First Paper Format October 12, 2006

Alright guys, here is the format that I want to follow for the first paper that is due on October 26. First of all, you need to come up with a topic that we covered and experimented on during the October 5th lab. (Run the topic by either Dr. Stark or me before you get started). I want everyone to follow the scientific paper format.

-The title of your paper and your name on a cover sheet.
Make it short and descriptive.

-The abstract
This should include an introduction into your topic along with a brief history of the problem. Also, you need to include a short summary of the methods, results, and conclusions of your paper. Also, don't forget that every good paper has a null (independent) and an alternative (dependent) hypothesis. Just state them both and say which one you think is going to happen.

-Materials/Methods
You need to go in depth of how you ran the experiment, what materials you used, and how you calculated your data. You need to include the fact that you used Labscribe. Do not go into full detail on methods, but you can copy and paste the procedure (making sure to cite properly) or you can summarize the procedure. Write this as if I have never done the experiment and this is a guide as to how I would duplicate what you have done.

-Results
Put your results into words. A sure deduction in points is saying what your results mean. You need to state, in sentences, what the results are. Here, you are also required to have either a graph from your lab, an ECG printout, or an electrical axis as a minimum of figures.

-Discussion
Here you summarize your results that helps support your conclusions. You need to explain why you got the results that you obtained. Basically state your results and explain them. Here you also need to find sources of error (i.e. Some human errors, filters, etc.).

****MAKE SURE YOU CITE SOURCES****

I am not going to put a minimum limit on the paper. I am a clear, concise writer and have been penalized in the past for being too short. I think this is ridiculous. If you can write a shorter piece that has all of the same data, good for you. Make sure that every sentence is relevant. Do not try to put irrelevant facts in your paper just to make it longer or sound more intelligent. If you have any questions just ask me.

Email: coxdp@slu.edu
Cell: 314-479-0484






This page was last updated 10/13/06

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