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Format
of a Scientific Paper
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Introduction
What
is this research about? What question are you trying to answer, and what
is your hypothesis? (Make an "educated guess" as to how you
think your research will answer your question.)
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An
example of a published Bald Eagle research paper
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The introduction
also summarizes the present state of knowledge about the topic you
are exploring. (As part of this summary, you must mention where you
got this information and cite the author in the "Literature Cited" section
below.) Discuss how your work will advance this knowledge.
Methods
How
was this research conducted? What tools were used? What steps were
followed? When did the research start and end? Where did it take place?
How many different times was it conducted?
Results
What data were collected to help answer your research questions? (Give real
data so your readers can see upon what information you are basing your conclusions.
What assumptions were made? Other scientists may draw their own conclusions
based on the same data, and challenge your interpretation. This is
why you must include the original data.)
Discussion
What do you think the data mean? What do the data suggest?
How do you interpret the results? If you think the results can be interpreted
in several ways, discuss the different ways. If there are limits to what can
be concluded, be sure to explain what the limits are and why.
Summary
What
are your conclusions? What did you learn from your results? Provide
a short, concise summary of the research findings.
Note: If you can't draw firm conclusions based on the data collected, this
is the place to say so. Scientists often conclude that more research is needed!
Acknowlegments
Who
helped you with this research?
Literature Cited
Beyond your own observations and knowledge, where did you get other information
contained in this report? Scientists always list research conducted by other
scientists here. They cite the scientific papers from which they drew facts
that were used in this report. This way, other scientists know you're basing
some of your assumptions on the conclusions other scientists have made. They
know who is responsible for collecting the previous information.
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