Abstracting Research Papers - Steve Gaskin, University of Plymouth
Contact details
LTSN-GEES, University of Plymouth
Tel: 01752 233535
Fax: 01752 233534
Email: sgaskin@plymouth.ac.uk
Classification Category
- Bringing data/findings from staff research/consultancy into the curriculum.
This exercise links teaching and research through:
- Introducing 1st year students to a research journal article.
- Engaging students in discussion of research methods, research findings and the process of communicating research results.
- Involving them in writing an abstract for a research journal.
Context
- Course/unit/module title: Tutorials and Transferable Skills.
- Course title: Geography BSc (although it could easily be used on an Environmental Sciences programme).
- 1 (although it could be adapted easily for Stages 2, 3 or 4).
What does the teacher do?
This exercise involves providing a group of stage 1 Geography tutees in the second semester with a research paper that has been written by myself (simply for purposes of familiarity and the fact that students do study topics on soil science and erosion in the first year - see below) and then asking them to write an abstract for it. The exercise aims to develop key skills in scientific writing, critical analysis, summarising information and research design and planning. If a journal paper is chosen (as in this case) with plenty of data, the exercise also develops skills in data analysis and synthesis.
The article, which the author uses is about soil conservation and cryptogams (assemblages of algae, mosses, liverworts and lichens that live in close association with the soil surface) in the Nepal Middle Hills of the Southern Himalaya. The paper therefore provides a bit of an "exotic" dimension to the exercise (see Article). The paper I choose for this exercise, published in Earth Surface Processes and Landforms is relatively straight-forward in as much that the methods and data analysis sections are not complicated, and the article is not too long.
However, before the students are given a copy of the journal paper, all references to it throughout are erased (i.e. authors, date of publication, journal title, journal volume, page numbers and the accompanying abstract, plus article title and key words). This involves deleting the full journal reference that can often be found as a header on most journal pages. This is done so that the students are not able to find the article easily in the library, so that they cannot find the original abstract.
Once the paper has been handed out, I then go through it with my tutees, explaining the rationale for the research, the project aims, methods, main results (including figures and tables), discussion and conclusion. I encourage the students to ask questions while I am talking, and I also ask them questions on various aspects of the paper. This stage of the assignment provides an overview of the research and a good grounding for the next stage of the exercise when the students are asked to go away and read the paper in depth and to think critically about the methods, results and discussion. I assure the students that I am available to ask questions about any aspect of the research paper, which they may need to seek clarification on. Some do, some don't! The students are also informed why summarising information is an important and transferable skill, and one that they should therefore practice.
The students are then requested to write their own abstract to the paper, in about 500-750 words (which was the length of the actual abstract), and to provide the paper with an appropriate title such that it conveys to others the central aspects of the research. They are given guidance on how to write an abstract, using a step-wise approach (whereby they are asked to consider, in turn, various questions), including: Why was the research conducted? Where was it conducted? What methods were used? What were the main findings? What were the main conclusions? Were there any areas of further investigation recommended? (Further information on this approach can be found in the Appendix).
Once the student abstracts have been submitted, they are marked and returned to the students with the original abstract and full journal title and reference attached. A concluding discussion then takes place about the exercise and any particular problems that occurred with individuals or, across the group as a whole.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that the students enjoy this exercise. It is an ambitious exercise for first year students, but if an understandable journal paper is chosen and plenty of advice and encouragement given before, during and after the assignment, it can be a fruitful way of teaching students about summarising information, data analysis, "real-world" research (and its associated problems), writing clearly and careful and logical research planning.
It should be said that the students that I have set this exercise for have
all tackled it remarkably well, and the abstracts produced have been reasonably
accurate.
Hot tips and things to look out for
Think carefully about the stage that your students are at. If they are at stage 1, chose a straight-forward paper. If they are at stages 2 or 3, choose something more ambitious. Don't put your students off research (and your research!!) by over-complicating the exercise. Make it challenging and stimulating - not impossible and boring. This is a good way of introducing university research to students, so make it enjoyable too! Something to consider for the future is to encourage students not to use the first person in the briefing session prior to the assignment being set. Also, it may be useful to show the students a selection of other journal abstracts, prior to undertaking the assignment.
One problem that tutors may encounter should they consider introducing this
assignment to students in higher stages of their degree programme, is that
fact that the students might be able to track down the actual journal article
and abstract in the library, through more sophisticated e-search engines (using
key words etc.). (This was seen as unlikely for the majority of Stage 1 students
- but not impossible). If such reservations exist, a research paper that is
"in preparation" could be used instead.
Does it work?
Yes - anecdotal evidence suggests that it works, but I have undertaken no formal evaluation of its effectiveness.
What problems/issues have arisen?
If any, a few students get confused over the data, but once I go through it with them, they seem to make much more sense of it.
Details of support material/course work/assessment methods
(See Appendix for more details of support material)
Relevant references
This is the paper I use:
Gaskin, S. and Gardner, R. (2001) The role of cryptogams in runoff and erosion control on bariland in the Nepal Middle Hills of the Southern Himalaya, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 26, 1303-1315
The published article and abstract can be downloaded from Wiley InterScience.
Appendix
Specification for Abstracting a Journal Article
Your abstract should be no more than 750 words, excluding the title. Most good journals provide abstracts, so take a look at some of them in the library (e.g. Journal of Climatology, Area, Catena). They will provide you with a good guide to the purposes and content of an abstract.
Your abstract will need to demonstrate that you have delved into the article deeply.
This exercise therefore requires that you READ the article carefully and thereby familiarise yourself with its detailed contents.
How do I do it?
Head your abstract with an appropriate title for the article (think about a title that encapsulates the piece of research - but keep it academic!) Not "Himalayas are saved from erosion by magic algae!".
Then, organise your abstract in order to answer, as concisely as possible, the following key points about the article:
- What exactly the article is about (the subject);
- Why the author is writing about it (the justification/rationale);
- Where and when the work was carried out (the study area and the time);
- How the author is going about the task (the methods/approach);
- The key findings of the work (the main results);
- The conclusions from the work (and the contribution to knowledge that it makes);
- Any further work required or key questions that could be followed-up.
You should not provide any diagrams or graphs with your abstract.
When does this piece of work need to be done by, and is it assessed?
The assignment should be handed in during the tutorial on (XXXX). This piece of work will contribute 25% to the marks available for this part of the Tutorials and Transferable Skills module.
And Finally....
If you need any help with understanding the article, then just ask!