Working with Scientific Literature
Overview
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What is scientific literature
How to find it
How to read it
How to use it
Source reliability
Scientific Literature?
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Scientific Journals (Primary source)
Books (Secondary source)
Online Journals and books
Science Magazines
Newspapers
Websites
Scientific research is based on
questions
As a scientist you will read scientific literature
and question the ideas, hypotheses and
experiments of other scientists to gain
more knowledge.
If….then…statements
Task 1
• What is your current
knowledge of monkeys?
• What else would you like to
know about monkeys?
Task 2
Observe some interesting capuchin monkey
behaviour at Edinburgh Zoo.
http://vimeo.com/48287363
Did any of you have previous knowledge of this
behaviour ?
(i.e. Did you write this down in Task 1?)
Workbook Questions
1.Describe the behaviour of the monkeys in the clip.
2.Why do you think the monkeys are behaving in this way? Do all monkeys do this?
3. Before today did you know monkeys behaved in this way?
4.This behaviour is happening because.........Initial idea?
5.How could you prove your idea? This is the hard bit! Experiments?
6.How would you find out if other scientists had the same or different ideas to you?
7.Where would you go to find this information?
8.How would you start to search? Key words?
9.What key words would be relevant to describe what you just saw?
Task 3 – Key Words
Find out more!
What key words would you
use to describe the
monkeys’ behaviour?
monkey
behaviour
rubbing
plant
Key Word Search
Millions of hits!
Skim through the first few hits.
Decide if they may be of use to you.
New Key Words
Understand Your Key Words
Social –
Friendly companionship or relations. Could also pertain
to group/community living.
Self - Anointing –
To smear with any liquid
Find & Save the Literature
• This can take some time and patience. Don’t
give up…dig deep!
• Free or paid articles
• Free abstracts
• Save papers and abstracts
• Note URLs and date accessed!
Find 3 papers about your topic.
Task 4 – Find 3 papers
1. Identify the type of source (journal, book, etc).
2. Take note of the name of the source and authors and date
published (URL address and date accessed if online).
3. Read the abstract. The abstract will have a brief summary of the
paper and thus is very useful as it gives you information quickly.
4. Take note of key words if found
How to read it - The Basics
Name of the journal, volume and
year published
Title of the paper
Author(s) of the paper
Corresponding
author*
Author(s) Institutes
Sections of a Scientific Paper
This is not like reading a book
Abstract – Summary
Introduction – Background and why you did the study.
Methods – Very specifically how you conducted the study.
Results – Just the facts and figures on what you found out.
Discussion – Explain your results, what does it mean?
What have you proved or disproved?
Read the Abstract
Abstracts state the ;
Why – purpose
How – method
Results – findings
Conclusions – what it all means
Highlight the why, how, results and conclusions in the
Valderrama et al, 2000 abstract.
Read the Introduction
Look out for sentences like;
• We hypothesise that/the
objective/aim was …
• We report/suggest/propose …
• In contrast to/agreement
with previous work by…
Highlight both the first and last few
sentences of each paragraph.
Skim the Methods
Study Subjects
An explanation of the experiments
that were done. These can be
difficult to read and are often quite
technical. But it all comes down to
what was measured.
If the method is of interest to your
study read them carefully so you
can use their methods in your
experiments.
Study Site
Fundo Pecuario Masaguaral, cattle ranch and private
reserve in the Llanos of central Venezuela
Understand the Results
Look at pictures,
figures and tables.
What has been
measured?
Are there
identifiable trends?
Read the Discussion
• The discussion can be the most important part of the paper.
• It puts everything into context, connecting the background
information, your results and explains to the readers why this
research added to the field of study.
• This section allows you to have creative ideas on the
interpretation of your results as well explain why you did or
didn’t get the results you expected.
References
The reference section helps with your
literature search. Use it to find more articles.
(Note the Valderrama paper is included in the Lynch review)
Referencing papers and websites in your own
research project is a NECESSARY skill to learn.
There are various ways to reference, the
Harvard system is a widely accepted one
http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/harvard.htm
How To Reference
In Text
Citing a research paper with 2 authors
Previous studies have shown benzoquinones to be potent insect repellents
(Peschke and Eisner, 1987).
(Author 1 and Author 2 comma Year of publication) .
Reference list
Peschke, K., and Eisner, T. 1987. Defensive secretion of the tenebrionid beetle, Blaps mucronata:
Physical and chemical determinants of effectiveness. Journal of Comparative Physiology. 161, 377–
388.
Author, Initials., Year. Title of article. Full Title of Journal, Volume number (Issue/Part number), Page number(s).
How to use Sci Lit
Background Information
Find out what research has already been done on your topic
of interest.
Methodology
Replicate someone else’s study by using their methods.
Discussions
Come up with your own results then use the research papers
to back up your thoughts.
E.g. In our study on capuchin anointing behaviour we
found…which was a similar result to a previous study done
by Valderrama et al in 2000.
Peer Review – Reliabilty?
The process by which papers and
books are evaluated by other
scientists working in the same
area.
It aims to improve the quality of
publications by highlighting errors,
bias and weakness in the material.
These issues must be resolved by
the scientist prior to acceptance
for publication. As a result the
publication is more reliable.
Research or Review???
You may come across two main types of papers:
Research papers publish original experiments
and data carried out by a particular group of
scientists.
Reviews – summarise already published
research findings from many groups of scientists.
Reviews give an overview of all research in a
particular field which can be very useful.
Review
Is this accurate/reliable science
communication?
SCREEN SHOT ONLY
http://vimeo.com/48287364
Popular media – Do news papers
accurately reflect real science?
This article was written by a science journalist for the New York
Times http://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/05/science/for-monkeysa-millipede-a-day-keeps-mosquitoes-away.html
It relates to the Valderamma et al. 2000 paper you have read.
Do you think it is scientifically accurate? Well written? Reliable?
Web articles – Reliability?
This article is relevant to the paper written
by Weldon et al. 2003
http://mentalfloss.com/article/52378/monk
eys-use-mosquito-repellent-too
This article is relevant to the Valderamma et
al. 2000 paper
http://cei.org/news-letters-ceiplanet/monkeys-and-millipedes
Misrepresentation?
In an attempt to gain readers, headlines can often misrepresent
the real story. The following headlines come from three websites
‘Animals get stoned on bugs’
‘Animals that love to get high’
‘Monkeys get high in Florida’
Same video different headline
Medicinal millipedes
http://www.animalplanet.com/tvshows/other/videos/fooled-by-naturemedicinal-millipedes.htm
Animals on Drugs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwQ0ZiTYkQ
Acknowledgements
Resource designed by Alaina Macri- RZSS – Edinburgh Zoo and
Deirdre McCarthy - ASAB (Association for the Study of Animal
Behaviour)
• Wellcome Trust
• Dr Mark Bowler and Dr Emily Messer
– University of St Andrews