scholarly journals Figure Facts: Encouraging Undergraduates to Take a Data-Centered Approach to Reading Primary Literature

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer E. Round ◽  
A. Malcolm Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Scientific Discovery ◽  
Data Interpretation ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
Primary Research ◽  
Biology Students ◽  
Research Article ◽  
Primary Literature ◽  
Undergraduate Science

The ability to interpret experimental data is essential to understanding and participating in the process of scientific discovery. Reading primary research articles can be a frustrating experience for undergraduate biology students because they have very little experience interpreting data. To enhance their data interpretation skills, students used a template called “Figure Facts” to assist them with primary literature–based reading assignments in an advanced cellular neuroscience course. The Figure Facts template encourages students to adopt a data-centric approach, rather than a text-based approach, to understand research articles. Specifically, Figure Facts requires students to focus on the experimental data presented in each figure and identify specific conclusions that may be drawn from those results. Students who used Figure Facts for one semester increased the amount of time they spent examining figures in a primary research article, and regular exposure to primary literature was associated with improved student performance on a data interpretation skills test. Students reported decreased frustration associated with interpreting data figures, and their opinions of the Figure Facts template were overwhelmingly positive. In this paper, we present Figure Facts for others to adopt and adapt, with reflection on its implementation and effectiveness in improving undergraduate science education.

scholarly journals Information Literacy Strategies Used by Second- and Third-Year Biology Students

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Lantz ◽  
Paula R Dempsey
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Active Learning ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Scientific Practice ◽  
Scientific Discovery ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
Primary Research ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Literacy Strategies ◽  
Biology Students

Results from focus groups with 23 second- and third-year biology students revealed gradual gains in information literacy (IL) abilities and dispositions needed for them to join the community of scientific practice as laid out in the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. Students were consumers of information and not yet producers of information. They interacted often with primary research articles but struggled to use research tools effectively; remembered active learning vividly; and relied on video resources, Google, and discussions with peers and instructors to define terms and understand results. Findings support the value of collaboration between librarians and science faculty to incorporate IL skills in the process of scientific discovery.

scholarly journals Expert–Novice Comparison Reveals Pedagogical Implications for Students’ Analysis of Primary Literature

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. ar56 ◽  
Author(s):  
April A. Nelms ◽  
Miriam Segura-Totten
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Load ◽  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Cognitive Load Theory ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Data Interpretation ◽  
Scientific Article ◽  
Load Theory ◽  
Research Article ◽  
Primary Literature ◽  
Expert Novice

Student engagement in the analysis of primary scientific literature increases critical thinking, scientific literacy, data evaluation, and science process skills. However, little is known about the process by which expertise in reading scientific articles develops. For this reason, we decided to compare how faculty experts and student novices engage with a research article. We performed think-aloud interviews of biology faculty and undergraduates as they read through a scientific article. We analyzed these interviews using qualitative methods. We grounded data interpretation in cognitive load theory and the ICAP (interactive, constructive, active, and passive) framework. Our results revealed that faculty have more complex schemas than students and that they reduce cognitive load through two main mechanisms: summarizing and note-taking. Faculty also engage with articles at a higher cognitive level, described as constructive by the ICAP framework, when compared with students. More complex schemas, effectively lowering cognitive load, and deeper engagement with the text may help explain why faculty encounter fewer comprehension difficulties than students in our study. Finally, faculty analyze and evaluate data more often than students when reading the text. Findings include a discussion of successful pedagogical approaches for instructors wishing to enhance undergraduates’ comprehension and analysis of research articles.

scholarly journals Assessing students’ ability to critically evaluate evidence in an inquiry-based undergraduate laboratory course

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 154-162
Author(s):  
Kay Colthorpe ◽  
Hyab Mehari Abraha ◽  
Kirsten Zimbardi ◽  
Louise Ainscough ◽  
Jereme G. Spiers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
Communication Processes ◽  
Primary Literature ◽  
Undergraduate Laboratory ◽  
Scientific Research Articles ◽  
Undergraduate Science ◽  
The Impact

