Scientific Paper Instructions

Single spaced, Times New Roman or Similar Font, 10 point unless otherwise noted.  Write in third person and in past tense.

Title
A short title that tells the reader specifically the topic of your paper. For example,
The Biomechanics of the Long Jump
(Bold, 14 pt.)

Abstract
A summary of your paper highlighting, specifically, the most important results you found. Use numbers to describe your results.  Describe the major differences between your novice and expert.  (One paragraph, Bold 10 pt.)

Introduction
A brief, one paragraph introduction to the topic of your study including the importance of your topic. The introduction should tie into the Review of Literature. (One paragraph, Regular, 10 pt.)

Review of Literature
An overview of previous research conducted in the area of your activity. Ideally, the review begins from the oldest (least current) research and then continues with the progression of studies that lead up to the research you are conducting. OR you can do your review of literature from the least complex information to the most complex information OR from the least relevant information to the most relevant OR you can group the articles by topic, for example a paragraph on injuries, a paragraph on kinematics (angles, velocity, etc.), and a paragraph on kinetics (forces, loads, pressures). At the end, state how your investigation will contribute to the body of research.  (Regular, 10 pt.)

Methods
Describe, in as much detail as possible, the steps you took when you collected your data with the video camera, the steps you took when you plotted points with the TV and VCR, the equations you used to calculate your results and the way you analyzed your results. You should include a picture of your testing area to help demonstrate to the reader your data collection technique and the angle from which you videotaped. From your methods, a researcher should be able to replicate your study exactly (like a recipe). This section would also include the statistical analysis you chose to use (although you will not have this). (Regular, 10 pt.)

  1. Materials.
  2. Camera angle, distance, meter stick, shutter speed, and frame speed.
  3. Instructions to subjects.
  4. Number of frames plotted (any skipped?  You should be plotting every frame near your significant event.).
  5. How to plot points.
  6. Which joints are plotted and connected.
  7. Formulas used.

Do not state any of your results, only what you expect to find.

Results
Make sure during plotting to start at the same point for the novice and expert.  You may want to make notations on your plotting to mark specific events.  Include scanned images of your stick figures for your activity. Include tables and graphs with all your results. Focus on angles and velocities, and include both the novice and expert on the same graph.  Make sure to match the frames for the significant event and highlight the row.  Intertwined with the tables of results state the most important results of your study, including the patterns of angles, velocity and possibly acceleration, but particularly what the values are at release, impact or other significant event. You should write a short paragraph for each of the angle, velocity and acceleration tables and graphs. In this section you would normally include the results of your statistical analysis, although you will not have a statistical analysis unless you are comparing subjects or groups of subjects. Do not elaborate on or interpret your results (that will be in the discussion). State them from an unbiased point of view. Simply point out the values or patterns you would like to discuss later. (Regular, 10 pt.)

Discussion
Explain what you feel the results of your study mean (interpretation) and why they turned out the way they did (explanation). If your results did not turn out the way you thought they should, then speculate as to why they did not turn out as expected. Discuss how your novice and expert differed in regard to their patterns, angles, and velocities at impact, release or other critical point.  Relate the results of your study to the results of previous studies if possible (compare and contrast). Speculate about how your subject represents the entire population of people involved in your activity and how a larger group of subjects might affect your results. At the end of the discussion include a section on what you would have done differently to improve your current study. Also include your ideas for future research which you feel would add to the body of current knowledge in your topic area. (Regular, 10 pt.)

Conclusion
Summarize briefly your study and how it turned out focusing on the results at the significant event. (One paragraph, Regular, 10 pt.)

Annotated Bibliography/References
Reference List Directions

Article annotations.
Order them alphabetically. Summarize the article in your own words and state how you might use the information in your paper. The summary should be informative enough to give someone the information they need to decide if the article would be valuable for them to read. (One paragraph each, Regular, 10 pt.)

Photocopies of the articles.
Order them alphabetically by primary author’s last name.

Videotape
Make sure to turn in your videotape so that I can check your results.