Reading Scientific and Technical Papers
Assignment 7: Classic Paper
The purpose of this activity is to analyze an original and notable piece of science as reported in a scientific research journal using the following summary technique.
- The word "original" means that the concepts presented should be those of the author and not a summary or restatement of another scientist's work.
- A piece of science that is "notable" is one that is now so generally regarded as correct by the scientific establishment that is an indispensable part of contemporary scientific thought.
- By "piece of science" I mean an article, essay, paper, or report.
- By "scientific research journal" I mean a professional scientific, technical, engineering, or mathematical journal (Science, Nature, JAMA, PNAS, Annalen der Physik, etc.). Short, original pamphlets are also OK if that was how the author communicated with the public. No general interest science or technology magazines (Scientific American, New Scientist, Discover, Wired, Popular Science, etc.); no newspaper reports (New York Times, etc.); and no general interest magazines (Time, Newsweek, etc.). Non professional journals, magazines, newspapers, television shows, and movies can always be used for inspiration, however.
Some examples: There is at least one original and notable paper associated with each of the following scientific theories …
| |
| Biology |
Chemistry |
Earth/Space Science |
Physics |
| Blood pressure |
Alpha helix & beta sheet |
Continental drift |
Charge of the electron |
| Germ theory of disease |
Discovery of the neutron |
Greenhouse effect |
Superconductivity |
| Miller-Urey experiment |
Electron spin |
Alvarez hypothesis |
X-ray diffraction |
| Structure of DNA |
Rutherford model |
Cosmic expansion |
Davisson-Germer experiment |
| |
Some additional bits of information.
- Any paper discussed extensively in class is off limits for this assignment (Rutherford's model of the atom, Watson and Crick's structure of DNA, Hubble's cosmic expansion), Follow up papers are OK if they have some historical significance.
- Since your analysis must be written according to the format described here, you should try to select a paper that can be analyzed easily using this method. Look for papers that take observations of events or objects and transform them into new scientific knowledge. Avoid purely theoretical speculation.
- Important scientific papers are sometimes considered "too short" by high school students. Don't let a page count be your guide. Consider the substance of the paper, not the amount of text.
- Try to find something interesting. What do you like about science? What field of science would you like to work in? What field of science are you currently working in? Don't select a paper that you are confused by or find boring. If you aren't interested in science, then perhaps you should consider enrolling in a different elective course next semester.
- One student per paper. Select a paper and then send an email to your supervising teacher with the bibliographic information and the url. Put SD5R HW6 in the subject line. If someone else has already laid claim to it, then you must find another.
- Make a hard copy of the paper after it has been approved. Write notes and comments on it to help you and your supervising teacher understand it.
Due dates will be announced when I get around to it. Keep an eye out for the dates to …
- Identify a paper …
- Write a rough draft …
- Submit the finished product …
Method for Analyzing a Scientific Paper
Write a series of sentences, appropriately grouped into paragraphs, that address the following questions in this exact order …
- What events or objects were studied?
- What records were made of these of events/objects?
- What facts were extracted from these measurements? (How were the records turned into data for later analysis?)
- What transformations were the data put through? (How were the data ordered, classified, or otherwise "cleaned up"?)
- What results were obtained from the data? (In what form was the transformed data represented — tables, charts, graphs, cartoons, etc?)
- What interpretations, explanations, generalizations were made from the results?
- What knowledge claims is the author making? (What new knowledge has the author discovered or generated?)
- What value claims did the author make or did the author's discovery acquire? (Why is this paper important today?)
When you submit the analysis for grading, please observe the following conventions …
- Use one inch margins on all four sides.
- Use only 12 point business fonts for body text.
- Double-space body text paragraphs. Indent the first line of or add space before each paragraph.
- Type the bibliographic information for the paper at the top in APA format. (These lines can be single spaced.)
- Limit the analysis to one page. If you need more than one page for the analysis, then you are probably not doing this assignment correctly.
- Provide an electronic or hard copy of the paper to your supervising teacher according to his/her preference.
- Use only one staple if you need to staple.
- Don't forget to include your name.