The ability to critically evaluate and use evidence from one’s own work or from primary literature is invaluable to any researcher. These skills include the ability to identify strengths and weakness of primary literature, to gauge the impact of research findings on a field, to identify gaps in a field that require more research, and to contextualize findings within a field. This study developed a model to examine undergraduate science students’ abilities to critically evaluate and use evidence through an analysis of laboratory reports from control and experimental groups in nonresearch-aligned and research-aligned inquiry-based laboratory classes, respectively, and contrasted these with published scientific research articles. The reports analyzed ( n = 42) showed that students used evidence in a variety of ways, most often referring to literature indirectly, and least commonly highlighting limitations of literature. There were significant positive correlations between grade awarded and the use of references, evidence, and length, but there were no significant differences between control and experimental groups, so data were pooled. The use of evidence in scientific research articles ( n = 7) was similar to student reports except that expert authors were more likely to refer to their own results and cite more references. Analysis showed that students, by the completion of the second year of their undergraduate degree, had expertise approaching that of published authors. These findings demonstrate that it is possible to provide valuable broad-scale undergraduate research experiences to all students in a cohort, giving them exposure to the methods and communication processes of research as well as an opportunity to hone their critical evaluation skills.

scholarly journals Perceived Challenges in Primary Literature in a Master’s Class: Effects of Experience and Instruction

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. ar77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Lie ◽  
Christopher Abdullah ◽  
Wenliang He ◽  
Ella Tour
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Lower Order ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
Master's Level ◽  
Master's Students ◽  
Primary Literature ◽  
Scientific Papers ◽  
Structured Analysis

Primary literature offers rich opportunities to teach students how to “think like a scientist,” but the challenges students face when they attempt to read research articles are not well understood. Here, we present an analysis of what master’s students perceive as the most challenging aspects of engaging with primary literature. We examined 69 pairs of pre- and postcourse responses from students enrolled in a master’s-level course that offered a structured analysis of primary literature. On the basis of these responses, we identified six categories of challenges. Before instruction, “techniques” and “experimental data” were the most frequently identified categories of challenges. The majority of difficulties students perceived in the primary literature corresponded to Bloom’s lower-order cognitive skills. After instruction, “conclusions” were identified as the most difficult aspect of primary literature, and the frequency of challenges that corresponded to higher-order cognitive skills increased significantly among students who reported less experience with primary literature. These changes are consistent with a more competent perception of the primary literature, in which these students increasingly focus on challenges requiring critical thinking. Students’ difficulties identified here can inform the design of instructional approaches aimed to teach students how to critically read scientific papers.

Ignition delay in hydrogen–air and syngas–air mixtures: Experimental data interpretation via flame propagation

2010 ◽  
Vol 157 (7) ◽  
pp. 1436-1438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergey P. Medvedev ◽  
Gennady L. Agafonov ◽  
Sergey V. Khomik ◽  
Boris E. Gelfand
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Flame Propagation ◽  
Ignition Delay ◽  
Data Interpretation

scholarly journals Math and science outcomes for students of teachers from standard and alternative pathways in Texas

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Michael Marder ◽  
Bernard David ◽  
Caitlin Hamrock
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Algebra I ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Alternative Pathways ◽  
Biology Students ◽  
University Preparation ◽  
Alternative Routes ◽  
Almost All ◽  
High Stakes Exams

Texas provides a unique opportunity to examine teachers without standard university preparation, for it prepares more teachers through alternative pathways than any other state. We find two advantages for mathematics and science teachers prepared in the standard way. First, since 2008 they have been staying in the classroom longer than those who pursued alternative routes. Second, we analyze student performance on Algebra 1 and Biology exams over the period 2012-2018. Algebra I students with experienced teachers from standard programs gain .03 to .05 in standard deviation units compared to students whose teachers were alternatively prepared. For Biology students there are fewer statistically significant differences, although when differences exist they almost all favor standard programs. These effects are difficult to measure in part because teachers are not assigned to teach courses with high-stakes exams at random. Nevertheless, we find strong evidence in Algebra I that students learn more when their teachers have standard preparation. In Biology there is also evidence but less compelling. Thus, we recommend that all states bolster traditional university-based teacher certification, that Texas not take drastic action to curtail alternative certification, and that other states not allow it to grow too quickly.

scholarly journals Move Structure of Research Article Abstracts on Management: Contrastive Study (the Case of English and Russian)

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Zanina
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Russian Language ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
Linguistic Differences ◽  
Contrastive Study ◽  
Research Article ◽  
Linguistic Research ◽  
Academic Communication

