Crafting Academic Writing in Agricultural Sciences

AC A D E M I C W R I T I N G F O R 6 T H Y E A R AG R I C U LT U R A L S C I E N C E

W H AT I S R E QU I R E D O F O U R S T U D E N T S To create a scientific paper pertinent to a theme of agricultural significance 1. This is common to both higher and ordinary level students. 2. Maximum word count is 2500 3. Full subheadings must be utilized; 1. Title 2. Introduction (300-500) 3. Investigative process (500-800) 4. Result, analysis and conclusions (600-1000) 5. Self-reflection (150-200) 4.

A N E X A M P L E I T I N E R A RY TO G I V E E N O U G H T I M E Begin after the Easter holidays If you have adequate IT in your school, book an hour a week to keep the foot down on the research This window is one of opportunity, this is where much of the ideas can be ironed out, refined, or broadened depending on what it is they wish to do Keep it simple!!!

T H E I N T RO D U C T I O N The introduction section of a scientific study is to try to outline your reasoning behind your experiment. Imagine explaining to someone you know or have just met the reason behind doing the experiment. Allow yourself several paragraphs to develop this point The first paragraph is for opening the topic overall. The middle paragraphs are for using sources of information that connects with your idea These sources can be for or against your argument, but once they are pertinent, they will add importance to your experiment.

H OW TO BAC K U P YO U R P O I N T- R E F E R E N C I N G If for example the theme is "conservation in Irish Agriculture", you need to use the "buzzwords" from the theme to aid in your search for information I personally used Google scholar, and I would search conservation and agriculture which is going to give me a plethora of articles connected to this. It can also be websites,Teagasc is an incredible resource, as is the farmers' journal and other agricultural outlets as such When you open your article or piece of info you want, use your mouse, copy and paste it into your word document. IMPORTANT: IMPORTANT: YOU MUST CHANGE THIS INFORMATION INTO YOUR OWN WORDS IT CANNOT REMAIN WORD FOR WORD.

T H E T R I C K W I T H G O O G L E S C H O L A R When you have found this nugget of information, click back on the webpage to the google scholar search results You will find under your article a selection of tabs, one of which is the "CITE" button. Click the cite button and a window shows you the main methods of referencing. Click on the harvard example and the whole reference is highlighted, right click and press copy At the base of your word document, create a subheading "bibliography", and add all references of sources under this as you go through your research! References must be in alphabetical order, but this can be changed near the end of writing

U S I N G YO U R S O U R C E / H OW TO R E F E R E N C E I N T E X T Example as follows: The use of buffer strips have been increasing throughout England and mainland Europe in recent year, due to the buffer strip's ability to prevent run-off entering waterways and hedgerows (Twomey and Twomey, 2022). Example two: Twomey and Twomey, (2022) found that buffer strips have a positive impact on habitats due to the trips protecting hedgerows, waterways, streams, limiting run-off into them... How the Bibliography example will look is as follows: Krebs, J.R. and Davies, N.B. eds., Krebs, J.R. and Davies, N.B. eds., 2009. John Wiley & Sons John Wiley & Sons 2009. Behavioural Behavioural ecology: an evolutionary approach ecology: an evolutionary approach. .

M E T H O D S S E C T I O N The methods section is a section where you throw every single piece down on to the page that if I wanted to repeat your experiment, everything is included for me to do so. Include everything from the location, literal coordinates, the sizes of land you are looking at, the timeframe, the machinery, the list goes on. If you find a study online or even from textbooks that is a similar method, you can use it and copy it, once you reference the source of that information. This is a good thing as it shows your method is reliable and reusable

T H E R E S U LT S This section is only about commenting on significant result you have encountered in your study Don t start talking about them until you begin your paragraphs on your discussion. You are only stating the results as fact because that is what you found out to be true Use tables, graphs or figures to illustrate these facts and result When you begin your discussion, that is where you will connect those figures and results to your experiment/introduction and state what they are telling you

D I S C U S S I O N C O N C L U S I O N I M P O RTA N T ! This section is very important. This is where you try to plug your findings into the rest of the literature on your topic. What this means is, does it agree with what you have found I your introduction articles, or is it brand new, is it something that goes against what is already known? This section will have referencing, especially in the style of comparing what you know beforehand and what you know now (see my bullet point about this above)