How to Write a Biology Research Paper

Science advances with the help of all of us, although we do not realize it most of the time. Not only geniuses, but also common people work daily in a given field. Some people are researchers, other are practitioners, and the third group consists of planners and creators; at any rate, the progress of science is a collective enterprise, and not all work done by a few persons. You should know that your biology research paper does not have great value in comparison with some important books or articles in the field of biology, but still your paper can contain an idea to be elaborated by further explorations. Hence, writing a biology research paper may have positive impact on the progress of science, although very low. Here are some tips on how to write a biology research paper.

How to write a biology paper – 6 important tips

1. Understand your goals

First, you have to know why at all you should write a biology research paper. Basically, science papers demonstrate two types of skills: first, the skill to collect and present information, and the second type, research skills - to plan your experiment or observation, carry it out, check the results, ands explain them. The majority of people would prefer writing something like a lab report, but here you need to do your own research.

2. Topic and scope of a biology research paper

Define the topic and the scope of your biology research paper. Find a topic which is easy to explore, meaning that there is plenty of theoretical information available out there. Think also about the best conditions for conducting an experiment or observation. Ask your instructor if the topic is appropriate for researching.

3. Plan your research

This depends on your particular assignment. We advise you to choose an experiment which will be easy to conduct in your current hometown or place of residence (or in the vicinity). It should be conducted also during one or two days, in order to have more time to examine the results.

4. Theoretical framework

Read some academic articles on the subject. Your task is to collect information from the leading scientists in the field. Your experiment or observation will: either (1) prove the theory in question, or (2) will repudiate it. In the latter case, however, you need to offer your own theory, so we recommend you to employ the first strategy.

5. Experiment

Your experiment or observation should be related to the topic. Try to be very accurate and precise by noting every important data you observe or register. Take pictures, if possible. Work in team, or at least someone should also observe the process with you (do not forget: science is a collective enterprise).

6. Explain

Your biology research paper should address the following questions: 

• What is the particular object of research?
  
  
• What was your initial hypothesis (for instance, that under the circumstances of X, the object Y would do so and so, or the process Z will occur)?
  
  
• Data from the experiment – you could summarize them in a table/s, or by using graphs.
  
  
• Factors and variables- in short, these are the factors that could influence the results. Divide them into subjective (your own senses) and objective (conditions or process which you are not able to control) ones.
  
  
• Your explanation of the results - did they prove your hypothesis? If not, how would you explain the results? Remember that there is nothing strange in having different results than expected.

As a conclusion of your biology research paper, you can show some other possible explanations of the observed process or phenomena. However, it is advisable to argue in favor of your initial hypothesis, and show what exactly went wrong. Science advances through improving its hypotheses, instead of discarding them forever.