Check List for Preparing Independent Project Paper

Title:

• includes scientific name of species studied
• includes factors manipulated
• includes parameters measured

Introduction:

• introduction begins with a general question or problem and develops rationale from evidence in the primary literature for the current study.
• background cited leads to purpose of study and is well integrated into text
• citations appropriately used
• focus of study clearly stated - quest/hypoth or expectations

Methods:

• organized in blocks: organism, design rationale, methodologies, and statistics
• briefly states purpose of experiment
• sufficient detail in a condensed format given for knowledgeable person to replicate study (include vendors and name brands of special equipment used)
• experimental design - treatments - rationale - sample size - control
• data collected/exceptions
• statistics used

Results:

• text clearly summarizes trends and relationships rather than a listing (most often the sequence in which you acquired the data is not the sequence you will directly report in your paper)
• topic sentences used to orient reader
• qualitative (descriptive) results are presented (where applicable)
• experimental groups are compared to controls and quantitative data provided
• nature of significant interactions explained (where applicable)
• statistical results appropriately presented
• emphasis is on biological results, not statistical tests
• figures/tables cited in text

Figures/Tables

• captions of tables and figures describe contents and conditions
• units of measure given for each column/axis
• labels - column/axis
• standard error or 95% CI, sample size
• statistical results - include test name and p value.

 Discussion:

•  relates results to original quest/hypoth
• provides interpretation of results and explains how they fit into our current body of knowledge
• points out contradictions and suggest reasons for them
• uses evidence from the primary literature to explain results
• considers the most problematic experimental design problems, omissions, or errors that might have resulted in unexpected results or would improve reliability.
• suggests future studies stemming from significant results or lack of results.

Acknowledgments:Be explicit about who did what.

References:

• primary literature, avoid use of secondary sources such as media and the web.
• correct form
• includes only cited papers
• all cited papers included

Appendix: contains computer printouts of raw data and analysis