how to write a observation research paper

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Observations are a type of primary research that involves spending time watching people or other creatures interact with each other and the world around them. Observations are used in nearly every scientific field and can be incredibly useful in gathering information.

Types of Participation

Before observing, consider how you as an observer may alter the event being observed.

• How fully will you participate in the event?
• Will you simply sit, watch, and take notes with no interaction?
• Will you interact with the participants?
• Will you become a participant yourself?

These different choices can radically change what you end up observing. The mere presence of an observer may alter the events--and if you interact with participants, you further risk changing what takes place. The other side to this is that by not participating in an event, you may not gain a complete understanding of that event.

How to Observe

When observing, it is especially important to separate observations from your feelings or reactions to observations. A good way to do this is to take your observations in a double-entry notebook. A double-entry notebook has two columns, one for what is directly observed and one is for what the observer interprets from the events. Here is an example:

Observation: The teacher walks around the circle and speaks to each student individually.

Interpretation: The teacher seems to want to make sure that each student understands the assignment.

If you are observing a group that is not found in public (such as a group of card players, a sports team, or a special-interest group), it may be wise to plan to spend multiple sittings with the group. This will allow the group some time to adjust to your presence (and hence, for you to get more accurate observations).

Recordings vs. Note-taking

How will you be observing? Will you be taking notes in a notebook? With a laptop? Will you be recording your observations in some way (with a cell phone, digital camera, video camera, digital recorder, etc.?)

How you choose to observe is another important consideration that can affect the quality and results of your observations. Remember that you cannot capture everything that takes place with a recording or even by taking detailed notes.

What to Observe

Observational skills require some practice! The key to being a good observer is to pay attention to the details of a situation, write as much as you can, and write it as detailed as possible.

Before you observe, you should consider how you will focus your observations--because you can't focus on everything!

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Refers to notes created by the researcher during the act of conducting a field study to remember and record the behaviors, activities, events, and other features of an observation. Field notes are intended to be read by the researcher as evidence to produce meaning and an understanding of the culture, social situation, or phenomenon being studied. The notes may constitute the whole data collected for a research study [e.g., an observational project] or contribute to it, such as when field notes supplement conventional interview data or other techniques of data gathering.

Schwandt, Thomas A. The SAGE Dictionary of Qualitative Inquiry . 4th edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2015.

How to Approach Writing Field Notes

The ways in which you take notes during an observational study is very much a personal decision developed over time as you become more experienced in fieldwork. However, all field notes generally consist of two parts:

• Descriptive information , in which you attempt to accurately document factual data [e.g., date and time] along with the settings, actions, behaviors, and conversations that you observe; and,
• Reflective information , in which you record your thoughts, ideas, questions, and concerns during the observation.

Note that field notes should be fleshed out as soon as possible after an observation is completed. Your initial notes may be recorded in cryptic form and, unless additional detail is added as soon as possible after the observation, important facts and opportunities for fully interpreting the data may be lost.

Characteristics of Field Notes

• Be accurate . You only get one chance to observe a particular moment in time so, before you conduct your observations, practice taking notes in a setting that is similar to your observation site in regards to number of people, the environment, and social dynamics. This will help you develop your own style of transcribing observations quickly and accurately.
• Be organized . Taking accurate notes while you are actively observing can be difficult. Therefore, it is important that you plan ahead how you will document your observation study [e.g., strictly chronologically or according to specific prompts]. Notes that are disorganized will make it more difficult for you to interpret the data.
• Be descriptive . Use descriptive words to document what you observe. For example, instead of noting that a classroom appears "comfortable," state that the classroom includes soft lighting and cushioned chairs that can be moved around by the students. Being descriptive means supplying yourself with enough factual evidence that you don't end up making assumptions about what you meant when you write the final report.
• Focus on the research problem . Since it's impossible to document everything you observe, focus on collecting the greatest detail that relates to the research problem and the theoretical constructs underpinning your research; avoid cluttering your notes with irrelevant information. For example, if the purpose of your study is to observe the discursive interactions between nursing home staff and the family members of residents, then it would only be necessary to document the setting in detail if it in some way directly influenced those interactions [e.g., there is a private room available for discussions between staff and family members].
• Record insights and thoughts . As you take notes, be thinking about the underlying meaning of what you observe and record your thoughts and ideas accordingly. If needed, this will help you to ask questions or seek clarification from participants after the observation. To avoid any confusion, subsequent comments from participants should be included in a separate, reflective part of your field notes and not merged with the descriptive notes.

General Guidelines for the Descriptive Content

The descriptive content of your notes can vary in detail depending upon what needs to be emphasized in order to address the research problem. However, in most observations, your notes should include at least some of the following elements:

• Describe the physical setting.
• Describe the social environment and the way in which participants interacted within the setting. This may include patterns of interactions, frequency of interactions, direction of communication patterns [including non-verbal communication], and patterns of specific behavioral events, such as, conflicts, decision-making, or collaboration.
• Describe the participants and their roles in the setting.
• Describe, as best you can, the meaning of what was observed from the perspectives of the participants.
• Record exact quotes or close approximations of comments that relate directly to the purpose of the study.
• Describe any impact you might have had on the situation you observed [important!].

General Guidelines for the Reflective Content

You are the instrument of data gathering and interpretation. Therefore, reflective content can include any of the following elements intended to contextualize what you have observed based on your perspective and your own personal, cultural, and situational experiences .

• Note ideas, impressions, thoughts, and/or any criticisms you have about what you observed.
• Include any unanswered questions or concerns that have arisen from analyzing the observation data.
• Clarify points and/or correct mistakes and misunderstandings in other parts of field notes.
• Include insights about what you have observed and speculate as to why you believe specific phenomenon occurred.
• Record any thoughts that you may have regarding any future observations.

NOTE:   Analysis of your field notes should occur as they are being written and while you are conducting your observations. This is important for at least two reasons. First, preliminary analysis fosters self-reflection and self-reflection is crucial for facilitating deep understanding and meaning-making in any research study. Second, preliminary analysis reveals emergent themes. Identifying emergent themes while observing allows you to shift your attention in ways that can foster a more developed investigation.

Emerson, Robert M. et al. Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes . 2nd ed. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2011; Ethnography, Observational Research, and Narrative Inquiry. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Gambold, Liesl L. “Field Notes.” In Encyclopedia of Case Study Research . Edited by Albert J. Mills, Gabrielle Durepos, and Elden Wiebe. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2010; Pace, Tonio. Writing Field Reports. Scribd Online Library; Pyrczak, Fred and Randall R. Bruce. Writing Empirical Research Reports: A Basic Guide for Students of the Social and Behavioral Sciences . 5th ed. Glendale, CA: Pyrczak Publishing, 2005; Report Writing. UniLearning. University of Wollongong, Australia; Ravitch,  Sharon M. “Field Notes.” In The SAGE Encyclopedia of Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation . Edited by Bruce B. Frey. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2018; Tenzek, Kelly E. “Field Notes.” In The SAGE Encyclopedia of Communication Research Methods . Edited by Mike Allen. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2017; Wolfinger, Nicholas H. "On Writing Fieldnotes: Collection Strategies and Background Expectancies.” Qualitative Research 2 (April 2002): 85-95; Writing Reports. Anonymous. The Higher Education Academy.

