A scientific report o Scientific report is a written, visual or oral document prepared for the purpose of providing scientific information on a specific topic. As a common rule, these types of documents are supported by tests or experiments. For example, a researcher could make a report of this type after completing an investigation on the coronavirus.
Although there is a wide variety of scientific reports, the format is usually similar in all cases. We can find from laboratory reports to doctoral theses and journal articles. Therefore, the variations are given by the publication rules. For example, a magazine could put certain rules to publish in it.
Usually, each communication medium details what its publication standards are to the authors of scientific reports. That is, it presents a manual of "instructions for writers" with the rules and the specific format.
Article index
The scientific report has some particular characteristics:
The main objective of any scientific report is the communication of the results of a study or investigation to other researchers. For this reason, the information must be presented in a way that can be verified, replicated or expanded by other people..
Today, the Internet offers never-before-seen possibilities for scientists in the area of exchange of methodologies and information.
Consequently, a report can be shared and strengthened by a practically unlimited number of researchers interested in the same topics..
In a scientific report, reference is made to objective data that has been taken from the researcher's own research or taken from other sources. For example, the report writer could have done a bacteria culture to collect data. You could also have gathered data from research conducted by other researchers.
The writing of a scientific report or report must follow a logical sequence. A clear, simple and orderly language is used, where the results are objectively commented. Therefore, the opinions of the author of the project cannot be reflected.
Also, most scientific journals recommend writing in the third person. But it is not a mandatory rule. For example: “the review of” was made, “brown spots were observed in the sample”…
Consequently, using first-person wording, such as “I took bacteria samples from the Petri dish…” is avoided..
Depending on the branch of science on which the report is based, some technicalities or others will be used. For example, in biology terms such as DNA, bacteriological culture or CRISPR could be used.
- Do not use strange or far-fetched words to avoid confusing the reader.
- Precision. A scientific text is concise by definition, it does not have too many or too few words.
- Include graphics or illustrations to support the statement.
- Break complex or very long sentences into simple ones to explain ideas clearly.
- Do not reload paragraphs with verbatim citations.
- Ironies or humor are not correct in writing scientific reports.
- Apply cross references to explain abbreviations used in the text. The same happens with acronyms or acronyms and for very specific terms of a topic (technicalities).
Most scientific reports (articles, reports, theses ...) are fully or partially adapted to a format composed of nine or ten parts:
The title of a scientific report or report must be clear, concise and directly related to the content of the document. The size of the font used is larger than the rest of the text. In addition, the style must be sober, without ornaments, colors or flashy features..
In this part, the persons responsible for the elaboration of the scientific document are mentioned. In most cases, the respective institutions to which they belong are indicated along with a postal address (optional) and the researchers' email..
This is a shortened version of the entire report or investigation report. In other words, it reflects the entire structure of the text in a synthesized way - introduction, methodologies, results and discussion.-.
The recommended length of a scientific abstract depends directly on the number of words or total pages of the document.
In this part, the current state of the issue addressed in the document should be noted. Likewise, the antecedents should be highlighted. Additionally, it is necessary to clarify what are the motivations and justification that led to the conduct of the investigation.
The objectives are set out in this section. The means used to achieve them are also mentioned there..
This section details the methodologies or techniques implemented in the research. That is, the means to achieve the objectives. Of course, include the list of all the materials and how they were used. In this way, anyone can replicate the experiments or tests described in the document..
In this section all the results and recorded data are shown. The order of the information provided must coincide with the sequence of objectives set out in the introduction. The language used should avoid qualifying adjectives, as well as appreciative terms.
This part offers the analyzes carried out based on the results obtained. Also, possible comparisons with other works or antecedents (preferably mentioned in the introduction). The statements presented are treated as scientific evidence, for this reason they are written in the present tense..
In some reports or scientific reports the discussion of results, conclusions and recommendations go together in the same section. In any case, the conclusions summarize the current state of the subject matter and propose new objectives in the subject matter..
Here a list of the authors cited directly in the development of the report or report with the respective titles of the works is drawn up. The form and order of placement vary depending on the medium or institution responsible for the publication of the scientific document..
Scientific report of the San Cecilio University Hospital, Granada.
If possible signs of acid rain are observed in a given area or region, the first step is to document yourself. The information collected will confirm whether there are clear signs of this phenomenon associated with air pollution. Then a viable research project should be designed based on previous work..
The methodologies must include sampling (essential for the subject) of sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxide in rainwater. Finally, the project is executed, the results are compared with the proposed objectives and published under the scientific report format described above..
Yet No Comments