writing in the disciplines

reading data

Data, presented most frequently as graphic or tabular figures, is generally the heart of any scientific paper. As a reader, you must work to understand the data thoroughly in order to evaluate the study.

Before looking at the numbers, you should read and make sense of the axis or column and row labels and the legend accompanying the graph or table. When looking at graphs, you will also need to get a sense of scale. Sometimes the appearance of big changes over time can in fact result from the use of very small units.

Once you are comfortable with a figure, ask yourself:

• How did the researchers collect this data?
• What controls did the experimenters use?
• Are the units chosen appropriate for the claims being made?

Use the data to build your own idea of what the scientists did and how. Once you understand the data, you will be in a better position to critically evaluate the methods and materials and the interpretations given in the discussion section.

Adapted from Pechenik JA. A short guide to writing about biology. 4th ed. New York: Longman; 2001. 318 p.