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How to write effective research observations

UX research has borrowed a lot from the fields of psychology, sociology, and anthropology. From analysing behaviour to documenting how people perform certain tasks, you clearly see these fields bleeding into UX. How can you make sure you’re recording the right information to glean powerful insights?

UX research has borrowed a lot from the fields of psychology, sociology, and anthropology. From analysing behaviour to documenting how people perform certain tasks, you clearly see these fields bleeding into UX. In fact, some even say that those who have studied anthropology are already well trained for being a UXer.

Observational research is a powerful research technique – one of the many popular qualitative methods used in the industry. The information gleaned from observational research helps you discover what your users think and experience, and how you can fix problems they face.

What is qualitative research?

Research observations fall under the umbrella of qualitative research, so let’s dive into definitions.

Qualitative research is exploratory, and it delves deep into the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours of your participants. It gives us an opportunity to identify problems and uncover answers for questions we didn’t know we had by tapping into the minds of our research participants.

Qualitative research takes a number of different forms , such as interviews, focus groups, and usability testing , and many of these methods involve writing research observations. As you can see by these types of research methods, each one provides a forum for people to discuss a topic in depth to provide quality insights.

Some of the many benefits of using qualitative research are:

• It provides in-depth data that can help you make informed decisions (instead of just percentages and statistics that you get from quantitative data)
• It gives you information on how the product or item you’re testing actually fits into the lives of your users
• It’s powerful in small quantities. Unlike quantitative research, you don’t need lots of participants in order to get great results from it

What are research observations?

Researchers Catherine Marshall and Gretchen Rossman defined observations in their book “Designing Qualitative Research” as “the systematic description of events, behaviours, and artefacts in the social setting chosen for study”.

In the case of UX research, these are things that happen when you’re watching people perform certain tasks or when you ask them interview questions.

For example, when conducting a usability test, a research observation would be something the researcher sees or hears — something that provides insight into what the research participants are doing, thinking and feeling. This could be that it took 10 minutes for the participant to find the login screen of the website you’re testing, and the participant expressed frustration.

There are various kinds of observations you can note down in your research. A paper from Michael Angrosino , citing research from Oswald Werner and Mark Schoepfle, identifies three different kinds of observational research processes.

• Descriptive observation: The researcher observes and notes down everything that occurs. This can produce a lot of data — some of which may be relevant and some irrelevant to your study. An example of a descriptive observation is noting down the sounds going on in the background when a user testing session is being held.
• Focused observation: The researcher will only analyse material that’s relevant to what the researchers are studying. For example, the facial expressions a participant makes when trying to perform a specific task, or tracking the gaze of a participant.
• Selective observation: The researcher looks at specific activities. For example, the way each participant navigates the menu on the homepage.

Interestingly, authors Robert M. Emerson, Rachel I. Fretz and Linda L. Shaw penned similar thoughts in their book “Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes”. According to the authors, writing field notes (which are research observations) “is not a matter of passively copying down ‘facts’ about ‘what happened’. Rather, these descriptive accounts select and emphasise different features and actions while ignoring and marginalising others.”

Research observations, once collected, allow you to drill down deeper into the behaviours of your users. Observational research can also help you to verify or explain other kinds of research you have collected or are collecting, such as a Treejack study or other methods of remote user testing. Remember, what your users may say in a study might not be what they’re actually thinking or feeling. Observational research will help you get over that hurdle.

Tips for writing better research observations

When it comes time for you to begin your research and note down your observations, keep these tips front of mind.

• Write your research observations at the time of your research session. If you’re unable to do this, make sure you jot them down as soon as the session is over. They’ll be much fresher in your mind then!
• If you’re part of a research team, don’t discuss the session with your teammates until you’ve compiled all your observations. You might find yourself incorrectly recalling things that happened during the session. However, make sure you go through your observations with the rest of your team when you’re all done writing up your notes. This will help you spot trends in your data.
• Always record the audio in your sessions. If you can, use video as well so you can capture facial expressions, body movements and things going on in the background.
• While you’re recording your session, write down timestamps for anything important. For example, you might note down the timestamps for the different parts of the site you discussed with your participant.
• Include smaller details in your observations. Sometimes, the littler things can have a big effect. For example, a participant using a mouse without a mouse pad could have contributed to their frustration at trying to navigate your site.
• Don’t neglect the big things either. Conducting research can be exciting. So exciting, in fact, you might just forget a few key details like jotting down your participant’s name and role in the research session. Templates and generic forms can be handy for jogging your memory.
• Once you’ve finished taking your notes, import them into Reframer for a headstart with sensemaking. Alternatively, take Reframer with you and jot down observations as you go.

You might be about to embark on a qualitative research project for the first time, or a seasoned veteran. Either way, I hope you’ll be able to record better observations using Optimal Workshop’s  qualitative research tool Reframer .

Whether you’re researching alone or as part of a team, just remember that preparation, detail, and organisation are key to helping you get great research results. Happy testing!

Max is a content marketing manager at Optimal Workshop — a provider of usability testing tools — where she writes about all things related to UX. Occasionally, she also assists UX Agony Aunt and answers questions submitted from UXers all over the globe.

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How To Write A Research Paper

Step-By-Step Tutorial With Examples + FREE Template

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Expert Reviewer: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | March 2024

For many students, crafting a strong research paper from scratch can feel like a daunting task – and rightly so! In this post, we’ll unpack what a research paper is, what it needs to do , and how to write one – in three easy steps. 🙂 

Overview: Writing A Research Paper

What (exactly) is a research paper.

• How to write a research paper
• Stage 1 : Topic & literature search
• Stage 2 : Structure & outline
• Stage 3 : Iterative writing
• Key takeaways

Let’s start by asking the most important question, “ What is a research paper? ”.

Simply put, a research paper is a scholarly written work where the writer (that’s you!) answers a specific question (this is called a research question ) through evidence-based arguments . Evidence-based is the keyword here. In other words, a research paper is different from an essay or other writing assignments that draw from the writer’s personal opinions or experiences. With a research paper, it’s all about building your arguments based on evidence (we’ll talk more about that evidence a little later).

Now, it’s worth noting that there are many different types of research papers , including analytical papers (the type I just described), argumentative papers, and interpretative papers. Here, we’ll focus on analytical papers , as these are some of the most common – but if you’re keen to learn about other types of research papers, be sure to check out the rest of the blog .

With that basic foundation laid, let’s get down to business and look at how to write a research paper .

Overview: The 3-Stage Process

While there are, of course, many potential approaches you can take to write a research paper, there are typically three stages to the writing process. So, in this tutorial, we’ll present a straightforward three-step process that we use when working with students at Grad Coach.

These three steps are:

• Finding a research topic and reviewing the existing literature
• Developing a provisional structure and outline for your paper, and
• Writing up your initial draft and then refining it iteratively

Let’s dig into each of these.

Need a helping hand?

Step 1: Find a topic and review the literature

As we mentioned earlier, in a research paper, you, as the researcher, will try to answer a question . More specifically, that’s called a research question , and it sets the direction of your entire paper. What’s important to understand though is that you’ll need to answer that research question with the help of high-quality sources – for example, journal articles, government reports, case studies, and so on. We’ll circle back to this in a minute.

The first stage of the research process is deciding on what your research question will be and then reviewing the existing literature (in other words, past studies and papers) to see what they say about that specific research question. In some cases, your professor may provide you with a predetermined research question (or set of questions). However, in many cases, you’ll need to find your own research question within a certain topic area.

