FRHS Guide to Writing the Scientific Paper 2014-2015.docx -...

Guide to Writing the Scientific Paper
Adapted from document found at
Overview
When you write about scientific topics to specialists in that field of science, we call that
scientific writing. (When you write to non-specialists about scientific topics, we call that
science writing.)
The scientific paper has developed over the past three centuries into a tool to communicate
the results of scientific inquiry. The main audience for scientific papers is extremely
specialized. The purpose of these papers is twofold: to present information so that it is easy
to retrieve, and to present enough information that the reader can duplicate the scientific
study. A standard format with nine main parts helps readers to find expected information and
analysis:
 Title--subject and what aspect of the subject was studied.
 Abstract--summary of paper: The main reason for the study, the primary results, the
main conclusions
 Introduction-- why the study was undertaken
 Methods and Materials-- how the study was undertaken
 Results-- what was found
 Discussion-- why these results could be significant (what the reasons might be for the
patterns found or not found)
 Conclusion
 Citations
 Questions
Your scientific paper should be typed, double-spaced on standard-sized paper (8.5" x 11") with 1" margins on
all sides. You should use a clear font that is highly readable. APA recommends using 12 pt. Times New Roman
font.
There are many ways to approach the writing of a scientific paper, and no one way is right.
Many people, however, find that drafting chunks in this order works best: Results,
Discussion, Introduction, Conclusion, Materials & Methods, Abstract, and, finally, Title.
Title
The title will cue the reader into the details of the research, therefore it is the last piece of the Scientific Paper to be
written. The title is very limited and specific. It is a concise summary of the article’s main focus. Refer to the examples
below:
• "Renal disease susceptibility and hypertension are under independent genetic control in the fawn hooded rat"
• "Territory size in Lincoln's Sparrows (Melospiza lincolnii)"
• "Replacement of deciduous first premolars and dental eruption in archaeocete whales"
• "The Radio-Frequency Single-Electron Transistor (RF-SET): A Fast and Ultrasensitive Electrometer"

Abstract
This is a summary of your scientific paper, therefore it is the last section to be written .
Generally between 50-100 words, it should state the goals, results, and the main conclusions
of your study. You should list the parameters of your study (when and where was it
conducted, if applicable; your sample size; the specific species, proteins, genes, etc.,