BIOL5393M Development of Novel Mass Spectrometry Techniques Leb Report, UOL

BIOL5393M Research Project module write up guidelines.

The project will be written up in the format of a research paper which will contribute 60% of the mark for the module.

The format adopted is that of Scientific Reports. It publishes a wide variety of work across the range of Biosciences so you should be able to find an example paper in the same broad area as your project to use as guidance. You may also find it helpful to look at papers from other journals that have used similar techniques and analyses.

Please note that you are NOT required to format the paper to look like a published paper in Scientific Reports but you should adhere to the guidelines below. Please use a minimum size font of Arial 11pt.

The following are taken from the Scientific Reports instructions to authors
https://www.nature.com/srep/publish/guidelines

The main text should be no more than 6,000 words EXCLUDING Abstract, References, Supplementary Information and figure legends, and should contain up to 8 figures (which can be composite) and/or tables. Supplementary information files are optional.

Introduction

Articulates the problem and provides essential background to the research described. Cites appropriate and recent primary literature.

Methods

All the methods used in the paper are described in sufficient detail to allow replication. Methods are written in a suitable journal format (not like a lab protocol). Key references are cited.

Results

Clear presentation of the data. Figures and tables fully described and interpreted in the text. Conclusions (even if negative) fully supported by the data. Where appropriate suitable quantitative analysis has been carried out. Replication has been mentioned. Appropriate controls have been used.

Figures and their legends

Are the figures appropriate? Graphs plotted with appropriate axes and units? Error bars where appropriate. Are figures good quality? Are the component parts properly labelled, and legible? Do the figure legends fully and accurately describe the figures and do the figure and legend make sense without the text? Are the figures publication quality or close to it (even if the results are not)?

Discussion

Where results are unexpected or negative some analysis of where things have gone wrong can be included but the discussion should also bring in a critical analysis of the relevant literature and whether the results agree or disagree with published work. Any novel findings should be highlighted. Where results are preliminary this should be discussed, and it should be permissible to propose how the work could be further developed. With the supervisor's agreement results and discussion can be combined.

Presentation (including abstract and referencing)

Abstract (max 200 words) should serve as a general introduction to the topic and a brief non-technical summary of the main results and their implications. References (Scientific Reports suggest as a guideline up to 60). For this piece of work please use the Leeds Harvard reference format. Endnote or other referencing software should be used. References should be complete, accurate, appropriate, and correctly formatted. Paper should be well structured and clearly written.

Optional Supplementary data

Can include useful information such as restriction maps or diagrams of constructs, raw data sets, code etc as advised by the supervisor. Allow the student to present information that are relevant but a distraction from the narrative of the paper or any further information required to fully reproduce the results.

Mark Scheme used will be the Level 5 marking scheme for research project dissertations.