds
in group B germinated 5 hours earlier than
the seeds in the control group did.”
.
* Proofread your work
.
Read the paper aloud or have your colleague do
it to find flaws and grammatical errors in your paper. You can also rely on
tools such as an online spelling
and grammar checker if you’re not confident about your grammar.
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