The Unconventional: Running a Marathon in Sandals vs. Writing a Research Paper: A Surprising Connection

Science research paper: When you discover a cure for the common hangnail, perhaps you’ll publish your?triumph in a scientific journal. Science research papers report the results of original experiments. You generally hand lab reports to a teacher, but you may submit?your science research paper to a journal for review by other scientists and, hopefully, publication. Both lab reports and research papers have some of the?same elements, but their styles are quite different.?Lab reports resemble recipes; they get the information across in lists, charts, and?short statements. Science research papers read like a story. The sentences are?longer and more complex, as are the paragraphs.?

Content?

Science research papers include these sections:?

1. Title — tells what the experiment tested?
2. Abstract — the entire paper summarized in 250 words or less?
3. Introduction — explains the background, describes previous research by?other scientists, and proposes a hypothesis to be tested.
4. Methods and materials — how you performed the experiment?
5. Results — concise presentation of data, including tables and graphs as appropriate?
6. Discussion — whether or not the data supported the hypothesis, comparison of your results to the outcome of other experiments, your interpretation?of the implications of the data?

Format?

Science research papers follow a specific format:?

• Often written in passive voice (the antibiotic was administered) instead of?active (I administered the antibiotic)?
• Experiments are always described in past tense?
• Typed?
• Each journal has little style quirks of its own (check the publication/authors guidelines)?
• Dates in citations emphasized?
• Information is presented in paragraphs, not in lists, and reads like a?narrative.

Climbing the Steps to Successful Research Papers?

You can’t climb to the top of the Burj Khalifa with one tremendous?stride. Nor can you make the move from “I have to write a paper” to “Here it?is; now leave me alone” in one leap. You need steps! (Okay, the metaphor is?corny, and I know at least one person out there mentioned “elevator.” But give?me a break! The basic idea is valid.) Here’s the lowdown on the steps in writing most types of research papers the exception being original scientific research papers and laboratory reports, which are out there in their own separate universe.

1. Decide what to write about. The Authority Figure may decide for you, but if?you are given the opportunity to choose a topic, you need to do some preliminary sniffing around in a library, or on the Internet or You can ask me to put up an article or a post "How to search for Research/Review Papers?". You can come up with a subject?that interests you (or at least one that won’t send you screaming into the?night) and then narrow that subject down into a topic.?(You can "undo" it, get it? Right corny, Again. Well, Moving On)

2. Conduct a survey of sources. What’s out there?

Curious?

You better be!

As a science student/enthusiast you should always ask questions, but not the ones which get you out of your classes.

Hey then don't blame it on me, I meant to yourself.

Asking and Answering the 5 W's and H Questions · Who was involved? · What happened? · When did it happen? · Where did it happen? · Why did it happen? · How did it happen? You need to search a bit?more thoroughly now, checking libraries and electronic media, until you?have a sense of what’s available. Then you can narrow your source list from?everything ever said about the topic to stuff that looks as if it might be useful?and available.

3. Take notes, round one. Now you actually have the sources in hand (or?accessible via computer). You start reading and taking notes, keeping ultracareful records so that you always know what piece of information came?from where.

4. Create a thesis statement or topic sentence. At some point, the stuff?you’re writing down should start to make sense. Now, you are ready to create a thesis statement. A thesis statement is the heart of?your paper the idea that you are trying to prove. If the paper is a survey?and not trying to prove anything, you can create a topic sentence the?main idea that you are writing about.?

5. Take notes, round two. Now that you know what you’re proving or what?you’re surveying, your note taking becomes more focused. You may decide?to go back to some sources or to reinstate a couple of sources that you initially thought were worthless. You want to gather enough information to?prove your thesis.?

6. Prepare to write. At this stage you construct a battle plan. You reread your notes and sort them into subtopics. You outline the paper.

7. Write, round one. Fortified with caffeine and the thought that at some?point you may actually finish the project, you create a rough draft of the?paper. (Don't give up, Thor!. Yeah, not the Indian Spiderwoman,sadly.)

8. Write, round two. You go back and "marvel" at the fluency of your writing?and the brilliance of your ideas. Then you get realistic and clean up the?grammar, correct the citations, and add the important ideas that you forgot?the first time through. You cross out irrelevant information and polish the?prose. (For this section, I posted an article before regarding the tools you need to win this war!.)

9. Place the finishing touches. You create a title page or heading, a table of?contents, and a table of illustrations (if necessary). You add a list of sources. You make a copy for posterity (actually, in case your Authority Figure loses?the paper). You staple the whole thing or put it in a binder. You hand it in?and, carefree at last, go bowling/pooling/swimming, I mean you need to cool down at some point, right?.

Ref. Link: https://www.dummies.com/article/academics-the-arts/language-language-arts/writing/research-papers-for-dummies-cheat-sheet-209129/

?? Remember, writing a research paper is like running a marathon in sandals. It requires patience, perseverance, and a well-structured approach. So lace up your academic shoes, dive into the realm of knowledge, and let your ideas shine through your research paper! ???? The world needs your fresh perspectives and groundbreaking contributions! ????

Feel free to reach out if you need further guidance or support. Best of luck

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