Finding a strong research question hinges on identifying a meaningful research gap – in other words, an area that’s lacking in existing research. There’s a lot to unpack here, so if you wanna learn more, check out the plain-language explainer video below.

Once you’ve figured out which question (or questions) you’ll attempt to answer in your research paper, you’ll need to do a deep dive into the existing literature – this is called a “ literature search ”. Again, there are many ways to go about this, but your most likely starting point will be Google Scholar .

If you’re new to Google Scholar, think of it as Google for the academic world. You can start by simply entering a few different keywords that are relevant to your research question and it will then present a host of articles for you to review. What you want to pay close attention to here is the number of citations for each paper – the more citations a paper has, the more credible it is (generally speaking – there are some exceptions, of course).

Ideally, what you’re looking for are well-cited papers that are highly relevant to your topic. That said, keep in mind that citations are a cumulative metric , so older papers will often have more citations than newer papers – just because they’ve been around for longer. So, don’t fixate on this metric in isolation – relevance and recency are also very important.

Beyond Google Scholar, you’ll also definitely want to check out academic databases and aggregators such as Science Direct, PubMed, JStor and so on. These will often overlap with the results that you find in Google Scholar, but they can also reveal some hidden gems – so, be sure to check them out.

Once you’ve worked your way through all the literature, you’ll want to catalogue all this information in some sort of spreadsheet so that you can easily recall who said what, when and within what context. If you’d like, we’ve got a free literature spreadsheet that helps you do exactly that.

Step 2: Develop a structure and outline

With your research question pinned down and your literature digested and catalogued, it’s time to move on to planning your actual research paper .

It might sound obvious, but it’s really important to have some sort of rough outline in place before you start writing your paper. So often, we see students eagerly rushing into the writing phase, only to land up with a disjointed research paper that rambles on in multiple

Now, the secret here is to not get caught up in the fine details . Realistically, all you need at this stage is a bullet-point list that describes (in broad strokes) what you’ll discuss and in what order. It’s also useful to remember that you’re not glued to this outline – in all likelihood, you’ll chop and change some sections once you start writing, and that’s perfectly okay. What’s important is that you have some sort of roadmap in place from the start.

At this stage you might be wondering, “ But how should I structure my research paper? ”. Well, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution here, but in general, a research paper will consist of a few relatively standardised components:

• Introduction
• Literature review
• Methodology

Let’s take a look at each of these.

First up is the introduction section . As the name suggests, the purpose of the introduction is to set the scene for your research paper. There are usually (at least) four ingredients that go into this section – these are the background to the topic, the research problem and resultant research question , and the justification or rationale. If you’re interested, the video below unpacks the introduction section in more detail. 

The next section of your research paper will typically be your literature review . Remember all that literature you worked through earlier? Well, this is where you’ll present your interpretation of all that content . You’ll do this by writing about recent trends, developments, and arguments within the literature – but more specifically, those that are relevant to your research question . The literature review can oftentimes seem a little daunting, even to seasoned researchers, so be sure to check out our extensive collection of literature review content here .

With the introduction and lit review out of the way, the next section of your paper is the research methodology . In a nutshell, the methodology section should describe to your reader what you did (beyond just reviewing the existing literature) to answer your research question. For example, what data did you collect, how did you collect that data, how did you analyse that data and so on? For each choice, you’ll also need to justify why you chose to do it that way, and what the strengths and weaknesses of your approach were.

Now, it’s worth mentioning that for some research papers, this aspect of the project may be a lot simpler . For example, you may only need to draw on secondary sources (in other words, existing data sets). In some cases, you may just be asked to draw your conclusions from the literature search itself (in other words, there may be no data analysis at all). But, if you are required to collect and analyse data, you’ll need to pay a lot of attention to the methodology section. The video below provides an example of what the methodology section might look like.

By this stage of your paper, you will have explained what your research question is, what the existing literature has to say about that question, and how you analysed additional data to try to answer your question. So, the natural next step is to present your analysis of that data . This section is usually called the “results” or “analysis” section and this is where you’ll showcase your findings.

Depending on your school’s requirements, you may need to present and interpret the data in one section – or you might split the presentation and the interpretation into two sections. In the latter case, your “results” section will just describe the data, and the “discussion” is where you’ll interpret that data and explicitly link your analysis back to your research question. If you’re not sure which approach to take, check in with your professor or take a look at past papers to see what the norms are for your programme.

Alright – once you’ve presented and discussed your results, it’s time to wrap it up . This usually takes the form of the “ conclusion ” section. In the conclusion, you’ll need to highlight the key takeaways from your study and close the loop by explicitly answering your research question. Again, the exact requirements here will vary depending on your programme (and you may not even need a conclusion section at all) – so be sure to check with your professor if you’re unsure.

Step 3: Write and refine

Finally, it’s time to get writing. All too often though, students hit a brick wall right about here… So, how do you avoid this happening to you?

Well, there’s a lot to be said when it comes to writing a research paper (or any sort of academic piece), but we’ll share three practical tips to help you get started.

First and foremost , it’s essential to approach your writing as an iterative process. In other words, you need to start with a really messy first draft and then polish it over multiple rounds of editing. Don’t waste your time trying to write a perfect research paper in one go. Instead, take the pressure off yourself by adopting an iterative approach.

Secondly , it’s important to always lean towards critical writing , rather than descriptive writing. What does this mean? Well, at the simplest level, descriptive writing focuses on the “ what ”, while critical writing digs into the “ so what ” – in other words, the implications . If you’re not familiar with these two types of writing, don’t worry! You can find a plain-language explanation here.

Last but not least, you’ll need to get your referencing right. Specifically, you’ll need to provide credible, correctly formatted citations for the statements you make. We see students making referencing mistakes all the time and it costs them dearly. The good news is that you can easily avoid this by using a simple reference manager . If you don’t have one, check out our video about Mendeley, an easy (and free) reference management tool that you can start using today.

Recap: Key Takeaways

We’ve covered a lot of ground here. To recap, the three steps to writing a high-quality research paper are:

• To choose a research question and review the literature
• To plan your paper structure and draft an outline
• To take an iterative approach to writing, focusing on critical writing and strong referencing

Remember, this is just a b ig-picture overview of the research paper development process and there’s a lot more nuance to unpack. So, be sure to grab a copy of our free research paper template to learn more about how to write a research paper.

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How to Write an Observation Essay: Observation Paper Guide and Observation essay Example

• Dr. Huey Logan
• December 8, 2023
• Study Guides

What is an observational essay

Definition of an observational essay, types of observational essays, main components of an observational essay, how to start writing an observation essay, choosing an observation topic, gathering information through observation, creating a strong thesis statement, observation essay structure, writing the introduction paragraph, organizing the body paragraphs effectively, concluding an observation essay, tips for writing an effective observation paper, using descriptive language, incorporating the five senses, observation essay examples and topics, 20 observation essay topics for college, reviewing observation essay examples, creating an observation essay outline.

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to write an observation paper . Whether you’re a student looking to enhance your writing skills or an individual interested in honing your observation skills , this guide will provide you with valuable insights and tips on how to create a compelling and descriptive observation paper .

Here's What You'll Learn

Observation essay example

Write an observation essaytoggle, key takeaways.

• Recording observations, interpreting notes, and organizing them are crucial processes in writing an observation paper .
• Be mindful of important details such as date, time, and locality when taking field notes.
• Use qualitative and descriptive language to convey your observations effectively.
• Structure your observation paper around a research question and employ a clear and plain writing style.
• An observation essay focuses on diligently observing and describing the subject, without requiring analysis or problem-solving.

