Intro to Science Writing
What is the main goal of science writing?
What is to communicate scientific information clearly and accurately?
What is a research question?
What is a clear, focused question that guides a scientific investigation?
What is the purpose of the background section in a paper?
What is to provide context and explain why the research is important?
What does "methodology" mean in a research paper?
What is the section that explains how the research was conducted, including procedures, tools, and data collection methods?
What is the difference between “results” and “discussion” sections?
What is the results section presents the data, while the discussion interprets what the data means?
Name one difference between scientific and journalistic writing.
What is that scientific writing is formal and evidence-based, while journalistic writing is more narrative and accessible?
What is a hypothesis? Give an example
What is a testable statement predicting the relationship between variables? (e.g., If people sleep more, they will have better memory recall.)
Name one database used for literature searches.
Name one database used for literature searches.
What is one advantage of using a questionnaire?
What is that it allows researchers to collect data from many people efficiently and consistently?
What should you not do when presenting data in the results section?
What is avoid interpreting or explaining the data—just present it clearly and objectively?
Why is clarity more important than creativity in scientific writing?
What is because readers need to understand the science without confusion or misinterpretation?
What makes a good research objective?
What is being specific, measurable, and aligned with the overall purpose of the study?
How do you decide which sources are credible for your literature review?
What is by checking if they are peer-reviewed, recent, and from reputable journals or institutions?
Name one common mistake when designing survey questions.
What is using confusing, double-barreled, or leading questions?
How do you interpret data trends in the discussion section?
What is by explaining what patterns in the results suggest and how they relate to the research question or hypothesis?
What does "objective tone" mean in science writing?
What is writing without personal bias, emotion, or opinion, based only on evidence?
What is the difference between a null and alternative hypothesis?
What is the null states there is no effect or relationship, while the alternative suggests there is one?
What is a literature gap?
What is an area or question that has not yet been fully explored or answered by existing research?
What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative data collection?
What is qualitative collects non-numerical, descriptive data, while quantitative collects numerical data that can be measured or counted?
What makes a conclusion strong and effective in a discussion?
What is summarizing key findings, connecting them to the hypothesis, and noting limitations or future directions?
Give one example of how the audience affects how you write a scientific piece.
What is simplifying language and avoiding jargon when writing for the general public, versus using technical terms for expert readers?
Rewrite this vague question into a testable research question: "Why do some people eat better?
What is "Does access to fresh produce influence the dietary habits of adults in urban areas?"
Why is it important to summarize—not just list—previous research in your background?
What is to show how studies relate to each other and build a foundation for your own study?
Design a short survey question that avoids bias or leading language.
What is: "How often do you eat vegetables in a typical week?"
Provide an example of linking your findings back to your original hypothesis.
What is: "Our data showed that participants who slept 8 hours performed better on memory tasks, supporting our hypothesis that sleep improves recall."