Writing
Scientifically
As
well as learning to use practical scientific skills such as
observation, drawing and labelling, it is also useful to practice
thinking and writing like scientists. When scientists write
about particular subjects, they use a type of text called an
information report.
You
can learn how to write information reports. However, it is important
to have an understanding of the topic, or field
knowledge, before being expected to write about it.
The
structure of information reports
An
information report is organised into distinct stages so that
its purpose is achieved. These stages are outlined below.
Title
- what the report is about
For
example: Scorpions
General
classification - a general statement about the topic
For
example:
‘Scorpions
are arachnids’ or ‘Spiders are arachnids’.
Description
- a number of paragraphs which describe the topic
in detail. Each paragraph usually focuses on a different aspect
of the topic, for example appearance, habitat, or behaviour.
Each
paragraph should also begin with a topic sentence. The topic
sentence (italicised below) foregrounds the information contained
in the rest of the paragraph.
For
example:
Scorpions
look very distinctive. Some are as big as a hand, while
many are as small as a little finger........
The
language features of information reports
Information
reports have several distinct language features:
- They
are written in the simple present tense,
unless the topic is about an extinct animal.
- The
subject of the information report (eg scorpion, spider) is
continually mentioned throughout the text. Pronouns such as
they and it are used to
prevent repetition of the subject and to make the text more
readable
- They
use some technical vocabulary.
For example:
arachnids, palps, chelicerae, etc
- They
use noun groups. Noun groups name some thing.
In addition they can describe or specify the noun. Short noun
groups may consist of a single word, for example ‘claws’.
Long noun groups compress information by clustering groups
of words before and/or after the noun.
For example:
large, heavy, pincer-like claws
which are attached to the cephalothorax
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