Now that you have a glimpse of what this guide will cover, let’s dive deeper into the definition and goals of an observation essay in the next section.

Understanding the Definition and Goals of an Observation Essay

An observation essay is an academic paper that focuses on making detailed observations and providing a rich description of objects, events, natural phenomena, or individuals. Unlike other types of essays, an observation essay does not require analysis or problem-solving. Instead, it aims to immerse the reader in the observation by diligently describing the subject.

When writing an observation essay, it is essential to employ vivid language and present tense to create a sense of immediacy and realism. By using descriptive and sensory details, the writer can effectively engage the reader and transport them into the observation itself.

The structure of an observation essay typically follows a standard essay format, consisting of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion . In the introduction, the writer provides background information about the observation and presents a clear thesis statement. The body paragraphs serve as a platform for presenting the observations in a logical and organized manner, supported by relevant details and examples. Finally, the conclusion restates the thesis and offers a reflection on the overall observation, leaving the reader with a lasting impression.

Tips for Writing an Effective Observation Essay

In order to write an effective observation essay, there are a few key tips to keep in mind. First and foremost, choose a subject that truly fascinates you. Writing about something you are genuinely interested in will make the entire process more enjoyable and will also help you to stay engaged throughout.

When it comes to actually observing the subject of your essay, use all of your senses to create a vivid and detailed picture. This will not only make your writing more immersive for the reader, but it will also help you to capture the essence of what you are observing. Whether it’s sights, sounds, smells, tastes, or textures, paying attention to these sensory details will elevate your observation essay to the next level.

Another important tip is to apply the present tense in your writing. By using the present tense, you can create a sense of immediacy and make the events you are describing feel more real. This will help to engage the reader and make them feel as though they are experiencing the observation firsthand.

Lastly, be attentive to details and draw on your personal experiences. Including specific and unique details in your essay will make it more interesting and immersive for the reader. Additionally, sharing your own personal experiences and reflections throughout the essay will add depth and authenticity to your writing.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your observation essay is engaging, descriptive, and effective in capturing the essence of your subject.

Table: Tips for Writing an Effective Observation Essay

In conclusion , mastering the art of writing an observation essay requires honing your writing skills and employing effective descriptive writing techniques. By following the tips provided in this guide, you can enhance your ability to capture the details of your observations and engage your readers.

Writing Skills: Writing an observation essay allows you to develop and showcase your writing skills . Through diligent practice, you can improve your ability to convey your observations in a clear and engaging manner, effectively communicating your experiences to your audience.

Descriptive Writing: Descriptive writing is essential in an observation essay. By utilizing vivid language and sensory details, you can transport your readers into the scene, immersing them in the events and making your essay more captivating.

Conclusion: In conclusion, an observation essay is a powerful tool for exploring and sharing your observations. By selecting a subject that interests you, applying present tense, and structuring your essay in a logical manner, you can effectively convey your observations and leave a lasting impression on your readers.

What is an observation essay?

An observation essay is an academic paper that involves making observations and providing a detailed description of objects, events, natural phenomena, or individuals.

What should be included in an observation essay?

An observation essay should include vivid descriptions, use of present tense, personal experience, and attention to detail.

How should an observation essay be structured?

An observation essay should follow a standard essay structure, including an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

What is the goal of an observation essay?

The goal of an observation essay is to diligently observe and describe the subject without analysis or problem-solving.

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Qualitative Research: Observation

• Getting Started
• Focus Groups
• Observation
• Case Studies
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Participant Observation

Photo: https://slideplayer.com/slide/4599875/

Field Guide

• Participant Observation Field Guide

What is an observation?

A way to gather data by watching people, events, or noting physical characteristics in their natural setting. Observations can be overt (subjects know they are being observed) or covert (do not know they are being watched).

• Researcher becomes a participant in the culture or context being observed.
• Requires researcher to be accepted as part of culture being observed in order for success

Direct Observation

• Researcher strives to be as unobtrusive as possible so as not to bias the observations; more detached.
• Technology can be useful (i.e video, audiorecording).

Indirect Observation

• Results of an interaction, process or behavior are observed (for example, measuring the amount of plate waste left by students in a school cafeteria to determine whether a new food is acceptable to them).

Suggested Readings and Film

• Born into Brothels . (2004) Oscar winning documentary, an example of participatory observation, portrays the life of children born to prostitutes in Calcutta. New York-based photographer Zana Briski gave cameras to the children of prostitutes and taught them photography
• Davies, J. P., & Spencer, D. (2010).  Emotions in the field: The psychology and anthropology of fieldwork experience . Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
• DeWalt, K. M., & DeWalt, B. R. (2011).  Participant observation : A guide for fieldworkers .   Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield.
• Reinharz, S. (2011).  Observing the observer: Understanding our selves in field research . NY: Oxford University Press.
• Schensul, J. J., & LeCompte, M. D. (2013).  Essential ethnographic methods: A mixed methods approach . Lanham, MD: AltaMira Press.
• Skinner, J. (2012).  The interview: An ethnographic approach . NY: Berg.
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How to write an observation paper-a guide for nursing students, rachel r.n..

• February 24, 2024
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What You'll Learn

How to Write an Observation Paper-A Guide for Nursing Students-A Guide for Nursing Students

Observation papers are a crucial component of a nursing student’s academic journey. These papers allow you to develop essential skills such as critical thinking,  effective communication , and reflective practice. While they may seem daunting at first, with the right approach and guidance, you can excel in crafting observation papers that meet academic standards and contribute to your growth as a future healthcare professional.

To master the art of crafting an observation essay, it’s crucial to grasp the fundamentals of conducting research .This comprehensive guide, we will take you through the step-by-step process and tips for writing an observation paper, tailored specifically for nursing students.However, if you are running out of time, feel free to ask for help from our professional essay writers

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1. Understanding the Purpose and Importance

Defining the Observation Paper

Before diving into the writing process, it’s vital to understand what an observation paper is. An observation paper is a structured report that describes and analyzes a specific event, situation, or experience. In the context of nursing, these papers often focus on  clinical observations , patient interactions, or healthcare settings.

The Significance of Observation Papers

Observation papers serve several purposes in your nursing education:

• Enhancing Clinical Skills: They help you develop and refine your clinical observation skills, vital for identifying patient needs and providing quality care.
• Reflective Practice: Writing an observation paper encourages self-reflection, enabling you to learn from your experiences and improve your practice.
• Critical Thinking: These papers challenge you to think critically, analyze situations, and make  informed decisions , which are essential skills in nursing.
• Effective Communication: You learn to articulate your observations clearly and concisely, a crucial skill in conveying information to colleagues and supervisors.

Take a look at the following examples to help you understand better

A Guide to Writing an Anthropolgy Observation Paper

A Comprehensive Guide to Writing an Observation Paper in Psychology

A Guide to Writing an Observation Paper in Child Development in APA Format

Comprehensive Guide on How to Write a Paper From An Observation Interview

2. Selecting the Observation Topic

Choose a Relevant Topic

Start by selecting a topic that is relevant to your nursing education and interests. Consider areas where you need improvement or topics that pique your curiosity. Whether it’s a patient encounter, a clinical procedure, or a  healthcare policy , your topic should be meaningful to you.

