FORMATTING A PAPER ABOUT A BIOLOGICAL TOPICGENERAL ISSUES A review (in other words, most term papers) usually does not have separate sections for methods and results, because it usually considers several different studies. Instead, a good review organizes information in a hierarchy of topics (like an outline). Methods (procedures, species, locations) are described when needed to understand results. Your review should compare the strengths and weaknesses of the various studies you discuss, relate them to other topics (such as those discussed in class), evaluate the conclusions reached by the various studies, and draw conclusions about what we now know and what we still need to investigate.
SPECIFICS Scientific papers focus on data, so include relevant data in your paper ... tables, figures, illustrations that provide the evidence for your major points. Be sure to provide citations for all statements or passages that are not common knowledge. If you rely on a secondary source (a paper that cites results from another paper you have not read), then cite the paper you read with a note of the original source ... for instance, "(Jones 1926 as cited by Smith 1998)". Notice some general rules for citations in all biological papers ... The format of your paper should follow the format of a biological journal. Journals differ slightly in the format they use, so pick one of the ones you have read and follow its format. Scientific papers rarely (almost never) include direct quotations. Instead explain what you have read in your own words.
BOTTOM LINE But most important find some topic that interests you and explain the issues, evidence, and state of our knowledge to your reader!
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