Although a plethora of papers have proved a seminal role of move-based genre analysis in cross-linguistic research of academic communication and EAP/ESP teaching and learning, there is a lack of respective linguistic or pedagogically motivated studies of research articles (RAs) and their parts aimed at comparing English and Russian. Using Hyland’s (2000) 5-move model, the current research seeks to determine the most obvious cross-linguistic differences in the move structure of abstracts of research articles on management for these languages. Based on a move analysis of the English- and Russian-language corpora each comprising 20 unstructured RA abstracts, the research revealed conformity of most English-language abstracts to Hyland’s model, while the Russian abstracts principally displayed a three-move structure containing ‘purpose’, ‘method’ and ‘product’, and included the ‘introduction’ and ‘conclusion’ moves only occasionally. Other significant discrepancies comprised the English-language authors’ tendency to provide precise or detailed indication of research methods and results, in contrast to their brief indication or over-generalized mentioning by Russian writers, as well as greater length of the English-language abstracts and their stricter concordance to standard move sequence than those of the Russian abstracts. Though the research was conducted on relatively small corpora and was descriptive in nature, its findings might be of interest to genre analysts as well as to L2 theorists and practitioners.

scholarly journals The Most Influential Papers in Infectious Meningitis Research: A Bibliometric Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Bertelli Ramos ◽  
Frederico Arriaga Criscuoli de Farias ◽  
Manoel Jacobsen Teixeira ◽  
Eberval Gadelha Figueiredo
Keyword(s):  
New England ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Single Agent ◽  
The United States ◽  
Common Type ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
Yale University ◽  
Primary Research ◽  
Aids Pandemic ◽  
Control And Prevention

Background: Bibliometric analyses allow detecting citation trends within a field, including assessments of the most cited journals, countries, institutions, topics, types of study, and authors. Objectives: To perform a bibliometric analysis of the 100 most cited papers within infectious meningitis research. Methods: The 100 most cited publications and their data were retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science during 2019. Results: The New England Journal of Medicine had the greatest number of articles (27) and citations (12,266) in the top 100. Articles were mainly published after the late 1980s. Bacteria were the most discussed agents (72 articles and 26,362 citations), but Cryptococcus sp represented the most-discussed single agent (16 articles and 6,617 citations). Primary research represented 70 articles and 25,754 citations. Among them, the most discussed topic was Clinical Features and Diagnosis/Outcomes (22 articles and 8,325 citations). Among the 27 secondary research articles, the most common type of study was Narrative Review (18 articles and 5,685 citations). The United States was the country with the greatest number of articles (56) and citations (21,388). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Yale University had the greatest number of articles (six each), being CDC the most cited (3,559). Conclusions: The most cited articles within meningitis research are primary research studies, more frequently published in high IF journals and by North American institutions. Bacterial meningitis comprises the majority of publications. The articles were mainly published after the AIDS pandemic and after the implementation of the main vaccines for meningitis.

scholarly journals A Discourse Analysis: Cohesion of the Introduction Section of Research Article

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Anis Firdatul Rochma ◽  
Sulis Triyono
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
Semantic Meaning ◽  
Lexical Cohesion ◽  
Research Article ◽  
English Academic Writing ◽  
Writing Competence

<em>As an effort to give contribution to the existing knowledge, it is expected for the undergraduate students to compose an engaging research article in order to convince the readers about the importance of the research article. However, there is only a little attention given to the articles written by the undergraduate students although it is considered very critical to examine whether the exposure of English academic writing has significantly enhances the writing competence of the students. Furthermore, as it is also very crucial to build a meaningful semantic meaning among the sentences in order to disclose the worthiness of the research article, it is essential to analyze the cohesion of the research article written by the undergraduate students. Henceforth, the present research is projected to investigate the cohesion of the research articles written by the undergraduate students of English Language Teaching. As the introduction section of research article is likely to be an area to portray the logical explanation of the research, the present research solely focuses on examining the cohesion of the introduction section of research article. By adopting a qualitative design and involving several steps to analyze the introduction section, it is revealed that the grammatical cohesion is considered to be the most utilized type of cohesion in writing the introduction section. Still, the lexical cohesion is also necessary to build an eloquent semantic meaning about the topic as well the importance of the research article.</em>

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