Narrow Your Focus

Ensure your chosen topic is specific enough to allow for in-depth analysis. For example, if you decide to write about a patient interaction, narrow it down to a particular aspect of the encounter, like communication or assessment techniques.

3. Pre-Observation Preparation

Review Relevant Literature

Before conducting your observation, research existing literature and studies related to your topic. This background knowledge will help you contextualize your observations and provide a foundation for your analysis.

Set Clear Objectives

Define clear objectives for your observation. What specific aspects will you be focusing on? What do you hope to learn or discover during the observation? Having clear goals will guide your observation process.

Obtain Necessary Permissions

If your observation involves patient care, ensure you have the required permissions and comply with  ethical guidelines . Respect patient confidentiality and privacy at all times.

4. Conducting the Observation

Detailed Notes and Documentation

During the observation, take meticulous notes. Record your observations, thoughts, and any significant details. Be objective and accurate in your descriptions. Include timestamps for chronological accuracy.

Utilize Reflective Practice

While observing, practice reflection. Consider how your personal biases, emotions, and preconceptions may influence your observations. Reflect on your thoughts and feelings throughout the process.

Structuring Your Observation Paper in APA Format

Introduction

Provide a brief introduction to your topic and its significance.

State the purpose of your observation and your objectives.

Methodology

Describe the methodology you used during your observation, including any ethical considerations.

Explain your  data collection process  and any tools or instruments used.

Observations

Present your observations in a clear, organized manner.

Use descriptive language to paint a vivid picture of the situation or event.

Include both objective observations (what you saw, heard, etc.) and subjective reflections (your thoughts and feelings).

• Interpret your observations. What do they reveal about the topic you chose?
• Analyze the significance of your findings in the context of  nursing practice .
• Use evidence from literature to support your analysis.

Discuss the implications of your observations for nursing practice and patient care.

Address any limitations or biases in your observation process.

Explore areas for further research or improvement.

Summarize the key points from your observation and analysis.

Reiterate the importance of your findings in the nursing context.

Refining Your Observation Paper

Edit and Proofread

After completing your initial draft, thoroughly edit and proofread your paper. Check for grammar, spelling, and formatting errors. Ensure that your writing is clear and concise.

Seek Feedback

Share your paper with peers or instructors for feedback. They can provide valuable insights and suggestions for improvement.

Revise and Finalize

Incorporate the feedback you receive and make necessary revisions. Pay attention to the overall flow and coherence of your paper. Ensure that it meets the formatting and citation requirements of your institution.

Mastering the art of writing an observation paper is a valuable skill for nursing students. It contributes to your academic growth and enhances your clinical and critical thinking abilities. Remember that practice and continuous improvement are key to success in observation paper writing.

As you embark on your journey as a nursing student, it’s important to seek guidance and support when needed. If you find yourself struggling with writing observation papers or any other academic assignments, don’t hesitate to seek assistance.  Our writing services  are here to provide you with expert guidance and support to help you excel in your studies.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: How do you write an observation?

A: To write an observation, start by selecting a specific topic, conduct a thorough observation, take detailed notes, analyze your findings, and structure your paper with an introduction, methodology, observations, analysis, discussion, and conclusion.

Q2: What is the format of an observation essay?

A: An observation essay typically follows a structured format with sections like introduction,  methodology , observations, analysis, discussion, and conclusion, maintaining clear, concise, and organized writing throughout.

Q3: How do you start an observation report?

A: Begin an observation report by introducing your chosen topic and its significance, stating the purpose and objectives of your observation, and providing a brief overview of your methodology.

Q4: What is an example of an observation?

A: An example of an observation could be observing a nurse-patient interaction in a hospital setting, noting the communication techniques used and the impact on patient care.

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Observation Essay

To properly observe something, you need to make use of all your five senses. Paying attention to all the details and being level-headed is a must. That said, a lot of effort goes into the act of observing something. The data gathered in your observation, whatever it may be, is necessary. Therefore you should write an observation essay and share your findings with the readers. 

10+ Observation Essay Examples

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What Is an Observation Essay?

An observation essay is a piece of academic essay that incorporates the observer’s perspective over a situation, event, behavior, phenomenon, and even a person. In this document, the writer should state everything he or she directly noticed on the subject. In addition, they can also use first-person narration in this paper.

How to Write a Well-Versed Observation Essay

Whether you are a student writing an essay of your observation for a school assignment or educational research , or maybe a professional conducting a business analysis , you should compose it critically. The findings you present in your observation essay could be necessary to your field or industry. To keep it professional and informative, incorporate appropriate elements and organize it properly. 

1. Follow Guidelines

If there are guidelines provided, ensure to read them beforehand. The list usually includes instructions regarding the format, the length, essential questions, the structure, and the deadline. To avoid forgetting the items to remember, you can secure a checklist beforehand. These details will act as your guide and will set the limits for your essay writing . 

2. Devise an Outline

Considering that you already finished observing, take out your notes, and start constructing your outline. Consider basing its structure on the guidelines. You should decide what information goes on in a particular paragraph and organize it to be comprehensive to the general readers. You can save your energy by researching sample blank outline templates online instead of starting from scratch.

3. Compose Your Thesis Statement

Write your thesis statement in your introduction. After writing your hook and engaging your readers, it is now time to state what the essay will discuss. What did you observe? What are the general idea and nature of your essay? Your thesis statement will act as the central idea of your descriptive writing. Its length must only be one sentence. 

4. Close With a Detailed Conclusion

After presenting the main ideas and supporting your claims, you should provide a conclusion statement that would sum it all up. In the last paragraph, you should restate the thesis statement and explain how all of these ideas are relevant to each other. Your conclusion should link back to the idea in your introduction.

How do you observe something properly?

The practice of observing is necessary for writing field reports of studies, especially in science and psychology. When you do an observation of something, it is advisable to research the subject you are studying. Also, you need to focus on your visual and hearing senses and your thought process. Avoid or get rid of factors that can distract you.

What are the different methods of observing?

The various methods of observing are categorized based on the level of involvement of the observer with the subject. If an observer is not noticed or personally seen by the participants, then he or she is employing the complete observer method. On the other hand, if the subjects recognize and interact with the observer, the implemented method is observer as participant.

How should you note your observations?

The first step in taking field notes of your observation is, write down the necessary details of the subject. Also, you should include the time and place. In writing your findings, you should stay objective and factual. Also, don’t forget to write a description of the setting and the materials involved.

The readers of your observation essay are not present at the time you did your observation. An observation essay is effective if its content is enough to supply information that would make the readers feel as if they are personally present at that time. Secure an observation essay, and earn an award certificate from your school or your work. 

Observation Essay Generator

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Discuss the behavior of animals at a zoo and what it reveals about them in your Observation Essay.

Reflect on the atmosphere of a music concert you attended in your Observation Essay.

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How to Write a Conclusion for Research Papers (with Examples)

The conclusion of a research paper is a crucial section that plays a significant role in the overall impact and effectiveness of your research paper. However, this is also the section that typically receives less attention compared to the introduction and the body of the paper. The conclusion serves to provide a concise summary of the key findings, their significance, their implications, and a sense of closure to the study. Discussing how can the findings be applied in real-world scenarios or inform policy, practice, or decision-making is especially valuable to practitioners and policymakers. The research paper conclusion also provides researchers with clear insights and valuable information for their own work, which they can then build on and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field.

