Scientific

Report Writing

Kondwani K. Mkandawire
COS-110: Language and Communication Studies
Lecture Overview
Definition of a scientific report
Systematic Approach to Writing
Scientific Report Sections
Scientific Report Writing
Other Important Issues and Topics
Conclusion/Questions/Discussion
Bibliography
Definition of a scientific
report
 A document that presents information in an organized
format for a specific audience and purpose.
 Types of reports include memos, minutes, lab reports,
book reports, progress reports, justification reports,
compliance reports, annual reports, and policies and
procedures.
 Types of reports vary according to disciplines.
 A scientific report is a document that describes the
process, progress, and or results of technical or
scientific research or the state of a technical or
scientific research problem. It might also include
recommendations and conclusion of the research (The
University of Waikato)
 Unlike an essay, a report has a formalised structure.
Scientific Report Writing
Overview
Aim
The main purpose of a scientific report is to
communicate
A report should convey essential
information and ideas as concisely and
effectively as possible
Precise formats vary by discipline and
scientific journal; treat them as flexible
guidelines that enable clear communication
Scientific Report Writing
Overview
Audience
Assume that your intended reader has a
background similar to yours before you
started the project
The reader has general understanding of the
topic but no specific knowledge of the details
The reader should be able to reproduce
whatever you did by following your report
Systematic Approach to
Writing
Scientific Report Sections
Title page
Abstract
Introduction
Methods and materials
Results
Discussion
References
Appendices (Tables and Figures)
Scientific Report Sections
Title page
Describe contents clearly and precisely
Provide key works for indexing
Avoid wasted words
(i.e., “an investigation of”)
Avoid abbreviations and jargon
Convey subject seriousness; no “cute” titles
Scientific Report Sections
Title page
The title page will include the following:
Title of the report:
Usually 4-12 words in length.
Should be short, specific and descriptive,
containing the keywords of the report.
Authorship:
Always publish under the same name.
Include author addresses.
Indicate the corresponding author and their
contact details.
Date:
The date when the paper was submitted.
Scientific Report Sections
Abstract
Convey whole report in miniature, minus
specific details
State main objectives
Describe methods
Summarize most important results
State major conclusions and their
significance
Do not include references to figures,
tables, or sources
Do not include info not in report
Scientific Report Sections
Introduction
What is the problem?
Why is it important?
What solution (or step toward a solution) do
you propose?
Move from general to specific examples
Engage your reader / audience
Make the information links clear
Be selective about your citations
Scientific Report Sections
Methods and materials
How did you study the problem?
What did you use? (materials)
How did you proceed? (methods/procedures)
Provide enough detail for study replication
Order procedures by type or chronology
Use past tense
Quantify when possible
Do not mix results with procedures
Scientific Report Sections
Results
What did you observe?
Briefly describe experiment
Report main result(s) supported by selected
data
Order multiple results logically
(i.e., “most to least important; simple to complex;
etc”.)
Use past tense
Do not simply repeat table data; select key info
Do not interpret results
Avoid extra words
Scientific Report Sections
Discussion
What do your observations mean?
What conclusions can you draw?
How do your results fit into a broader
context?
Summarize the most important findings
Move from specific discussion to general
Do not ignore or bury the major issue
Make explanations complete
Do not over-generalize
Do not ignore deviations in your data
Avoid speculation that cannot be tested
in foreseeable future
 References

All citations that appear in the body of

your lab report must be listed in this
section.

Use the APA format, unless your course

lecturer specifies the format you should
use in their course
Citations within the paper
Appropriate literature can be cited in the
Introduction, Methods, and Discussion sections.
Citations most commonly appear at the end of a
sentence inside parentheses as illustrated in the
following examples:

Growth rates are positively correlated with

rainfall (Jones 1993).

Growth rates are positively correlated with

rainfall (Jones 1993, Roy and Smith 1988).

