Guidelines for Final Paper
There are many kinds of scientific articles. Research articles report on one particular research project. Communications report very briefly on important work and are typically followed later by full-length research papers. Review articles cover a body of research done by several (or many) people over a period of time.
The format for your paper should be that of a Review article based on the specific topic that you covered in your presentation, whether this was an article selected from the literature or a presentation of your undergraduate research work. You should make reference to several additional recent articles on the topic in your paper, even though your presentation focused on only one paper (or research project). For examples of Review articles, look at Chemical Reviews or any of a number of publications whose titles begin Current Opinion in …. (e.g., Current Opinion in Chemical Biology).
One approach to writing your paper is to refer to the Introduction and Discussion sections of the article that you presented. These will usually summarize the general topic and provide some additional useful references for you to consult. Below is an outline of the structure that you should use for your paper.
Your paper format
- a Title Page
- Introduction: Introduce the research problem. Discuss context and significance. Some background information may be appropriate. Use tables and figures as necessary
- Methods: Outline methods used to do research on the problem. Be general. Do not specify fine details such as quantities of reagents used in particular experiments. Convey the basic kind of experimental approaches used. (Note: Be sure that you understand the methods for your presentation, because your professors like to ask questions about them during your talks)
- Discussion: Summarize the important results and conclusions from the body of research. Interpret significance. Critique where appropriate. Use tables and figures where necessary. Especially if you are explaining data that is presented in the paper.
- a Reference section
Your first draft paper should be 6-10 pages long, double-spaced, using 12-point Times New Roman font, with standard margins (1 inch top, bottom, and sides). This does not include any tables, figures and references, which will increase the length of the paper. You may place figures and tables within the body of text, but the total text length should conform to these guidelines.