The research paper conclusion should explain the significance of your findings within the broader context of your field. It restates how your results contribute to the existing body of knowledge and whether they confirm or challenge existing theories or hypotheses. Also, by identifying unanswered questions or areas requiring further investigation, your awareness of the broader research landscape can be demonstrated.

Remember to tailor the research paper conclusion to the specific needs and interests of your intended audience, which may include researchers, practitioners, policymakers, or a combination of these.

Table of Contents

What is a conclusion in a research paper, summarizing conclusion, editorial conclusion, externalizing conclusion, importance of a good research paper conclusion, how to write a conclusion for your research paper, research paper conclusion examples.

• How to write a research paper conclusion with Paperpal? 

Frequently Asked Questions

A conclusion in a research paper is the final section where you summarize and wrap up your research, presenting the key findings and insights derived from your study. The research paper conclusion is not the place to introduce new information or data that was not discussed in the main body of the paper. When working on how to conclude a research paper, remember to stick to summarizing and interpreting existing content. The research paper conclusion serves the following purposes: 1

• Warn readers of the possible consequences of not attending to the problem.
• Recommend specific course(s) of action.
• Restate key ideas to drive home the ultimate point of your research paper.
• Provide a “take-home” message that you want the readers to remember about your study.

Types of conclusions for research papers

In research papers, the conclusion provides closure to the reader. The type of research paper conclusion you choose depends on the nature of your study, your goals, and your target audience. I provide you with three common types of conclusions:

A summarizing conclusion is the most common type of conclusion in research papers. It involves summarizing the main points, reiterating the research question, and restating the significance of the findings. This common type of research paper conclusion is used across different disciplines.

An editorial conclusion is less common but can be used in research papers that are focused on proposing or advocating for a particular viewpoint or policy. It involves presenting a strong editorial or opinion based on the research findings and offering recommendations or calls to action.

An externalizing conclusion is a type of conclusion that extends the research beyond the scope of the paper by suggesting potential future research directions or discussing the broader implications of the findings. This type of conclusion is often used in more theoretical or exploratory research papers.

Align your conclusion’s tone with the rest of your research paper. Start Writing with Paperpal Now!  

The conclusion in a research paper serves several important purposes:

• Offers Implications and Recommendations : Your research paper conclusion is an excellent place to discuss the broader implications of your research and suggest potential areas for further study. It’s also an opportunity to offer practical recommendations based on your findings.
• Provides Closure : A good research paper conclusion provides a sense of closure to your paper. It should leave the reader with a feeling that they have reached the end of a well-structured and thought-provoking research project.
• Leaves a Lasting Impression : Writing a well-crafted research paper conclusion leaves a lasting impression on your readers. It’s your final opportunity to leave them with a new idea, a call to action, or a memorable quote.

Writing a strong conclusion for your research paper is essential to leave a lasting impression on your readers. Here’s a step-by-step process to help you create and know what to put in the conclusion of a research paper: 2

• Research Statement : Begin your research paper conclusion by restating your research statement. This reminds the reader of the main point you’ve been trying to prove throughout your paper. Keep it concise and clear.
• Key Points : Summarize the main arguments and key points you’ve made in your paper. Avoid introducing new information in the research paper conclusion. Instead, provide a concise overview of what you’ve discussed in the body of your paper.
• Address the Research Questions : If your research paper is based on specific research questions or hypotheses, briefly address whether you’ve answered them or achieved your research goals. Discuss the significance of your findings in this context.
• Significance : Highlight the importance of your research and its relevance in the broader context. Explain why your findings matter and how they contribute to the existing knowledge in your field.
• Implications : Explore the practical or theoretical implications of your research. How might your findings impact future research, policy, or real-world applications? Consider the “so what?” question.
• Future Research : Offer suggestions for future research in your area. What questions or aspects remain unanswered or warrant further investigation? This shows that your work opens the door for future exploration.
• Closing Thought : Conclude your research paper conclusion with a thought-provoking or memorable statement. This can leave a lasting impression on your readers and wrap up your paper effectively. Avoid introducing new information or arguments here.
• Proofread and Revise : Carefully proofread your conclusion for grammar, spelling, and clarity. Ensure that your ideas flow smoothly and that your conclusion is coherent and well-structured.

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Remember that a well-crafted research paper conclusion is a reflection of the strength of your research and your ability to communicate its significance effectively. It should leave a lasting impression on your readers and tie together all the threads of your paper. Now you know how to start the conclusion of a research paper and what elements to include to make it impactful, let’s look at a research paper conclusion sample.

How to write a research paper conclusion with Paperpal?

A research paper conclusion is not just a summary of your study, but a synthesis of the key findings that ties the research together and places it in a broader context. A research paper conclusion should be concise, typically around one paragraph in length. However, some complex topics may require a longer conclusion to ensure the reader is left with a clear understanding of the study’s significance. Paperpal, an AI writing assistant trusted by over 800,000 academics globally, can help you write a well-structured conclusion for your research paper. 

• Sign Up or Log In: Create a new Paperpal account or login with your details.  
• Navigate to Features : Once logged in, head over to the features’ side navigation pane. Click on Templates and you’ll find a suite of generative AI features to help you write better, faster.  
• Generate an outline: Under Templates, select ‘Outlines’. Choose ‘Research article’ as your document type.  
• Select your section: Since you’re focusing on the conclusion, select this section when prompted.  
• Choose your field of study: Identifying your field of study allows Paperpal to provide more targeted suggestions, ensuring the relevance of your conclusion to your specific area of research. 
• Provide a brief description of your study: Enter details about your research topic and findings. This information helps Paperpal generate a tailored outline that aligns with your paper’s content. 
• Generate the conclusion outline: After entering all necessary details, click on ‘generate’. Paperpal will then create a structured outline for your conclusion, to help you start writing and build upon the outline.  
• Write your conclusion: Use the generated outline to build your conclusion. The outline serves as a guide, ensuring you cover all critical aspects of a strong conclusion, from summarizing key findings to highlighting the research’s implications. 
• Refine and enhance: Paperpal’s ‘Make Academic’ feature can be particularly useful in the final stages. Select any paragraph of your conclusion and use this feature to elevate the academic tone, ensuring your writing is aligned to the academic journal standards. 

By following these steps, Paperpal not only simplifies the process of writing a research paper conclusion but also ensures it is impactful, concise, and aligned with academic standards. Sign up with Paperpal today and write your research paper conclusion 2x faster .  

The research paper conclusion is a crucial part of your paper as it provides the final opportunity to leave a strong impression on your readers. In the research paper conclusion, summarize the main points of your research paper by restating your research statement, highlighting the most important findings, addressing the research questions or objectives, explaining the broader context of the study, discussing the significance of your findings, providing recommendations if applicable, and emphasizing the takeaway message. The main purpose of the conclusion is to remind the reader of the main point or argument of your paper and to provide a clear and concise summary of the key findings and their implications. All these elements should feature on your list of what to put in the conclusion of a research paper to create a strong final statement for your work.

