Ethan George ¶

Writing 2¶

Smith¶

April 24 2020¶

WP1: 1st Draft¶

In light of the fact that a biochemistry undergraduate major does not have much
experience with professional writing conventions outside of the STEM field. The
discipline of analysis for this project will be chemistry. Chemistry is a complicated
discipline in terms of its general writing conventions. Professional chemists, and many
scientists in general, lack sympathy for those uneducated on their subject of discourse
and make this known in their reports and articles. For the most part, their writing is
simply a generalization of experimental procedures and results that are very
informative, to-the-point, and meant to be understood by thoseAnalysis of the
Definitive Writing Conventions in Professional
Chemistry Research
Ethan George
University of California Santa Barbara

Abstract

This paper will be a thorough analysis of the specific methods and writing

conventions used in professional chemistry lab research and writings. I will discuss the

general structure of chemical lab reports and research papers including the separation

of information into categories like, abstract, introductions, results, and conclusions while

explaining why this structure is ideal for organizing information in a way that other

researchers can cite and find the important information that they need. I will then go on

to discuss observed parallels in writing such as a professional, informative diction and

tone, use of experimental data as evidence, and passive specificity while relating these
different approaches to the chemistry discipline as a whole. The style of writing these

scientists use is simply to discuss experimental results, trends, and conclusions in a

way that will be understood, checked, and replicated by other chemists in the same field

of study. With that being said, I, a first-year biochemistry undergraduate student with

elementary understanding of sophisticated chemical principles, lacked any true

understanding of the experimental processes, principles, or applications of any of the

scientific reports I encountered. ¶

However, I was, in fact, able to determine them as chemistry related

and found significant parallels in writing structure, citations, and use of
visual representations. These simple similarities mixed with practical
expressions of chemical knowledge in different fields make up the
jargon

Introduction
The chemistry discipline uses what’s called the “scientific method” to create
theories and hypotheses in which are tested experimentally (scientific). Data from
experiments are used to draw multiple conclusions that may or may not have had
anything to do with the original predictions from the experimenters. The goal of
professional chemistry writing is to present every aspect of an experiment (variables,
procedure, and data) and their analysis of their results to point out trends, new theories,
or other conclusions that may be drawn based on interpretation of data in a way that is
specific enough to be replicated and checked by other scientists but also very concise
and without unnecessary speculation or addition of personal opinion.

Structure
 Similar to this paper, chemists move from one section of information to another
by separating their work into categories. Based on the three reports I analyzed, there is
usually an abstract, short introduction, overview of experimental procedures, data and
results, then discussion of trends and conclusions. As opposed to lab reports, chemistry
research papers include the work of multiple professionals over a long period of time.
There are normally acknowledgements to the contributors of the research to ultimately
conclude the study piece before citing any other experiments or validated work.

Abstracts
The abstract is a complete overview of the study or experiment. It briefly skims
through every aspect of the experiment such as what is being tested, how it is being
tested, and what applications the test is relevant to. Abstracts do not include
interpretation of trends and specific procedural information. Its purpose is to give a
researcher the information they need to understand if this work is relevant to their field
of study. The title and the abstract tell researchers exactly what the purpose of the study
was so that people looking for that specific information can find it right at the beginning
without having to waste time reading a report that is irrelevant to them. Like this
paragraph and unlike my abstract for this writing paper, abstracts lack flow and are just
a compilation of basic information sentence by sentence. They are never in first person
and refrain form using expressive words.

Introductions
Sometimes introductions are clearly labeled but they usually follow the abstract.
Introductions provide a form of exposition in the sense that it briefly sets up the
experiment and its relevance. They present experimental objectives and premonitions
and state the real world conflict in which this experiment aims to resolve. In a diluted
example, if the experiment involved a reaction that converts a dangerous gas into one
that is more eco-friendly, the introduction would talk about the specific pollutant and
situations where it is produced in abundance. The work will then transition into how the
success of the experiment can take care of that problem on a larger scale. The
explanation of these processes aren’t as simple as the above example, however, and
include balanced equations and values already known and accepted by the chemistry
community. The purpose of this is to inform the reader where ‘inferred” is coming from
and how it relates to the experiment.

Experimental Methods
The methods portion of experimental lab reports include the general procedure of
constructing the experiment. Professionals use a passive specific tone in a way that not
every procedure is spelled out one by one, but there is enough information for
experienced scientists to understand what is being done and how. This section is
generally about a paragraph or two long and its purpose is to provide clear information
on certain laboratory techniques and methods that were used to construct this specific
experiment. It ultimately ties to the overarching goal of providing a piece of work that is
able to be thoroughly understood and replicable.

Results and Data

The results of the experiment are laid out thoroughly and include

observations, calculations, and visual figures with candid explanations. Scientists in

these lab reports almost always include labeled figures such as graphs and data tables

to get all data down in a presentable, easy-to-read way. These figures are often

numbered and referenced multiple times throughout the report when considering the

trends and possible interpretations. These trends are analyzed in this section as well

however, it is strictly in an experimental sense. If a graph is producing a linear cure, this

section will explain why that was expected or unexpected and what it means in terms of

the tested variables. The information in this section is presented in a clear layout that
makes it easy for other scientists to overview the necessary information. Graphs are the

1
most ideal way to gather and interpret an abundance of results and visualize trends.

