Scientific Writing

Scientific writing differs from writing in the humanities in several respects. This introduction covers issues such as: proper literature research, use of sources, appropriate style, and proper citations while preparing written scientific work. Adherence to these guidelines will improve your grade and prevent accidental plagiarism.

Avoiding Plagiarism

Sentences that lack in-text citations are rare in scientific writing. Such sentences are reserved for the original results and/or ideas of the author him/herself. All other material in a scientific work must paraphrase the source from which the material is derived, and cite the source of the material with an in-text citation. Failing to paraphrase or cite a source (or both) constitutes plagiarism.

Paraphrasing a source means to re-word the ideas or data presented into your own words. Re-arranging words does not qualify as paraphrasing: the sentence must be your own. Word-for-word quotes (whether cited or not) are also plagiarism in scientific writing (see the “Scientific Style” section below).

A less obvious form of plagiarism is the sequential over-use of a source. If you find yourself citing the same reference over and over again in sequence, you are over-using this source and too closely following its argument. This too is plagiarism: you are simply re-writing a long passage from your source. Your argument should be your own, with sources cited as support. Properly-written scientific work will alternate between sources, bringing in ideas and supporting data from a variety of references.

Using Sources

The best way to avoid accidental plagiarism when using sources is to take notes in your own words, and record the source for later citation. One method is to use a separate sheet of paper (or Word Document) for each reference. Title each page with the bibliographic information from the source. Then, record your notes from that source in your own words. Later, when writing, do not use the sources directly, but only your notes. Another option is to use the Split-page system or the Cornell Note Taking System to organize your thoughts and practice interacting with the material.