A strong conclusion is a critical component of a research paper, as it provides an opportunity to wrap up your arguments, reiterate your main points, and leave a lasting impression on your readers. Here are the key elements of a strong research paper conclusion: 1. Conciseness : A research paper conclusion should be concise and to the point. It should not introduce new information or ideas that were not discussed in the body of the paper. 2. Summarization : The research paper conclusion should be comprehensive enough to give the reader a clear understanding of the research’s main contributions. 3 . Relevance : Ensure that the information included in the research paper conclusion is directly relevant to the research paper’s main topic and objectives; avoid unnecessary details. 4 . Connection to the Introduction : A well-structured research paper conclusion often revisits the key points made in the introduction and shows how the research has addressed the initial questions or objectives. 5. Emphasis : Highlight the significance and implications of your research. Why is your study important? What are the broader implications or applications of your findings? 6 . Call to Action : Include a call to action or a recommendation for future research or action based on your findings.

The length of a research paper conclusion can vary depending on several factors, including the overall length of the paper, the complexity of the research, and the specific journal requirements. While there is no strict rule for the length of a conclusion, but it’s generally advisable to keep it relatively short. A typical research paper conclusion might be around 5-10% of the paper’s total length. For example, if your paper is 10 pages long, the conclusion might be roughly half a page to one page in length.

In general, you do not need to include citations in the research paper conclusion. Citations are typically reserved for the body of the paper to support your arguments and provide evidence for your claims. However, there may be some exceptions to this rule: 1. If you are drawing a direct quote or paraphrasing a specific source in your research paper conclusion, you should include a citation to give proper credit to the original author. 2. If your conclusion refers to or discusses specific research, data, or sources that are crucial to the overall argument, citations can be included to reinforce your conclusion’s validity.

The conclusion of a research paper serves several important purposes: 1. Summarize the Key Points 2. Reinforce the Main Argument 3. Provide Closure 4. Offer Insights or Implications 5. Engage the Reader. 6. Reflect on Limitations

Remember that the primary purpose of the research paper conclusion is to leave a lasting impression on the reader, reinforcing the key points and providing closure to your research. It’s often the last part of the paper that the reader will see, so it should be strong and well-crafted.

• Makar, G., Foltz, C., Lendner, M., & Vaccaro, A. R. (2018). How to write effective discussion and conclusion sections. Clinical spine surgery, 31(8), 345-346.
• Bunton, D. (2005). The structure of PhD conclusion chapters.  Journal of English for academic purposes ,  4 (3), 207-224.

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• Yousuf A. Khan   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-0201-2796 3 ,
• Caroline M. R. Low 4 ,
• Kuba Perlin 3 ,
• Anna Potapenko 3 ,
• Pascal Savy 4 ,
• Sukhdeep Singh 3 ,
• Adrian Stecula   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6914-6743 4 ,
• Ashok Thillaisundaram 3 ,
• Catherine Tong   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7570-4801 4 ,
• Sergei Yakneen   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7827-9839 4 ,
• Ellen D. Zhong   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6345-1907 3 ,
• Michal Zielinski 3 ,
• Augustin Žídek   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0748-9684 3 ,
• Victor Bapst 1   na2 ,
• Pushmeet Kohli   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-7466-7997 1   na2 ,
• Max Jaderberg   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-9033-2695 2   na2 ,
• Demis Hassabis   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-2812-9917 1 , 2   na2 &
• John M. Jumper   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6169-6580 1   na2  

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• Drug discovery
• Machine learning
• Protein structure predictions
• Structural biology

The introduction of AlphaFold 2 1 has spurred a revolution in modelling the structure of proteins and their interactions, enabling a huge range of applications in protein modelling and design 2–6 . In this paper, we describe our AlphaFold 3 model with a substantially updated diffusion-based architecture, which is capable of joint structure prediction of complexes including proteins, nucleic acids, small molecules, ions, and modified residues. The new AlphaFold model demonstrates significantly improved accuracy over many previous specialised tools: far greater accuracy on protein-ligand interactions than state of the art docking tools, much higher accuracy on protein-nucleic acid interactions than nucleic-acid-specific predictors, and significantly higher antibody-antigen prediction accuracy than AlphaFold-Multimer v2.3 7,8 . Together these results show that high accuracy modelling across biomolecular space is possible within a single unified deep learning framework.

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These authors contributed equally: Josh Abramson, Jonas Adler, Jack Dunger, Richard Evans, Tim Green, Alexander Pritzel, Olaf Ronneberger, Lindsay Willmore

These authors jointly supervised this work: Victor Bapst, Pushmeet Kohli, Max Jaderberg, Demis Hassabis, John M. Jumper

Authors and Affiliations

Core Contributor, Google DeepMind, London, UK

Josh Abramson, Jonas Adler, Jack Dunger, Richard Evans, Tim Green, Alexander Pritzel, Olaf Ronneberger, Lindsay Willmore, Andrew J. Ballard, Sebastian W. Bodenstein, David A. Evans, Michael O’Neill, David Reiman, Kathryn Tunyasuvunakool, Zachary Wu, Akvilė Žemgulytė, Victor Bapst, Pushmeet Kohli, Demis Hassabis & John M. Jumper

Core Contributor, Isomorphic Labs, London, UK

Joshua Bambrick, Chia-Chun Hung, Max Jaderberg & Demis Hassabis

Google DeepMind, London, UK

Eirini Arvaniti, Charles Beattie, Ottavia Bertolli, Alex Bridgland, Alexander I. Cowen-Rivers, Andrew Cowie, Michael Figurnov, Fabian B. Fuchs, Hannah Gladman, Rishub Jain, Yousuf A. Khan, Kuba Perlin, Anna Potapenko, Sukhdeep Singh, Ashok Thillaisundaram, Ellen D. Zhong, Michal Zielinski & Augustin Žídek

Isomorphic Labs, London, UK

Alexey Cherepanov, Miles Congreve, Caroline M. R. Low, Pascal Savy, Adrian Stecula, Catherine Tong & Sergei Yakneen

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Correspondence to Max Jaderberg , Demis Hassabis or John M. Jumper .

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This Supplementary Information file contains the following 9 sections: (1) Notation; (2) Data pipeline; (3) Model architecture; (4) Auxiliary heads; (5) Training and inference; (6) Evaluation; (7) Differences to AlphaFold2 and AlphaFold-Multimer; (8) Supplemental Results; and (9) Appendix: CCD Code and PDB ID tables.

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Abramson, J., Adler, J., Dunger, J. et al. Accurate structure prediction of biomolecular interactions with AlphaFold 3. Nature (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07487-w

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Why writing by hand beats typing for thinking and learning

Jonathan Lambert

If you're like many digitally savvy Americans, it has likely been a while since you've spent much time writing by hand.

The laborious process of tracing out our thoughts, letter by letter, on the page is becoming a relic of the past in our screen-dominated world, where text messages and thumb-typed grocery lists have replaced handwritten letters and sticky notes. Electronic keyboards offer obvious efficiency benefits that have undoubtedly boosted our productivity — imagine having to write all your emails longhand.

To keep up, many schools are introducing computers as early as preschool, meaning some kids may learn the basics of typing before writing by hand.

But giving up this slower, more tactile way of expressing ourselves may come at a significant cost, according to a growing body of research that's uncovering the surprising cognitive benefits of taking pen to paper, or even stylus to iPad — for both children and adults.

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In kids, studies show that tracing out ABCs, as opposed to typing them, leads to better and longer-lasting recognition and understanding of letters. Writing by hand also improves memory and recall of words, laying down the foundations of literacy and learning. In adults, taking notes by hand during a lecture, instead of typing, can lead to better conceptual understanding of material.

"There's actually some very important things going on during the embodied experience of writing by hand," says Ramesh Balasubramaniam , a neuroscientist at the University of California, Merced. "It has important cognitive benefits."

