Science Article Assignment

A Rapid Fire Research ReviewMs. Kitsis

Agenda

• Finding and choosing an article• Using an article• Citing an article

Agenda

• Finding and choosing an article• Using an article• Citing an article

Where can you find articles?

Sources for Articles

• In hard copy (journal or anthology) • On the web (if they’re giving it away) • Through a database (start at library website)

Choosing Articles

• Does it meet the requirements for the assignment?

• Is the full text available? • Did you read the abstract? • Is the reading level appropriate? • Do you have the necessary background

knowledge, or are you willing to get it?

Agenda

• Finding an article• Using an article• Citing an article

Using Your Article

• Know the difference between quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing

• Read and understand the material before you write, then try to put it in your own words without looking at the original – If you can’t, you might not understand it yet

• Direct quotes are less appropriate in science writing than in other subjects– But when in doubt, play it safe and quote

Source: Guide to Using and Citing Sources When Writing in the Life Sciences (Harvard)

Agenda

• Finding an article• Using an article• Citing an article

Citing Your Article

From a magazine: Jacoby, Sarah. "Dueling dinos." Popular Science Nov. 2013: 30. Print.

From a database:Jacoby, Sarah. "Dueling dinos." Popular Science Nov. 2013: 30. Academic OneFile. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.

From an online magazine: Jacoby, Sarah. "A Fossil Shows Dinosaurs Permanently Locked In A Fight." Popular Science. Popular Science, 31 Nov. 2013. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.

Citing Your Article

From a newspaper: Overbye, Dennis. "Chasing the Higgs." New York Times 5 Mar. 2013: D1(L). Print.

From a database:Overbye, Dennis. "Chasing the Higgs." New York Times 5 Mar. 2013: D1(L). Academic OneFile. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.

From an online newspaper: Overbye, Dennis. "Chasing the Higgs Boson." New York Times. New York Times, 5 Mar. 2013. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.

Citing Your Article

From a print anthology: Blum. Deborah. “Scent of Your Thoughts." Best American Science and Nature Writing 2012. Ed. Dan Ariely. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade & Reference, 2012. 89-96. Print.

Research Tip: In your review, name the journal where the article originally appeared, to add credibility and context. For example:

Deborah Blum, in the article ‘The Scent of Your Thoughts’ originally appearing in Scientific American, explores the idea of chemical communication between human beings.

Source: Purdue Online Writing Lab

https://sites.google.com/a/arlington.k12.ma.us/library/guides/research/citation-help