How to write a scientific paper: A step-by-step guide for high schoolers
Students are often required to write scientific papers as part of their school assignments. But what are these scientific papers really? They are nothing but a student’s original research on a particular topic. A scientific paper comprises of critical analysis and interpretation of research findings and is usually followed by a convincing argument. The goal is to compare the proposed approach with already existing methods and support it with ideal scientific explanations.
When high school students are allotted the task of writing their own scientific papers, they are often overwhelmed and don’t know where to start from. But the good news is, if one lays down a decent groundwork while preparing and executing the project, the process can actually turn out to be simpler than we imagine. Here are some tips to make this process easier for these young adults.
Familiarise with unfamiliar topics
The key to writing a good quality scientific paper is to start with good literature search (that is allocating factual materials), that will not only help in providing a strong background but also a good methodology. It will also help fill in the knowledge gaps, get acquainted with terminologies and keywords, and avoid plagiarism. Reading a list of review articles, books, published thesis and mentorship from experts makes this process easier.
Make a plan and stick to it
Before starting to write a scientific paper, students can prepare a blueprint of the project consisting of titles, headings, sub-headings, key points, charts/tables, etc. While the main section should be focussed upon, other chapters, like abstract, proposal, methodology should be paid importance to. When the first or second draft is ready, one can always rearrange the sections according to the desired order. The goal is to make a plan and try and stick to it as far as possible.
Do not aim for perfection
Trying to be a perfectionist while writing the first scientific paper can dampen the spirit. The key is to make a convincing impression instead of pausing at every interval to make it the best. Yes, a brilliant title or excellent grammar go a long way, but fussing about them will only slow down the process. Instead, students should focus on using simple words, decent grammar and straightforward sentences and move on to other important parts like questions, arguments, and statements. Encourage your high schooler to make bullet points, note down significant parts, structure sentences in a simple way and clear all the doubts before the final draft is ready. They should also keep other scientific papers handy for reference and remember to cite the sources of study materials borrowed from somewhere.
Understand the purpose behind it
The purpose behind writing a scientific paper is to put forward an original idea about an existing topic. So, one must understand that addressing the research question in detail and then following it up with original research argument is the way forward. The final structure of a scientific paper should be like this: Abstract (broad topic), introduction (general background), research question and finally research argument (statements, evidence, justifications). Connecting the existing research, the current findings and how it widens the scope in the field should also be clarified in the conclusion.
Ensure that these 4 important questions are answered
Every scientific paper focusses on four major questions: How did you do it? Why did you do it? What did you exactly do? How does your research matter? If a scientific paper answers all these sufficiently, the job is well done.