Manuscript Project

 

The Manuscript Project was a group project conducted mainly in Chemistry and Technical Reading and Writing. The main goal of this endeavor was for us as individuals and as a class to learn the process and work required to write a scientific manuscript for an actual research study. A secondary goal of this project was for us to learn methods to write with other people. The final product was a manuscript, written by the whole class, which was then reviewed by professionals and student volunteers. Once the necessary changes have been made, the manuscript will be submitted for publishing to an actual scientific journal.

Throughout this project, I learned many different concepts and ideas that have helped me become a better writer. Although many of these things were small concepts, such as the organization of a scientific manuscript, there is one concept in particular in which I feel I grew immensely. At the Dayton STEM School we do many group projects, in which we must work with our fellow students to create a final product. This project took that to a whole new level. I feel that the way I grew most through this project was in my ability to write collaboratively with a large group of people. This growth is evident in both the discussion section that I helped write and in the manuscript as a whole which I helped edit and compile.

The first step in this project was for us to conduct a scientific study to collect data. We began by conducting research on lead and calcium to give us background knowledge on the topic on which we would be focusing. To do this, the class was split into different groups to research specific aspects of lead and calcium. Some of the topics that groups researched were: how to prevent lead poisoning, how to cure lead poisoning, the history of lead poisoning, and the physiological effects of lead on the body. Within our groups we broke down the subject further so each of us looked at a small part of the main subject in order to understand it better. After our research was complete, each of us created an annotated bibliography of our findings.

 

We then moved on to understanding the double blind triangle test we would be conducting with visitors from exhibition night. Once this was understood, the group looked at other ways we could educate the public, such as with games or videos. When we had a few ideas, we split into groups to come up with how the idea would actually work and wrote steps for other people who would use our idea to educate the participants. In these groups we developed instructions for how to run the specific station for our idea, created signs for our station, organized the materials needed, and wrote a script guiding students on what to say to the visitors. When the study was complete and all of the data had been collected, we as a class condensed and interpreted the data into graphs and figures to represent our findings.

 

We then began learning about all of the different sections that make up a scientific manuscript. Our teacher showed us examples of each section and explained the criteria that was fit for each section. Students then signed up to write different parts of the manuscript that they were interested in. Those students who didn’t write a specific section contributed by editing and reviewing the content written by the drafters. After all of the sections had been written out and we had created the first draft of the paper, we broke into pairs to edit and refine our paper. We edited grammar mistakes, reworded phrases, and noted areas that we needed to add more information. These edited versions of the manuscript were then given to a group of editors who would go on to refine the paper into a second draft. This draft was then reviewed by a group of professionals who will then gave the editors feedback on what they need to change. Once these changes have been made, we will submit the manuscript to journals, hoping to get the manuscript published.

 

The biggest way I feel that I grew through this project was in my ability to write collaboratively with a large group of people. This is evident in the discussion section I helped write. The discussion section of a scientific manuscript is one of the most important sections. Three of the topics that are typically mentioned in the discussion are the interpretations of the data, the limitations of the study, and what’s next for these findings. In the section focused on interpreting the data, we refer to the tables and figures contained in the results section. We explain what this data means, what we think it is telling us, and how this newfound knowledge can be used in other areas. In the section focused on the limitations of the study, we discuss the shortcomings and errors made during the study. This reflection can lead to mentioning how we believe we could improve the study to collect more accurate data, have smoother methods, or remove unnecessary elements of the study for a more focused approach. In the section focused on what’s next, we explain how we can move forward with this information. We can mention things such as potential applications of the knowledge, additional testing still to be conducted, or a new found question that we hope to answer. With each member of the group contributing their thoughts and ideas to the discussion section we were able to create a section that included everyone’s views on the topic while wrapping it all up into a few paragraphs. The conversations that took place and the thought process we went through to write this taught me how to combine a group of people’s ideas into one document. This helped me grow in my ability to write collaboratively with a large group of people.