we, colloquial speakers, couldn’t imagine understanding. This same jargon is the basis

of writing in the discipline of chemistry.¶

As previously stated, each lab report or discussion in the chemistry discipline is

straight to the point and very literal. Unlike historical writing or other complex forms, the

choice of wording to title the document refers to a very specific chemical reaction and

how it applies to the real world. ¶

For instance, an analysis of how a specific catalyst can speed up the transition of

a harmful greenhouse gas into a clean, eco friendly substance would be created in

professional terms relating definitively to the experiment, its procedure, and the

chemicals used. It is inferred that the person studying this experiment knows the

applications to the real world such as how this particular study aims to reduce air

pollution in automotives. ¶

This is something I would define as passive specificity (yes, I came up with this

myself). Professional chemists speak with the inference that their audience has gone

through the same years of “basic” preliminary undergraduate and graduate school

prerequisites as themselves. With this in mind, they feel no need to “sugar-coat” or walk

through elementary steps of concepts that should already be mutually understood. This

passive specificity is prominent in many other scientific research and makes it easy for

someone seeking specific information to find exactly what they are looking for.¶

1
Referring to “Murder! (Rhetorically Speaking)” by Janet Boyd and her definition of “Jargon” in terms of
genres¶
 The writings are very concise and condensed with information relevant to that

specific experiment or study. There is no exposition or context outside the very specific

experiment being analyzed or described. The complex scientific language and lack of

thorough explanation makes it known that the rea¶

der is expected to have an advanced prior understanding of the specific reaction

and that the reports promote alternative solutions or perspective to whatever the conflict

of study is.¶

Visual figures and candid descriptions are necessary when presenting the information in
the reports. These include different graphs and tables that correlate with the
experimental results. Visuals don’t require much explanation other than simple labels
and graph titles. Researchers are expected to see the trends and be able to read the
data and be able to determine its relevance by themselves.
“Good” lab reports are often between one and four pages and only include

important aspects of experimental data without disruption. The most important trends

and discoveries are presented early and are followed by developed reasoning then

worldly applications, steps on how to duplicate the experiment, or ways that made

results specific to a single experiment or study.¶

In a way, these reports are similar to the first few paragraphs of a news article.

The early sentences are loaded with the information most relevant to the reader. In the

case of chemistry, the early pieces of the writing includes what happened, how it

happened, and why it happened. Depending on the study, scientists may go on to relate

these results to clinical or physical applications, however, these aren’t really necessary

in an experimental lab report because the interpretation of an experiment by a single

scientist is not really important until that interpretation is considered valid by the science

community.¶

Discourse is fact-based and only supported through experimental trends. The

title and abstract allow a researcher to know exactly what conflict or study will be

discussed and how it was achieved. The simple goal of virtually all scientific reports and

analyses is to inform other scientists that are studying in similar fields of recorded

experimental results in a way that can be checked and/or recreated. ¶

Conclusions and Applications

This is the final section considering the real world significance of the
experimental results. It goes to offer different interpretations of the data and how this
new information can be used to resolve conflict in the field of study. This passage
presents new theories or ideas that other scientists can consider and test for in their
replication process. These theories are based strictly on experimental data and
information supported by trends. This goes more into the broad aspects of the specific
study within the discipline of chemistry. This subject addresses the conflict of interest
specifically and facilitates discussion of different resolutions if the original hypothesis fell
through.

Writing Conventions
Chemistry is a complicated discipline in terms of its general writing conventions.
Professional chemists, and many scientists in general, lack sympathy for those
uneducated on their subject of discourse and make this known in their reports and
articles. For the most part, their writing is simply a generalization of experimental
procedures and results that are very informative, to-the-point, and meant to be
understood by those in the same field of study. With that being said, a first-year
biochemistry undergraduate student with elementary understanding of sophisticated
chemical principles, will lack true understanding of the experimental processes,
principles, or applications of the majority of professional scientific lab reports .

Professional Jargon
As previously stated, each lab report or discussion in the chemistry discipline is
straight to the point and very literal. Unlike historical writing or other complex forms, the
choice of wording to title the document refers to a very specific chemical reaction and
how it applies to the real world. For instance, an analysis of how a specific catalyst can
speed up the transition of a harmful greenhouse gas into a clean, eco friendly
substance would be created in professional terms relating definitively to the experiment,
its procedure, and the chemicals used. Chemists speak with the inference that their
audience has gone through the same years of “basic” preliminary undergraduate and
graduate school prerequisites as themselves. It is inferred that the person studying this
experiment knows the applications to the real world such as how this particular study
may aim to reduce air pollution in automotives.

Passive Specificity
Professional writing doesn’t “sugar-coat” or walk through elementary steps of
concepts that should already be mutually understood. This passive specificity is
prominent in many other scientific research and makes it easy for someone seeking
specific information to find exactly what they are looking for. Reports are very
condensed with information relevant to that specific experiment or study. References to
similar relevant research and other notes scientists make excess exposition
unnecessary. This complex scientific language and lack of thorough explanation add to
the point that the audience of scientists these reports are made for are expected to have
an advanced prior understanding of the specific reaction and that the reports promote
alternative solutions or perspectives to whatever the conflict of study is.
Use of Experimental Data as Evidence
The only forms of evidence accepted in the chemistry discipline are

experimental data trends or previously confirmed trends justified and accepted by the

chemistry department. The evidence presented is checked by multiple scientists

through experimental replication before any new idea or theory can be considered

proven fact by the science community. The writing structure makes it easy for other

scientists to understand test variables and reproduce results.¶

Reproducibility is one of the most important ideas in any science because it allows
other scientists to validate or refute theories checked by other scientists. These reports
and research studies are the main form of communication in the chemistry
communication, therefore, it is important that they are structured clearly in a way that is
understood and gives every aspect necessary.