It was just last weekend that I wrote my very first lab report. It was based on a lab I conducted in Biology 108. I spent the entire day Saturday reading over the lab / results and analyzing the data. It was even very frustrating trying to figure out where to start.
Kaustavs' presentation in ALES204 offered some great pointers for next time. It is a good idea to begin writing the materials and procedures section first. This way you get something down on the paper, and you will begin to make connections between the experiment and the results. When writing out the procedure, it is imperative to be thorough and clear so that the reader could re-create the experiment if they wanted. Next it is best to write out the results section. This section of a paper is often quite straightforward and requires no actual analysis of the data. This section often includes your tables and figures based on raw data. Remember, tables and figures need captions to explain the information they display, although analysis of the data should be saved for the discussion section. Once you have written these two sections, it is time to start the introduction and discussion sections.
I would also like to point out the importance of the editing process in a scientific paper. It is very important that you present your information in a way that is easily readable to the appropriate audience. Small mistakes with spelling and grammar can be the difference between getting a paper published or not! You also need to make sure all of the sentences you write make sense. Have a few people read over your work, it is a good idea to have multiple viewpoints on your paper before submitting a final draft. A thorough editing process is the only way to improve your paper to its full potential!
My advice is start the paper as early as possible to ensure you have enough time to properly edit your work. It is also important to take breaks while you are working on these tough assignments, take time to appreciate what is going on around you. For example this red Oak (Quercus rubra) I found on campus. These don't grown in Calgary and I have never seen one before.
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| From D. S. Ellerys' personal collection (2011) |
It was quite unfortunate that this lecture did not happen just two weeks earlier! Anyways, I am sure it will not be the last scientific article or lab report that I write in my university career.
For more information on writing scientific journals check out this site
I would also like to point out the blog of a fellow classmate Cassandra Mckenzie. She is involved in the CSL program in our class and volunteering her time with Sustain SU. This is a very great organization to have on campus that many fellow ALES students may be interested in. You can check her blog out here
Thank you for reading!
