Scientific research is conducted in an attempt to answer a pressing question within a specific discipline. Following completion of a study, results are generally submitted to a peer reviewed journal and, if accepted, are published for other researchers to read and build upon. Thus, being able to read and understand scientific journal articles is a vital skill in the biological and environmental sciences. For this assignment, you are to read the article "Assessment of nitrogen flows into the Cuban landscape," written by Julio Baisre, and published in the peer reviewed journal, Biogeochemistry in 2006. Then, write a paper summarizing the article by addressing each of the four topics below.
- Summarize the question being addressed in the research and describe the methods used to evaluate this question.
- Summarize the researcher's findings and whether or not those findings answer the questions being addressed.
- Identify what research has been conducted on the subject. Refer to the ProQuest database in the Ashford Library to find and describe some of the similar studies recently published.
- Often the results of one study lead to the beginning of another. Predict additional questions that might be raised by the article's results.
While you may not be able to understand all of the technical language in the article, try to focus on the big picture, such as methods utilized, results identified, and the overall message being conveyed.