 

My growth in my ability to write collaboratively with a large group of people is also evident in the final, compiled manuscript that the whole class wrote. Although each of us participated and contributed to different aspects of the manuscript, we all authored the manuscript and played a part in its creation. We all read over the whole document, reworded phrases, and revised areas that we felt were inaccurate. In this artifact there are probably hundreds of different concepts that can be found. However, I think that there are a few concepts that stand out. One of these key concepts is the “shape” of the introduction. In the introduction section, we wanted to start out with a broad concept and methodically narrow our focus to the specific area of interest in which our study “fit”. This began with discussing previous information (background research) and explaining what we already knew. We then built off of this to explain what we didn’t know and what we wanted to know at the end of this study. This concept was vital to a solid foundation for building the rest of the paper. The second key concept, much like the first concept, was the “shape” of the conclusion section. Unlike the introduction, the conclusion started out narrow, focused on our specific interest, and slowly expanded back to the general, broad topic of discussion. This allowed us to wrap up our study into a key phrase (take home message) and show how it related to the overall topic. The third important concept that was much more subtle in this manuscript was a method we used to write with multiple individuals. This process, though relatively simple, was revolutionary to me because it was easy, made sense, and produced great results. This process involved each person in the group writing their own draft of the section and coming up with the key points/ideas in this section. The group members then compared what they wrote and pieced together (like a puzzle) the section using bits and phrases from each contributor. Because we as a class, were able to blend our ideas together to create one cohesive manuscript, this document proves that I grew in my ability to write collaboratively with a large group of people.

I feel that this project has helped me in many ways academically and even taught me a few real life lessons as well. I learned methods and strategies to share information, how to represent a group’s sentiment or ideas on a topic in a few paragraphs, and how to revise and polish a document that was written by many people. I know that these skills will be invaluable as I continue in my academic and professional career. This project helped redefine the boundaries in my ability to collaborate with others. Although I also learned many practical concepts in how to write scientific manuscripts through this project, the biggest area I grew through this project was in my ability to write collaboratively with a large group of people.

 

The Manuscript Project was a group project conducted mainly in Chemistry and Technical Reading and Writing. The main goal of this endeavor was for us as individuals and as a class to learn the process and work required to write a scientific manuscript for an actual research study. A secondary goal of this project was for us to learn methods to write with other people. The final product was a manuscript, written by the whole class, which was then reviewed by professionals and student volunteers. Once the necessary changes have been made, the manuscript will be submitted for publishing to an actual scientific journal.

Throughout this project, I learned many different concepts and ideas that have helped me become a better writer. Although many of these things were small concepts, such as the organization of a scientific manuscript, there is one concept in particular in which I feel I grew immensely. At the Dayton STEM School we do many group projects, in which we must work with our fellow students to create a final product. This project took that to a whole new level. I feel that the way I grew most through this project was in my ability to write collaboratively with a large group of people. This growth is evident in both the discussion section that I helped write and in the manuscript as a whole which I helped edit and compile.

The first step in this project was for us to conduct a scientific study to collect data. We began by conducting research on lead and calcium to give us background knowledge on the topic on which we would be focusing. To do this, the class was split into different groups to research specific aspects of lead and calcium. Some of the topics that groups researched were: how to prevent lead poisoning, how to cure lead poisoning, the history of lead poisoning, and the physiological effects of lead on the body. Within our groups we broke down the subject further so each of us looked at a small part of the main subject in order to understand it better. After our research was complete, each of us created an annotated bibliography of our findings.

 

We then moved on to understanding the double blind triangle test we would be conducting with visitors from exhibition night. Once this was understood, the group looked at other ways we could educate the public, such as with games or videos. When we had a few ideas, we split into groups to come up with how the idea would actually work and wrote steps for other people who would use our idea to educate the participants. In these groups we developed instructions for how to run the specific station for our idea, created signs for our station, organized the materials needed, and wrote a script guiding students on what to say to the visitors. When the study was complete and all of the data had been collected, we as a class condensed and interpreted the data into graphs and figures to represent our findings.

