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How to Read a Scientific Paper 3 G) @! v8 T& O2 _) j% @
Five Helpful Questions ! P$ g) a- K1 @9 J9 e3 J2 n
1. WHY did they do this set of experiments? . d. P* A2 Y0 _. ]
A. What are the authors trying to settle, prove or demolish? + e5 ^: Y0 z3 J1 D; Y8 }* Y
B. How did this issue come up? 1 |0 M* A) I2 L- O7 r8 M9 U: _( H
C. Why is it worth the effort to settle this issue? / k' S( y: Q$ @/ ?
% k$ k$ A9 w5 D2. HOW were the experiments actually done? 5 j. I, l1 W/ g: P
A. What number or quantity was actually measured?
( l% _. ?( f: Y) ~B. How was the number in A obtained, i.e. what did they actually do? A flow diagram of
; M u8 i! _2 A( h( m1 N. Ytheir procedure is usually helpful.
# |! B( w/ o9 Z1 d- A- ^& eC. What numbers are really wanted, i.e., must be calculated? , R; y( |* g8 ?1 F
D. What information is necessary to calculate the numbers in C, and where did they get
/ h8 |! t0 w7 I0 l/ X% ethis information (from a table, experimental control, or “common knowledge?’). 8 M- u! w9 v0 w& i6 Z# ^
8 F8 w1 m# L' g2 n( }4 t% w- t) A
3. WHAT are the results? ; E |5 b" [ [) F
What is the translation into English of the data in their figures, tables and/or pictures? ; W& n" _& g. Z. |4 Q5 y
The additional Q “How do you actually calculate the numbers wanted in C?’ is implicit in the h+ M' f4 f! n$ j: D# b$ @1 g' _" Y7 A
one. You may want to make this into a separate, explicit Q (2E).
8 f/ m& _% @) S! K' N3 ~. R(This is really a translation of the conclusions and not the results.) For now overlook the & p g9 n% B) j" o, f, ?
distinction between the results and the (obvious) conclusions in the answer to this question
& }" n( }# u# b* |: w2 ]+ Xbecause we have found that it is not worthwhile to stress this issue at the beginning of the
& @+ o1 K0 ~. T. l9 x* B) [term while the students are still struggling with Q 1 and 2. Q 4, which is specifically
+ X$ W$ n- W0 N, K/ g/ odesigned to emphasize this issue is introduced as soon as the students learn how to answer
+ ?6 O8 A8 Y6 L2 C' D# Z4 pQ 1-3. 4 D9 h1 |/ C& w
4. WHAT can conclude from the results? (Assume for the time being, that you can take the ! N; K1 V/ M8 _3 H) y' C, Y
results at face value – in other words, assume they did both the experiments and
% x/ I- V8 U2 m9 ~calculations correctly. Whether or not they really “did it right” is Q5.). " _- P. x, H) q4 r
A. Do the results support the stated conclusion or interpretation of the authors? 5 _% p. |+ d4 G, S6 O
B. Do the results prove the stated conclusion, i.e., do they rule out any of the stated or
1 e# C* s& I7 p9 munstated alternatives? To check this point considers what the figures and tables would 9 }" ]/ B+ _$ c
look like if an alternative interpretation were correct. Could you really tell the difference? : A+ V: N6 f9 m( {+ Z% X/ _
2 u7 U& R) X% R1 E- ]5. (WHETHER) Did they do everything correctly? ; m6 s5 E( N) \& A5 {" `( O7 j
A. Could anything be wrong with their experimental methods?
+ X8 g- {' _0 q5 y) T& M( h& e2 KB. Could anything be wrong with their theoretical methods?
9 b- \7 }8 k4 }/ W7 s2 b! `9 F(Did they use the right formulas, make reasonable assumptions, etc.?) 8 @' U3 P9 w0 |3 T5 t$ T
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发表于 2011-8-4 09:30
发表于 2011-8-5 22:51
