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Scientific Communication

Scientific Communication. Timothy G. Standish, Ph. D. Communication Is Central To Science. The best use of the scientific method in discovering the truth about nature is wasted if the information is not communicated to others.

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Scientific Communication

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  1. Scientific Communication Timothy G. Standish, Ph. D.

  2. Communication Is Central To Science • The best use of the scientific method in discovering the truth about nature is wasted if the information is not communicated to others. • Much of the information that is generated by scientists, because of its complex nature, is open to multiple misunderstandings and misinterpretations • Because of this, scientists have developed a simple, but precise way of communicating with other scientist.

  3. Ockham’s Razor:The law of economy or parsimony • When looking at data, it is usually possible to come up with a number of different theories, some of which are more complicated than others • Scientists generally agree that the most simple theory or explanation of data is most probably true • This preference for the most simple theory is called Ockham’s Razor, the law of economy or parsimony • William of Ockham was a 14th century English monk to whom “Entianon sunt multiplicanda entia praeter necessitatem” (Don’t multiply entities except by necessity) is attributed • Others including Aristotle had invoked this principle before Ockham, but he stands out for his repeated and sharp use of the “razor”

  4. Theory Deduction Induction Fail Data Pass Test (Experiment) The Scientific Method Beliefs Hypothesis

  5. Present Science Truth Error Data Old Theory Time (Data) The Scientific MethodDoes Not Always Provide Definitive Answers

  6. Separating Data and Theory • With all the room for misunderstanding of science, it is vital that data and theory be kept as clearly distinct as possible. • In scientific papers, different sections are used for data and theory. To clearly communicate what has been learned, it is vital that these two factors not be mixed together.

  7. Parts of a Scientific Paper(Laboratory Report) • Introduction - The current state of science on the question being addressed • Methods - Exactly what was done • Results - Exactly what was observed • Discussion - The author’s interpretation of the Results • Interpretation = Introduction and Discussion • Data = Methods and Results

  8. The Style of Scientific Papers • Scientific papers are generally written in the third person • Avoiding the use of personal pronouns de-emphasizes who the author is • In a perfect world, the emphasis in science is first on data, second on interpretation and finally on the authority who is writing the paper

  9. The End

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