Chapter 33 Strategies for Writing
The first few times that you write for a scientific audience, you may not know how or where to start. That’s okay; there is more than one way to approach the task. We suggest using one of these two general approaches to writing until you find a strategy of your own. The basic steps are the same, just arranged in a different order. Both will get you to the same end point.
33.1 Option 1: Writing to an Outline
We mentioned before that the Step by Step Guide to Experimental Design can be used as an outline for writing your report. This is a good strategy to use if you like to work through a writing assignment in order, and do not like to skip around. Write responses to each of the questions as short phrases or bulleted points. These will be the rough draft that you go back and revise.
For the Introduction
- Summarize your background information and observations. Ask yourself:
- What ESSENTIAL background information do others need to know to understand my study?
- What have other scientists learned that is relevant to answering my question? What is my source for that information? Is it cited properly?
- Describe the specific biological question you want to try to answer. State your question in the form of a biological hypothesis.
For the Methods
Describe the experimental setup you used.
- How were the control and treatment groups manipulated?
- How did you collect measurements?
- What controls and replicates did you have?
Describe which variables are relevant to the question you are asking, and which ones are your dependent and independent variables.
Describe the statistical tests you use to analyze the data. Use the variables to state your the question in the form of a statistical null hypothesis and alternate hypothesis.
For the Results
Organize your summary results into tables and figures.
BRIEFLY summarize your results, but do not interpret them yet. Refer to your tables and figures, and number them in the order they first appear.
Report the results of the statistical tests comparing control and test groups.
For the Discussion
State whether or not you rejected or failed to reject your statistical null hypothesis.
Explain what your summarized and analyzed data are telling you. Refer back to the tables and figures as needed.
- Don’t just look at the outcome of the statistical test(s) and blindly assign a conclusion to your work.
- Interpret the results in light of your original hypothesis.
Talk about how your results fit into a bigger picture.
- If you use the work of other scientists, be sure to provide a citation for the source.
33.2 Option 2: Writing From the Middle
Here your strategy is to write your report in 3 separate 1/2- to 1-page segments For each segment you start by writing or creating the main concepts, or creating the main graph or figure. Then you write the parts that led up to it. You can write the 3 segments in any order, but it is better if you complete a rough draft of one segment before starting another.
This is a good strategy to use when you are not completely sure what readers need to know to interpret your results. You can write the middle segment first, and use that to decide what to include in the front and back segments. Once you have the 3 segments written, you add text to connect them.
Start With the Methods and Results Sections
Organize your summary results into tables and figures. These are the centerpiece of the middle segment.
BRIEFLY summarize your results, but do not interpret them yet. Refer to your tables and figures, and number them in the order they first appear.
Now describe the experimental setup you used to obtain the results.
- How were the control and treatment groups manipulated?
- How did you collect measurements?
- What controls and replicates did you have?
- Describe which variables are relevant to the question you are asking, and which ones are your dependent and independent variables.
Describe the statistical tests you used to analyze the data. Use the variables to state your the question in the form of a statistical null hypothesis and alternate hypothesis.
Summarize the results of the statistical tests comparing control and test groups. Write the results out in the reporting format described on the statistics pages.
Next Write the Introduction
Start by summarizing your central question question, and your testable hypothesis. These are the centerpiece of the front segment.
What prior observations that you or others made led you to that hypothesis? Put that information before your hypothesis statement.
Now, what background information does someone need to know to see why the hypothesis you want to test is important? Put that information before your prior observations.
Write the Discussion Last
Explain what your summarized and analyzed data are telling you. Refer back to the tables and figures as needed. This summary is the centerpiece of the back segment.
- Don’t just look at the outcome of the statistical test(s) and blindly assign a conclusion to your work.
- Interpret the results in light of your original hypothesis.
State whether or not you rejected or failed to reject your statistical null hypothesis. Put that information before your explanation in Step 9.
Talk about how your results fit into a bigger picture. Put this information after the part you wrote in Step 9.
- If you use the work of other scientists, be sure to provide citations for the sources.