 

We then began learning about all of the different sections that make up a scientific manuscript. Our teacher showed us examples of each section and explained the criteria that was fit for each section. Students then signed up to write different parts of the manuscript that they were interested in. Those students who didn’t write a specific section contributed by editing and reviewing the content written by the drafters. After all of the sections had been written out and we had created the first draft of the paper, we broke into pairs to edit and refine our paper. We edited grammar mistakes, reworded phrases, and noted areas that we needed to add more information. These edited versions of the manuscript were then given to a group of editors who would go on to refine the paper into a second draft. This draft was then reviewed by a group of professionals who will then gave the editors feedback on what they need to change. Once these changes have been made, we will submit the manuscript to journals, hoping to get the manuscript published.

 

The biggest way I feel that I grew through this project was in my ability to write collaboratively with a large group of people. This is evident in the discussion section I helped write. The discussion section of a scientific manuscript is one of the most important sections. Three of the topics that are typically mentioned in the discussion are the interpretations of the data, the limitations of the study, and what’s next for these findings. In the section focused on interpreting the data, we refer to the tables and figures contained in the results section. We explain what this data means, what we think it is telling us, and how this newfound knowledge can be used in other areas. In the section focused on the limitations of the study, we discuss the shortcomings and errors made during the study. This reflection can lead to mentioning how we believe we could improve the study to collect more accurate data, have smoother methods, or remove unnecessary elements of the study for a more focused approach. In the section focused on what’s next, we explain how we can move forward with this information. We can mention things such as potential applications of the knowledge, additional testing still to be conducted, or a new found question that we hope to answer. With each member of the group contributing their thoughts and ideas to the discussion section we were able to create a section that included everyone’s views on the topic while wrapping it all up into a few paragraphs. The conversations that took place and the thought process we went through to write this taught me how to combine a group of people’s ideas into one document. This helped me grow in my ability to write collaboratively with a large group of people.

 

My growth in my ability to write collaboratively with a large group of people is also evident in the final, compiled manuscript that the whole class wrote. Although each of us participated and contributed to different aspects of the manuscript, we all authored the manuscript and played a part in its creation. We all read over the whole document, reworded phrases, and revised areas that we felt were inaccurate. In this artifact there are probably hundreds of different concepts that can be found. However, I think that there are a few concepts that stand out. One of these key concepts is the “shape” of the introduction. In the introduction section, we wanted to start out with a broad concept and methodically narrow our focus to the specific area of interest in which our study “fit”. This began with discussing previous information (background research) and explaining what we already knew. We then built off of this to explain what we didn’t know and what we wanted to know at the end of this study. This concept was vital to a solid foundation for building the rest of the paper. The second key concept, much like the first concept, was the “shape” of the conclusion section. Unlike the introduction, the conclusion started out narrow, focused on our specific interest, and slowly expanded back to the general, broad topic of discussion. This allowed us to wrap up our study into a key phrase (take home message) and show how it related to the overall topic. The third important concept that was much more subtle in this manuscript was a method we used to write with multiple individuals. This process, though relatively simple, was revolutionary to me because it was easy, made sense, and produced great results. This process involved each person in the group writing their own draft of the section and coming up with the key points/ideas in this section. The group members then compared what they wrote and pieced together (like a puzzle) the section using bits and phrases from each contributor. Because we as a class, were able to blend our ideas together to create one cohesive manuscript, this document proves that I grew in my ability to write collaboratively with a large group of people.

I feel that this project has helped me in many ways academically and even taught me a few real life lessons as well. I learned methods and strategies to share information, how to represent a group’s sentiment or ideas on a topic in a few paragraphs, and how to revise and polish a document that was written by many people. I know that these skills will be invaluable as I continue in my academic and professional career. This project helped redefine the boundaries in my ability to collaborate with others. Although I also learned many practical concepts in how to write scientific manuscripts through this project, the biggest area I grew through this project was in my ability to write collaboratively with a large group of people.