Writing a Short Paper in Modern Physics: Tips and Guidelines, Study notes of Physics

Download Writing a Short Paper in Modern Physics: Tips and Guidelines and more Study notes Physics in PDF only on Docsity! Phys3113: Discovering Modern Physics Tips on Writing a Short Paper Michael A. Morrison Version 3.4: April 30, 2000 Introduction Now that you’ve researched and sharply defined the topic of your paper, you’re ready to write the preliminary version. Don’t panic! The preliminary version is just a trial run—a chance to try out your ideas about how to present what you’ve learned about your topic. This is not, however, a “rough draft.” The preliminary version should be as good an approximation to your final paper as you can construct. So it should include figures, tables, references, and any other elements you plan for your final version. (Of course, anything you do in the preliminary version can be changed before you write your final version.) Why write a preliminary version? First, you can best sort out your ideas if you write them down. Second, you will get invaluable feedback from your readers, who will offer constructive criticism on your version. Finally, returning to a preliminary version after you’ve gotten a little distance from it will immeasurably improve the final version you make when you revise the preliminary version. This version, therefore, gives you a chance to find out what works and what doesn’t work. Using the feedback and your reflections on the preliminary version, you’ll be able to develop a final version that is effectively embodies your ideas. How do I get prepare a “preliminary version” of my paper? Every paper is (or should be) an organic thing, evolving as the author shapes, drafts, and revises it until it satisfies his or her goals. Since a preliminary version is a trial run of the final paper, it should contain all the pieces that will make up the final paper. Below you’ll find a list of the specific elements that must appear in your preliminary version (and your final paper). In addition, construct whatever figures or tables you want to include (with captions). Add references to external resources you used. Type it up. Run it through a spell checker. Proofread it carefully. And you’re done. When you write your preliminary version, be free with your thoughts. Remember, you can always revise what you write! A great way to self-critique a preliminary version is to do something else for a day or so, then come back to it and, as objectively as possible, ask yourself the following questions: If I knew nothing about this subject, what in this paper would confuse me? How can I restructure, add or subtract material, or rewrite certain paragraphs to make my paper more interesting and/or comprehensible? What elements must be in a preliminary version? The structure of your preliminary version should be the same as the structure of your final version. At the most basic level, here is the structure all papers (about anything) should have:1 1. Introduction 2. Body of the paper 3. Conclusion 4. Figures, Tables, etc. (if appropriate) 5. References The following paragraphs look at each of these sections (and other elements) in a little more detail. (Re- member, though, that within this overall structure and the rough guidelines below, the subject matter of your paper will help you shape your particular paper.) 1You should have a section called Introduction and a section called Conclusion but don’t call the central section of the paper Body! Instead, devise with a short, succinct title for this section that describes what it is about (e.g., “The Theory of the Photon” or “The Physics of Bose-Einstein Condensation” or “The Compton Experiment”). Similarly, if you label subsections of your paper, devise short, appropriate meaningful titles for them. The purpose of all this is to help your reader see at a glance what each section or sub-section is about. Tips on Writing a Short Paper 2 Introduction. The introduction consists of a paragraph or two that sets the stage for your paper. The goals of your introduction are to situate your reader so he or she knows what you’re going to be talking about and to make your topic so interesting that your reader wants to read on. Somewhere in your introduction you must state clearly and in a single sentence what the paper is about; this statement must be specific and focused, not vague and all-encompassing. That is, your reader must get from it a clear idea of precisely what aspect of your topic you’ll be discussing.2 Body of the Paper. In the body of the paper you develop a logical sequence of ideas that leads your reader through the topic to an understanding of whatever point you’re trying to make.3 Depending on the focus of your paper, this part might contain historical/biographical background, information about experiments you’re discussing, physics that is relevant to understanding your topic, necessary mathematics, figures and tables (with captions), and other relevant material. The particular sections and subsections that will appear in the body of your paper will depend on the approach you’re taking to your topic. Conclusion. The conclusion is one of the most important parts of your paper. It’s the part your reader will most likely remember. In the conclusion, you step back from the detailed discussions in the body and bring the paper to closure. The goal of the conclusion is to take your reader out of the paper, leaving us satisfied that we’ve learned something interesting. The conclusion must reiterate the focus of your paper and briefly summarize the high points of the development you’ve constructed. Appendices (optional). You may include appendices containing information about your topic that isn’t required or doesn’t belong in the main text. For instance, appendices are good places for mathematical derivations or supplemental data. References. You must include an entry in the reference list for all citations in your paper; similarly, every citation must include a reference in this list. Your paper is not supposed to be a report of original research; rather, it’s supposed to be an original synthesis of what you’ve learned about your topic: a construction largely in your words of your findings about the subject. You must clearly and unambiguously reference very insight, paraphrase, result, derivation, idea, or direct quotation you take from an- other source; every figure and/or table you include, unless your own work, must include a citation. Failure to properly cite the literature you used constitutes plagiarism, one of the most heinous crimes in science. Tables and table captions (optional). You may include tables in the body of your paper, near where you first refer to them, or on separate sheets of paper at the end. In general, tables are far less useful than figures, which are easier for readers to assimilate and authors to discuss. Every table must have a caption. All tables must be cited sequentially in your paper. Never include a table without explicitly discussing it in your 2Never write in any paper like “My topic is . . . ” or “This paper is about . . . .” Rather, make sure the topic and focus are clearly stated in your introduction. 3As a rule of thumb, give each sub-idea at least one paragraph. Remember that a paragraph is a kind of miniature paper. Each paragraph should make and discuss one (and only one) point. One sentence in each paragraph should clearly indicate (directly or indirectly) what the paragraph is about. If you can’t find such a sentence, then you need to revise the paragraph or combine it with a prior or subsequent one.