Q: How do I identify and describe any two different ways of reporting scientific findings?

Detailed Question -

Identify and describe any two different ways of reporting scientific finding

1 Answer to this question
Answer:

If you are looking for ways to present your research, you will find that there are more than two! In terms of journal publications alone, there are six common types of articles journals publish. Understanding these better will help you identify the right kind of article for your work.

It boils down to whether you are looking to publish primary literature or secondary literature. If you are reporting novel findings, then an original article published as a traditional journal publication may work best for you. The other types are:

  • Review articles, which critically and constructively analyze existing/previously published research on the topic
  • Clinical case studies, which talk about real patient cases and are based on clinical practice
  • Clinical trials, which describe controlled studies typically undertaken on large participant groups
  • Perspective pieces, which review fundamental ideas and concepts in a field of research
  • Opinion pieces, which present the author's viewpoint on a topic
  • Commentaries, which draw attention to an existing piece of research/literature
  • Conference abstracts and presentations, which briefly introduce critical study findings ahead of publication
  • Book reviews, which share a critical commentary on existing books in the field or area of research
  • Books/book chapters, which share findings in a different format from journal articles and at a different level of detail

The best way to choose among these would be to ask yourself these questions: "What do my findings indicate? Do they make a novel contribution? Is this part of primary literature, or does my work constitute secondary literature? Who is my target audience?" 

The following posts will also help you understand these types of publications better.

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