AH Biology - Unit 3 - KA1(b) - Scientific Literature and Communication

When sharing research what should you include?

When sharing research you should include:

• Method used

• Data collected

• Analysis of data

• Conclusions from results

What does including method used, data collected, analysis of data, and conclusions from results allow other scientists to do?

Including the method used, data collected, analysis of data, and conclusions from results allows other scientists to reproduce results and test them independently.

What are common methods used to share scientific findings?

Common methods used to share scientific findings are:

• Seminars

• Conference talks

• Conference posters

• Publishing them in academic journals.

What is done to academic journals before they are published and what does this make them?

Academic journals are peer reviewed before publishing and are therefore more trustworthy and reliable.

What is peer reviewing?

Peer reviewing is when specialists with expertise in the relevant field assess the scientific quality of the submitted paper and make recommendations regarding its suitability for publishing.

What does peer reviewing assess?

Peer reviewing assesses experimental design, quality of data, analysis, conclusion, and if there is enough information for others to repeat it.

What must the quality of the research and write up be and what does this make it?

The quality of research and the write up must be of suitable standard before it is accepted and published. As a result of this research is considered more reliable and trustworthy.

What is it important to do before beginning an experiment?

Before beginning an experiment, it is important to start by reading the review papers.

What are review papers?

Review papers are special papers in journals that summarise the current knowledge and recent findings in a particular field.

What is done to scientific findings by the media and what is it important to do because of this?

Many scientific findings are misrepresented by newspapers, magazines, and television, so it is important to critically evaluate science coverage in the media.