Growth rates are positively correlated with

rainfall (Jones 1993, Roy and Smith 1988,
Williams et al. 1937).
Scientific Report Sections
Appendices (Tables and Figures)
Tables are referred to as “tables”, and all
other items (graphs, photographs,
drawings, diagrams, maps, etc.) are
referred to as “figures”
Tables and figures are assigned numbers in
the order they are mentioned in the text
Tables and figures are numbered
independently of each other
(i.e., “Table 1 then 2; and Figure 1 then 2,
regardless of Table / Figure order”)
Scientific Report Sections
Appendices (Tables and Figures)
Tables are labeled at the top and figures at
the bottom.
Tables and figures may be placed at the
end of the paper, or within the text as soon
as possible after they are mentioned
without interrupting the text
i.e., “at the end of a paragraph or section”.
 Check with your supervisors for their
preference.
Scientific Report Sections
Appendices (Tables and Figures)
Each table or figure MUST be introduced
within the text, and the comment should
point out the highlights:
e.g., “The temperature increased on the third
day (Figure 1)”.
All tables and figures MUST be
numbered and have self-explanatory
titles so that the reader can understand
their content without the text:
e.g., “Table 1. Percent of soybean plants
exhibiting visible injury after exposure to acid
precipitation”.
Systematic Approach to Writing
Scientific Report Writing
The writing process
Aim
Audience
Clarity of Writing
Supporting Material
Language and Style
Consistency of Format
The Writing Process –
stages
Planning
Purpose of section
Brainstorm, mindmap, outline

