Two stories written by participants in this “citizen science” project provide an accessible opportunity for students to contrast everyday writing styles with those employed by scientists when they formally report on their work.
Adapting the resource
Print copies of the two participants’ stories or display them in large text on a screen so that everyone can read the words.
As students read a story ask them to highlight words or ideas that they would not expect to see in a formal scientific report. (Use highlighter pens for paper copies or text highlighter if doing this as a screen-based whole-class activity.)
Discuss the highlighted features and why these have been chosen. Examples might be:
- inclusion of detail irrelevant to the data focus (but that makes for a good story)
- use of descriptive language that is open to different interpretations by different readers
- assigning a motive and/or feelings to birds, based on their actions
- use of emotional language.
Discuss why these features are NOT usually used in scientific reports. What does the scientific style of writing tell us about what is valued in science? [Objectivity, open-mindedness, letting the natural world speak for itself via transparent inquiry processes, etc.]