Research in Physics Final paper instructions and organization

Abstract: - Write this LAST! This is the overall summary of the project. You shouldn't
write this until you are completely done with your project.

Introduction: Introduce what your project is about. This is where you set the story of
your project.

- What is your motivation for your project?

- What has been done previously in your topic
- Why has this previous work been done
- How is your research different?
- Talk about the Physics/science behind your project.

Typically introductions are between 1.75 and 3 pages in length (double spaced)

Procedure/Methods: talk about the procedures and how you actually conducted the
experiment.

- Be EXTREMELY detailed about everything that you did. i.e. put down the brands
of instruments, power sources, etc. you want to write this so that someone
could come in and pick your project up and do it just like you did.
- For examples of various methods papers, look online or in the research papers
on the desk by the glass door.
- This is very easy to write. If you are having writers block for the introduction,
go to the methods part and start writing
- Diagrams or pictures of your experimental set up are very useful here.

Results/Data:

- Here is where you can put all of the data that you collected in chart, bar, graph
form.
- When you caption your charts or graphs, BE EXTREMELY DETAILED! You want
someone to be able to understand the data without having to read your paper.
This means that captions sometimes can be rather long.
Discussion: The main body of your paper what happened in your experiment? Why is it
useful

- Sometimes data and discussion are one giant section. Sometimes they are split
apart. This is up to your style. If you want a suggestion, write your data
separately and then reference your data in your discussion (i.e. "as you can see
in figure 3.2. etc etc)
- Here is where you are trying to explain what happened in you projects
- Avoid using works like "absolutely proves" or "always" i.e. absolutes.
- Provide evidence for your discussion in the form of other research papers
- Try to make as many correlations as possible
- The discussions part is the main "MEAT" of your paper
- Provide explanations with charts, graphs, etc for clarity

Conclusions and future work:

- Conclude the main point(s) of your research

- Many people will look at the conclusions first to see what your paper actually
showed.
- This is the "highlight reel" of your project
- Include the future direction of your work.
- What needs to be done next in your research/project?

References

- You need to have scientific references for your paper.

- Use the ones from the reference kit

Rough draft of papers are due May 1st

Final drafts are due May 21st