Writing

Revising

Submit!
The Writing Process
Start with the data – not the introduction
Narrow them down to a few figures
Assemble them into a story board
Find the trends in the figures. Find the one
thing that ties them together
Tell your readers how to read your figures
and what the main point is
Then map out the story that tells what the
main point is
The Writing Process
Start with Methods and Results sections
Connect results with how you got them
Then connect your interpretation of results
(Discussion) to scientific assumptions or
principles (Theory)
Connect what you set out to do
(Introduction) to what you found
(Conclusion)
Scientific Report Writing
Aim
The main purpose of a scientific report is to
communicate
A typical structure and style have evolved
to convey essential information and ideas
as concisely and effectively as possible
Precise formats vary by discipline and
scientific journal, but always treat them as
flexible guidelines that enable clear
communication
Scientific Report Writing
Audience
Assume that your intended reader has a
background similar to yours before you
started the project
The reader has general understanding of the
topic but no specific knowledge of the details
The reader should be able to reproduce
whatever you did by following your report
Scientific Report Writing
Clarity of Writing
Good scientific reports share many of the
qualities found in other kinds of writing
To write is to think; a paper that lays out
ideas in a logical order will facilitate same
kind of thinking
Make each sentence follow from the
previous one, building an argument piece
by piece
Group related sentences into paragraphs,
and group paragraphs into sections
Create a flow from beginning to end
Scientific Report Writing
Supporting Materials
Use figures, tables, data, equations, etc. to
help tell the story as it unfolds
Refer to them directly in the text, and
integrate the points they make into your
writing
Number figures and tables sequentially as
they are introduced
(e.g., “Figure 1, Figure 2, etc., with another
sequence for Table 1, Table 2, etc.”)
Scientific Report Writing
Supporting Materials (continued)
Provide captions with complete information
and not just a simple title
Label all axes and include units
Insert a figure or table after the paragraph
in which it is first mentioned, or, gather all
supporting material together after the
reference section (before any appendices)
Scientific Report Writing
Language and Style
The report should be grammatically
sound, with correct spelling, and
generally free of errors
Avoid jargon, slang, or colloquial terms
Define acronyms and any abbreviations
not used as standard measurement
units
Most of the report describes what you
did, and thus it should be in the past
tense, but use present or future tense as
appropriate.
Scientific Report Writing
Consistency of Terms
Within the report, the exact format of
particular items is less important than
consistency of application.
i.e., “if you indent paragraphs, indent them
all”
“use a consistent style of headings
throughout”
“write "%" or "percent”, do not mix them, etc.”
Establish a template and stick to it.
Consult real journal papers for examples.
Systematic Approach to
Writing
Other Important Issues and Topics
Power of Persuasion: Are Readers Buying
It?
The style of scientific reports
Spelling Demons/Word Bloopers &
Blunders
Other Important Issues and
Topics
Power of Persuasion: Are Readers Buying
It?
Will your report influence policy change(s)?
Will your report fend off a cut in budget?
Will your report result in an increased budget?
Will your report inspire accident prevention?
Allow time in between self-reviewing report
Let experienced colleagues review report draft
Review good persuasive literature for ideas
The Style of scientific
reports
Knowing about the function and
structure of reports is important;
however, knowing about the appropriate
style and conventions to use when
writing your reports is equally important.
Reports written in a university context
tend to be structured, formal,
impersonal, objective, complex and
contain technical language.
The style of scientific
reports
Formal and Impersonal
The formal and impersonal nature of
reports can be achieved by avoiding
certain types of language such as
slang and word contractions (e.g.
didn’t, won’t etc.) as well as strong
expressions of opinion and attitude.
In addition, the use of the passive (e.g.
were immersed, was recommended
etc.) allows writers to foreground what
was done rather than who did it, thus
making the writing less personal.
The style of scientific
reports
 Formal and Impersonal
A more objective impersonal tone is achieved
through the use of formal and impersonal
language
Some expressions that can be used in reports
include:
The report aims to investigate...
The report was carried out to review...
This research indicates...
The results suggest...
It can be concluded that...
The conclusions that can be drawn are...
It recommends that...
The following recommendations are made...
The style of scientific
reports
Discipline specific terminology
The use of discipline specific
terminology in a report adds to its
technicality and formality. Discipline
specific terminology consists of words or
phrases particular to a discipline which
experienced writes within the field use
to convey meaning in a certain way.
The style of scientific
reports
Objectivity and complexity
The language of reports should also be
objective and complex. Objectivity and
complexity can be achieved through the
use of structures such as nominalizations
and extended noun phrases.
Nominalisation is the expression of actions
as noun phrases instead of verbs. This
allows the text to focus on objects and
concepts rather than actions, so it sounds
more abstract and objective.
The style of scientific
reports
Nominalisation also allows more
information to be packed into less space
and increase the complexity of the
writing. Extended nominal groups
increase the amount of information
provided about the people, places or
concepts described in the report.
The style of scientific
reports
Check out for discipline specific
terminology, passive voice, impersonal
language, use of nominalizations in the
sample research report extract below.
Many Australian plant species produce seeds with fleshy
appendages called elaiosomes. Using two species, Acacia linifolia
and Dillwynia juniperia, the function of elaiosomes was
investigated. It was hypothesized that elaiosomes are involved in the
dispersal of seeds by ants. To test this hypothesis, the removal of
seeds with elaiosomes was compared to seeds from which the
elaiosomes had been removed and observations were made to
confirm that the agents of seed removal were indeed ants. It was
found that the removal of seeds with elaiosomes was significantly
greater than those without elaiosomes for D. juniperia but not for A.
linifolia. Observations of seed removal confirmed that ants were the
only removers of seeds.
Other Important Issues and
Topics
Spelling Demons/Word Bloopers &
Blunders
Remember ABC’s: accuracy, brevity, clarity
Avoid:
Professional pomposity
Barbarisms (non-existent words or
expressions)
Solecisms (ungrammatical use of English)
Syntax errors
Use of incorrect/dehumanizing words
Use of “empty” phrases or words
Sexism (use plural or “one” vs. “him/her”)
Excessive use of abbreviations
Plagiarism
CONCLUSION

Questions and Discussion

Bibliography
_____________________________________
Bibliography
The University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing
Center, 2007: The Writer’s Handbook:
Scientific Reports. Internet:
<http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/Sci
enceReport.html>.
Comrie, A.C., 2007: Scientific Report Writing.
Internet:
<http://www.geog.arizona.edu/~comrie/ge
og230/report.htm>.
Bibliography
Iowa State University College of Agriculture,
2007: Word Usage in Scientific Writing.
Internet:
<http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/word_us
age.php>.
The Learning Commons, University of
Guelph, 2007: Fastfacts: Writing Scientific
Lab Reports. Internet:
<http://osprey.lib.uoguelph.ca/assistance/w
riting_services/components/documents/
lab_report.pdf>.