3. Unit: scientific report preparation and presentation. Academic argument

1. Conventions in scientific report writing

gracemagazine.files.wordpress.com

Problem based task

Conventions in scientific report writing

Introduction

Reports represent the main part of any conference. The objectives of any report are to represent results of a research, to convince colleagues of the truth of the findings and provide the possibility to reproduce the experiment with similar results. A scientific report is to be written according to the rules adopted by academic circles all over the world. These rules are intended for providing precision, clarity, and objectivity of a scientific report.

Task

To find out what the conventions in scientific report writing are:

Guidelines to the quest

1. Look through the sites recommended and try to find new Internet sites representing the information concerning the problem under consideration.

2. Acquaint yourself with the information to answer the following questions:

1. What is the main purpose of a scientific report?

2. What is scientific report formalization?

3. How is it reflected in the scientific repot structure?

4. What sections should a scientific report consist of?

5. Describe each section according to the following plan:

• section purpose;

• section size;

• section structure;

• section writing tips.

6. What is statistic and how is it used in scientific reports?

7. Suggest ways of a scientific report evaluation.

3. Recommend the best sites you have found to your group mates in the form of e-mail, describing their advantages and drawbacks.

4. Submit the results of the work for your teacher consideration in written form.

5. Give an oral presentation upon the subject, listen to feedback of your group mates, and answer their questions.

6. Look through the texts of two scientific reports, evaluate them, and determine if they are in keeping with the main contentions of scientific reports writing.

Recommended sites:

http:// unilearning.uow.edu.au/report/rep_scientific.html

http://www.unc.edu.depts/wcweb

http://www.jcu.edu.au/studying/services/studyskills/scientific/reports.html

Present the results of your homework in class.

• Discuss the web sites you look through, their advantages and drawbacks.

• Tell about the conventions of a scientific reports writing.

• Describe the parts of a scientific report and get feedback from your group mates and teacher.

• Tell about the ways of statistics use in scientific reports.

• Work out the principles of a scientific report evaluation (students should prepare different criteria).

2. Evaluation of a scientific report

www.quotations.com

1. Represent your own set of criteria for scientific report evaluation. What is the basis of the set?

2. What criteria are used in the following table of scientific report evaluation? Are they the criteria of conformity? Can we use the table for evaluation of an exemplary report?

Title of Report __________________________________

Authors' names: __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Introduction	Does not give any information about what to expect in the report.	Gives verylittle information.	Gives too much information--more like a summary.	Presents a concise lead-in to the report.
Research	Does not answer any questions suggested in the template.	Answers some questions.	Answers some questions and includes a few other interesting facts.	Answers most questions and includes many other interesting facts.
Purpose/Problem	Does not address an issue related to tidepools.	Addresses a tidepool issue which is unrelated to research.	Addresses an issue somewhat related to research.	Addresses a real issue directly related to research findings.
Procedure	Not sequential, most steps are missing or are confusing.	Some of the steps are understandable; most are confusing and lack detail.	Most of the steps are understandable; some lack detail or are confusing.	Presents easy-to-follow steps which are logical and adequately detailed.
Data & Results	Data table and/or graph missing information and are inaccurate.	Both complete, minor inaccuracies and/or illegible characters.	Both accurate, some ill-formed characters.	Data table and graph neatly completed and totally accurate.
Conclusion	Presents an illogical explanation for findings and does not address any of the questions suggested in the template.	Presents an illogical explanation for findings and addresses few questions.	Presents a logical explanation for findings and addresses some of the questions.	Presents a logical explanation for findings and addresses most of the questions.
				Total

3. Discuss the criteria suggested by your group mates.

4. Work out general set of evaluation criteria.

5. Read the text of a scientific report Rapid Communication Shyness, Internet Use, and Personality (by Susan Ebeling-Witte, B.A., Michael L. Frank, Ph.D., and David Lester, Ph.D) and evaluate its conformity with the report writing conventions. Compare it with the text The Effect of Nickel, Chromium, and Primary Alpha Phase on the Creep Behaviour of Ti 6242Si by (by K.E. Thiensen, M.E. Kassner, J. Pollard, D.R. Hiatt, and B.M. Bristow) which is an exemplary scientific report. Tell about the similarities and differences.

6. Evaluate the text according to the criteria worked out.

CYBERPSYCHOLOGY & BEHAVIOR Volume 10, Number 5, 2007 © Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. DOI: 10.1089/cpb.2007.9964

Rapid Communication Shyness, Internet Use, and Personality

SUSAN EBELING-WITTE, B.A., MICHAEL L. FRANK, Ph.D., and DAVID LESTER, Ph.D.