Writing a scientific paper in the format of the journal Ecology

1. Writing a scientific paper in the format of the journal Ecology BOT 332 University of Alberta

2. OBSERVATIONS Patterns in space or time MODELS Explanations or theories HYPOTHESISPredictions based on model EXPERIMENT Critical test of null hypothesis DATA COLLECTION INTERPRETATION After Underwood (1997)

3. INTRODUCTION METHODS RESULTS DISCUSSION

4. OBSERVATIONS Patterns in space or time INTRODUCTION MODELS Explanations or theories HYPOTHESISPredictions based on model EXPERIMENT Critical test of null hypothesis METHODS DATA COLLECTION RESULTS INTERPRETATION DISCUSSION After Underwood (1997)

5. OBSERVATIONS Patterns in space or time INTRODUCTION MODELS Explanations or theories HYPOTHESISPredictions based on model EXPERIMENT Critical test of null hypothesis METHODS DATA COLLECTION RESULTS INTERPRETATION DISCUSSION After Underwood (1997)

6. OBSERVATIONS Patterns in space or time INTRODUCTION MODELS Explanations or theories HYPOTHESISPredictions based on model

7. OBSERVATIONS Patterns in space or time INTRODUCTION MODELS Explanations or theories • Reason for doing the research • Research questions/hypotheses/predictions • Citations for other major studies on same topic HYPOTHESISPredictions based on model

8. INTRODUCTION • General to specific: e.g. Plants compete. Some of the effects are…Vorhees and Myers (2001) found… However, it is not clear why…; There is little evidence showing…;or A question still remains... [I am doing this study because…] Density has been shown to… Response X is also a function of relative abundance To test the effect of density and relative abundance we grew oats and beans … These species are useful because… It was hypothesized that… and/or It was predicted that…BECAUSE…

9. METHODS • Describe what was done… • e.g. “The seeds where sown…” • Give as much detail as necessary for someone else to repeat it • Not a list of instructions • Name the statistical analyses you used to test effects of treatments • Cite the program you used

10. RESULTS • A summary of the important data you collected • Provides evidence supporting/not supporting your hypothesis • Should include little/no interpretation • Includes tables that summarise, but do NOT duplicate text • Includes figures where these make things clearer • Point out main features in text

11. RESULTS • Figures and Tables must have a number and title

12. RESULTS • All figures and tables must be referred to in the text • Figures and tables should be numbered in the order they are cited in the text

13. RESULTS • The important statistical details should be given in the text… • ‘The overall mortality of transplanted gobies (mean = 1.04 ± 0.004) was slightly greater than that of residents (1.03 ± 0.001), and this difference was significant (paired t test, df = 17, t = 2.31, P = 0.041). ‘

14. RESULTS • The important statistical details should be given in the text… • ‘The rate of banana consumption differed significantly between monkeys, fish and members of the sewing circle (ANOVA, df = 2,36, F = 1.42, P = 0.023). ‘

15. DISCUSSION • MUST ADDRESS THE QUESTION(S) THE PAPER IS ABOUT • make reference to your hypothesis/predictions – where these supported? • …AND whether your findings are ecologically realistic • Should include references that support and/or challenge your results and ideas • Should talk up the good, as well as the bad

16. DISCUSSION • Evaluation of experimental methods used • Ways to find out more about the specific questions asked • End with a concluding paragraph that sums up: • what you did • what you found • your main conclusions • EXPAND ON WHAT WAS IN THE RESULTS – DON’T JUST REPEAT!

17. DISCUSSION • Before you put pen to paper: • Make a list of what you put in the results on scrap paper • Think about what these results tell you about your hypothesis • Plan a way to discuss them in a logical order • Consult your TAs

18. RUNNING HEAD • Journal title, volume(issue), page numbers, publisher Don’t worry about it!

19. TITLE • Captures the topic of the paper and possibly its findings • Not more than 13 words • Be specific

20. LIST OF AUTHORS

21. LIST OF AUTHORS • Give student #, NOT your name • Put your department and University address underneath

22. ABSTRACT

23. ABSTRACT • A brief summary of the paper • The research question • What you did • Most important results • Major conclusions • Don’t give citations • Not greater than 200 words • Be concise!

24. KEYWORDS • Words that a search engine could pick up e.g. interspecific competition, intraspecific competition

25. LITERATURE CITED • Includes ALL the references cited in the text • Spelling and dates must correspond • List references in alphabetical order by first author • Format varies from journal to journal

26. LITERATURE CITED – the Ecology way Name. Date. Title. Journal title. Volume #: page numbers Frego, K.A. and T.J. Carleton. 1995. Microsite tolerance of four bryophytes in a mature black spruce stand: reciprocal transplants. The Bryologist 98: 452-458. Only FIRST author’s surname comes first! SPELLING!! INDENT after first line!(hanging indent) No issue number!

27. LITERATURE CITED – the Ecology way Name. Date. Title. Publisher. City and country publisher is based in Books are not generally considered to be primary references!

28. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS • Formal ‘Thank-you’s

29. ABSTRACT and KEYWORDS INTRODUCTION METHODS RESULTS with figures and tables DISCUSSION with concluding paragraph LITERATURE CITED After Underwood (1997) • And… • LIST OF AUTHORS • ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

30. The assignment – Write a paper for submission to Ecology • We will provide the data • You must interpret graphical output and statistics • Read Steve’s handout for details on the topic of the paper • Read the lab manual – pages 19-24 for general information on manuscript format • Worth 13% of overall grade

31. The assignment – Write a paper for submission to Ecology • 10-12 Pages of text (not including figures, tables and Literature Cited) • Give 5 references from the primary literature (journals) • 12-point font • EVERYTHING DOUBLE SPACED! • 1-inch margins • One side of paper only

32. Figure/Table numbers and titles listed on a separate sheet Each Figure/Table on its own sheet and numbered but WITHOUT titles

33. 1 author The assignment – Write a paper for submission to Ecology FORMATTING SPECIFICS • In-text citations

34. 2 authors The assignment – Write a paper for submission to Ecology FORMATTING SPECIFICS • In-text citations

35. The assignment – Write a paper for submission to Ecology FORMATTING SPECIFICS • In-text citations >2 authors

36. The assignment – Write a paper for submission to Ecology FORMATTING SPECIFICS • In-text citations • Avoid direct quotes – PARAPHRASE!

37. GENERAL POINTS • Past tense/active voice

38. GENERAL POINTS • Assume the reader is ignorant and stupid - be specific and explicit • Assume the reader has a short memory – repeat details if appropriate… • …but avoid repeating something if you are not expanding on what you said before • Data are plural!