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- 积分
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- 威望
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How to Read a Scientific Paper
- }$ A. S% @+ n9 N: ~ WFive Helpful Questions
S4 R4 b* [1 F2 d/ G" m1. WHY did they do this set of experiments?
: E- i& X: J% `5 p' Y6 I0 A/ _A. What are the authors trying to settle, prove or demolish?
9 [7 F% P4 t" ^4 y0 p* pB. How did this issue come up? ! \7 q- D1 W$ X8 W3 C" S
C. Why is it worth the effort to settle this issue?
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2. HOW were the experiments actually done?
- }0 T1 i" g% b+ G' o. [8 aA. What number or quantity was actually measured?
7 d+ p& C, u4 f8 P) Y+ dB. How was the number in A obtained, i.e. what did they actually do? A flow diagram of + h. p5 ` g X( K1 Z
their procedure is usually helpful. 6 m3 q6 A" \* I. W% T
C. What numbers are really wanted, i.e., must be calculated?
& ^9 X ?4 j: {2 ]% r) ?D. What information is necessary to calculate the numbers in C, and where did they get . V" L( T" m9 R8 `
this information (from a table, experimental control, or “common knowledge?’). 0 y( K6 r$ u9 p( a2 p
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3. WHAT are the results?
& @& [6 S8 K9 p& ~What is the translation into English of the data in their figures, tables and/or pictures?
* {9 I, ]7 y$ S; t7 @* W* @. `' Z* }The additional Q “How do you actually calculate the numbers wanted in C?’ is implicit in the
, A, W8 j3 Q3 {, ~1 hone. You may want to make this into a separate, explicit Q (2E).
% U" [- t& V, r: `" n4 W% b(This is really a translation of the conclusions and not the results.) For now overlook the . k0 e0 c1 V6 s5 Z2 ^" I8 Q* A
distinction between the results and the (obvious) conclusions in the answer to this question 9 T1 p* D* j; i
because we have found that it is not worthwhile to stress this issue at the beginning of the
- b5 a; [$ _, |# V% ]- y* Xterm while the students are still struggling with Q 1 and 2. Q 4, which is specifically
6 B* o9 U3 R; A: Y& gdesigned to emphasize this issue is introduced as soon as the students learn how to answer 6 S; z# |) U- p. X. A5 S) K
Q 1-3. 3 o* C9 O- c% M
4. WHAT can conclude from the results? (Assume for the time being, that you can take the
( e" Y3 Y5 B. x3 H' O' Y6 iresults at face value – in other words, assume they did both the experiments and 2 M: |6 e. p0 K* s$ \
calculations correctly. Whether or not they really “did it right” is Q5.). ' x0 c: `6 J' o9 B! d3 X! ^
A. Do the results support the stated conclusion or interpretation of the authors?
1 T, }# Y* M7 U+ QB. Do the results prove the stated conclusion, i.e., do they rule out any of the stated or . E! e" k# @, Y V0 w0 }
unstated alternatives? To check this point considers what the figures and tables would
0 @) Z) V" U* b3 {. g$ d4 B9 [look like if an alternative interpretation were correct. Could you really tell the difference? ( S% r) \( P5 e/ `$ o1 z2 F& ~
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5. (WHETHER) Did they do everything correctly?
4 N7 z, C2 y( K; k* _A. Could anything be wrong with their experimental methods? 6 Q9 Q. M. b0 n. F6 X! J" o
B. Could anything be wrong with their theoretical methods?
# ^3 x" j4 e1 N! U1 X6 J. D& t(Did they use the right formulas, make reasonable assumptions, etc.?) / b' C; j/ R3 ?/ e. H n
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发表于 2011-8-4 09:30
发表于 2011-8-5 22:51
