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BIOL 354 - Principles of Ecology (Taniguchi)

This guide will help you find the resources you need for your BIOL 354: Ecology Lab Research Paper

Scientific Writing

Writing for your science classes may be different from what you've been used to. Your research paper guidelines will outline all of your requirements - make sure to read through the entire document!! 

A few main points from the guidelines that I want to highlight:

  • You will write in the active voice. For example, "I did this", "We hypothesized that", "We observed that". This is different from writing in the passive voice, which would be "The experiment was performed" or "Results were observed".
  • Use past tense since you are writing about things that have already happened: "I hypothesized", "I conducted", etc. This is different from writing in present tense ("I hypothesize"), or future tense ("I will observe"). 
  • When incorporating information from other sources, you will want to paraphrase rather than provide a direct quotation. Make sure to read through the resources linked from his page on how to properly paraphrase. 

Paraphrasing

In scientific writing, you will \incorporate outside information from your sources by paraphrasing information, rather than directly quoting it.

The Purdue Online Writing Lab recommends 6 steps for effective paraphrasing:

  1. Reread the original passage until you understand the full meaning.
  2. Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card.
  3. Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this material. At the top of the note card, write a key word or phrase to indicate the subject of your paraphrase. 
  4. Check your rendition with the original to make sure that your version accurately expresses all the essential information in a new form.
  5. Use quotation marks to identify any unique term or phraseology you have borrowed exactly from the source.
  6. Record the source (including the page) on your note card so that you can credit it easily if you decide to incorporate the material into your paper. 

Watch the four videos below from Walden University Writing Center to learn more about paraphrasing and how to do it.