Notes on a first draft

Physics 480W, Experimental Modern Physics

Spring 2011

I dug up a first draft from a previous semester. I wonder about the wisdom about letting you see this without first having you study the writing standards (refer again to our rubric), how to compose a research paper (refer again to parts I and II of the AIP style manual, and the outline below), how to format mathematical prose (refer again to Mermin's 3 rules, and, of course, to all the LaTeX stuff), and, well, the precise laboratory assignment which the student was trying to meet. So let me give an outline of the principal parts....


Principal Parts of a Research Paper
      The principal parts of a research paper are as follows:
  1. Abstract
    1. State what you did and your results.
    2. Quote values using scientific notation, using significant figures correctly.
    3. Be extremely concise.
  2. Introduction
    1. What problem are you solving?
    2. Why is this subject area interesting?
    3. What is the current thinking on this problem?
    4. What are you adding here that is new, or, how does your contribution fit into what is known on the subject?
    5. What is the organization of the paper?
  3. Main Body of Paper
    1. What experiments did you try to solve the problem? What apparatus did you use? How does the experiment work?
    2. Describe the theory that is pertinent to your answer. Reference the work or results that you will assume or make use of.
    3. Describe your results. Be concise.
  4. Conclusions
    1. Answer the question that is set forth in the introduction.
    2. Sum up your argument, make your case clear.
  5. References
  6. Figures and Tables (include captions for both)


And here are links to pages images of a first draft. How would you score it? How would you file out a reviewers form for this one?
Greg Severn 2011