STP Scientific Writing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which section of a scientific paper is typically written last but placed first?
- Introduction
- Abstract (Correct answer)
- Methods
- Discussion
Correct answer: Abstract
The abstract is written last because it summarizes the entire paper, including results and conclusions not known until the study is complete.
Question 2: In IMRAD structure, what does the 'R' stand for?
- Research
- References
- Results (Correct answer)
- Review
Correct answer: Results
IMRAD stands for Introduction, Methods, Results, And Discussion — the standard format for most scientific research articles.
Question 3: Which citation style is most commonly used in biomedical and clinical sciences?
- APA
- Vancouver (Correct answer)
- Chicago
- MLA
Correct answer: Vancouver
The Vancouver system uses numbered citations in order of appearance and is standard in biomedical journals including those following ICMJE recommendations.
Question 4: A p-value of 0.03 should be reported in a scientific paper as:
- p < 0.05
- p = 0.03 (Correct answer)
- p > 0.01
- NS
Correct answer: p = 0.03
Exact p-values should be reported rather than threshold comparisons, as recommended by APA and most modern journal guidelines.
Question 5: What is the purpose of a 'limitations' paragraph in the Discussion section?
- To discredit the study findings
- To acknowledge factors that may affect generalizability (Correct answer)
- To request more funding
- To list failed experiments
Correct answer: To acknowledge factors that may affect generalizability
A limitations paragraph honestly addresses constraints such as sample size or design flaws that may affect the validity or generalizability of conclusions.
Question 6: Which verb tense is conventionally used to describe your own Methods in a scientific paper?
- Present tense
- Future tense
- Past tense (Correct answer)
- Present perfect
Correct answer: Past tense
Methods are written in the past tense because they describe actions already completed during the study.
Question 7: What is a 'corresponding author' in a multi-author scientific paper?
- The lead researcher who did most of the work
- The author responsible for post-publication communication (Correct answer)
- The most senior author listed last
- The author who submitted the manuscript
Correct answer: The author responsible for post-publication communication
The corresponding author handles all journal communication including peer review responses, proofs, and post-publication queries from readers.
STP Scientific Writing 2
Which section of a scientific paper is typically written last but placed first?