Chapter 5: Writing the Research Article, Part I: Abstract, Introduction, and Methods and Materials

1 The chapter distinguishes between internal and external purposes for a research project. Please select the internal purpose examples below.

to show why this research is necessary

to demonstrate to teachers or other researchers your competence as a researcher

to describe what this research is intended to demonstrate

to demonstrate the validity of your research methods in this inquiry

to qualify for an internship or fellowship

to qualify for a promotion in your professional position

to demonstrate the significance of this research beyond the research area

to demonstrate the validity of your research area as a discipline

Reading rhetorically journals and their articles in your research area is vital for understanding the audiences that the journal addresses. Based on the chapter, list (as sentences) at least three ways in which you can focus your reading in order to identify the intended audiences of the journal and of specific articles in it.

Example: Read the table of contents in order to learn the diversity or narrowness of the research topics in issues of the journal (including any special issues)

Please note that this exercise is not scored.

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2 Which of the following statements suggest why “audience splitting” has become more common in STEM research articles? Check all that apply.

It is typical for students in high school to read highly technical STEM articles in their courses.

Twenty-first-century technology has made it possible for more diverse audiences to read STEM research.

It has become common practice in STEM news journalism to link news articles to their research sources.

Aware of their broadening audiences, editors of research journals are more often tailoring abstracts to non-specialist readers.

Editors of research journals are urging authors to limit technical language in Methods and Materials sections.

3 According to the chapter, which of the following statements describe a purpose of the Abstract in the IMRD research article? Check all that apply.

to make it unnecessary to include all the IMRD sections in the article

to use the drafting and revising of the Abstract as a focusing and planning tool in your writing process

to attract the attention of readers so that they will read more of the article

to summarize key aspects of each of the four main sections of the IMRD research article

to reach a broader, non-specialist audience, since the Abstract often is written in less technical language than the rest of the article

Based on the explanation in the chapter, list (a) at least two reasons why the Methods and Materials (M/M) section of the IMRD article is least likely to be read, and then (b) three techniques a writer can use to make the Methods and Materials section of the IMRD article more “reader friendly.”

Please note that this exercise is not scored.

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