While those benefits have long been recognized by some (for instance, many authors, including Jennifer Egan and Neil Gaiman , draft their stories by hand to stoke creativity), scientists have only recently started investigating why writing by hand has these effects.

A slew of recent brain imaging research suggests handwriting's power stems from the relative complexity of the process and how it forces different brain systems to work together to reproduce the shapes of letters in our heads onto the page.

Your brain on handwriting

Both handwriting and typing involve moving our hands and fingers to create words on a page. But handwriting, it turns out, requires a lot more fine-tuned coordination between the motor and visual systems. This seems to more deeply engage the brain in ways that support learning.

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Feeling artsy here's how making art helps your brain.

"Handwriting is probably among the most complex motor skills that the brain is capable of," says Marieke Longcamp , a cognitive neuroscientist at Aix-Marseille Université.

Gripping a pen nimbly enough to write is a complicated task, as it requires your brain to continuously monitor the pressure that each finger exerts on the pen. Then, your motor system has to delicately modify that pressure to re-create each letter of the words in your head on the page.

"Your fingers have to each do something different to produce a recognizable letter," says Sophia Vinci-Booher , an educational neuroscientist at Vanderbilt University. Adding to the complexity, your visual system must continuously process that letter as it's formed. With each stroke, your brain compares the unfolding script with mental models of the letters and words, making adjustments to fingers in real time to create the letters' shapes, says Vinci-Booher.

That's not true for typing.

To type "tap" your fingers don't have to trace out the form of the letters — they just make three relatively simple and uniform movements. In comparison, it takes a lot more brainpower, as well as cross-talk between brain areas, to write than type.

Recent brain imaging studies bolster this idea. A study published in January found that when students write by hand, brain areas involved in motor and visual information processing " sync up " with areas crucial to memory formation, firing at frequencies associated with learning.

"We don't see that [synchronized activity] in typewriting at all," says Audrey van der Meer , a psychologist and study co-author at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. She suggests that writing by hand is a neurobiologically richer process and that this richness may confer some cognitive benefits.

Other experts agree. "There seems to be something fundamental about engaging your body to produce these shapes," says Robert Wiley , a cognitive psychologist at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. "It lets you make associations between your body and what you're seeing and hearing," he says, which might give the mind more footholds for accessing a given concept or idea.

Those extra footholds are especially important for learning in kids, but they may give adults a leg up too. Wiley and others worry that ditching handwriting for typing could have serious consequences for how we all learn and think.

What might be lost as handwriting wanes

The clearest consequence of screens and keyboards replacing pen and paper might be on kids' ability to learn the building blocks of literacy — letters.

"Letter recognition in early childhood is actually one of the best predictors of later reading and math attainment," says Vinci-Booher. Her work suggests the process of learning to write letters by hand is crucial for learning to read them.

"When kids write letters, they're just messy," she says. As kids practice writing "A," each iteration is different, and that variability helps solidify their conceptual understanding of the letter.

Research suggests kids learn to recognize letters better when seeing variable handwritten examples, compared with uniform typed examples.

This helps develop areas of the brain used during reading in older children and adults, Vinci-Booher found.

"This could be one of the ways that early experiences actually translate to long-term life outcomes," she says. "These visually demanding, fine motor actions bake in neural communication patterns that are really important for learning later on."

Ditching handwriting instruction could mean that those skills don't get developed as well, which could impair kids' ability to learn down the road.

"If young children are not receiving any handwriting training, which is very good brain stimulation, then their brains simply won't reach their full potential," says van der Meer. "It's scary to think of the potential consequences."

Many states are trying to avoid these risks by mandating cursive instruction. This year, California started requiring elementary school students to learn cursive , and similar bills are moving through state legislatures in several states, including Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina and Wisconsin. (So far, evidence suggests that it's the writing by hand that matters, not whether it's print or cursive.)

Slowing down and processing information

For adults, one of the main benefits of writing by hand is that it simply forces us to slow down.

During a meeting or lecture, it's possible to type what you're hearing verbatim. But often, "you're not actually processing that information — you're just typing in the blind," says van der Meer. "If you take notes by hand, you can't write everything down," she says.

The relative slowness of the medium forces you to process the information, writing key words or phrases and using drawing or arrows to work through ideas, she says. "You make the information your own," she says, which helps it stick in the brain.

Such connections and integration are still possible when typing, but they need to be made more intentionally. And sometimes, efficiency wins out. "When you're writing a long essay, it's obviously much more practical to use a keyboard," says van der Meer.

Still, given our long history of using our hands to mark meaning in the world, some scientists worry about the more diffuse consequences of offloading our thinking to computers.

"We're foisting a lot of our knowledge, extending our cognition, to other devices, so it's only natural that we've started using these other agents to do our writing for us," says Balasubramaniam.

It's possible that this might free up our minds to do other kinds of hard thinking, he says. Or we might be sacrificing a fundamental process that's crucial for the kinds of immersive cognitive experiences that enable us to learn and think at our full potential.

Balasubramaniam stresses, however, that we don't have to ditch digital tools to harness the power of handwriting. So far, research suggests that scribbling with a stylus on a screen activates the same brain pathways as etching ink on paper. It's the movement that counts, he says, not its final form.

Jonathan Lambert is a Washington, D.C.-based freelance journalist who covers science, health and policy.

• handwriting

Kiel Verki Pli bonajn Frazojn Por Esplora Papero?

• Redakcia Teamo de Smodin
• Ĝisdatigita: Eble 17, 2024

Kiam vi alfrontas skribi esploran artikolon, elpensi klarajn, efikajn frazojn povas esti kapdoloro. Ĉi tio estas precipe vera kiam vi celas efike transdoni kompleksajn ideojn.

Se vi luktas kun frazstrukturo aŭ ne povas esprimi viajn pensojn klare, ĉi tiu gvidilo helpos vin.

De baza gramatiko ĝis uzado de AI-iloj, ni rigardos kiel krei frazojn kiuj resonas kun legantoj kaj plifortigas viajn argumentojn.

Kompreni la Bazojn de Fraza Strukturo

Kompreni la bazojn de frazstrukturo estas grava en akademia skribo. Ĉiu frazo en via esplora artikolo estas konstrubriketo, kontribuante al la klareco kaj persvado de via argumento. Bona frazo komenciĝas per klara fokuso: ĉiu vorto devas helpi transdoni vian ĉefan ideon rekte kaj efike.

Unue, rekonu la gravecon de forta kombinaĵo de subjekto kaj verbo. La subjekto de via frazo plenumas la agon, kiu estas priskribita per la verbo. Certigi ke ĉi tiuj elementoj estas klaraj kaj koncizaj malhelpas ambiguecon kaj tenas la leganton sur siaj piedfingroj. Ekzemple: "La eksperimento pruvas..." estas pli rekta ol diri: "Estas pruvita per la eksperimento, ke..."

Pensu pri la strukturo de viaj frazoj. Bone farita frazo sekvas logikan ŝablonon: subjekto, verbo, objekto. Sekvante ĉi tiun strukturon povas plifaciligi vian skribadon dum plifortigi la legeblecon de la artikolo.

Fine, memoru, ke ĉiu frazo, kiun vi skribas, devus subteni la ĉefan punkton de via alineo. Pensu pri ĉiu frazo kiel mini-argumento, kiu aldonas al via tezo, logike ligante viajn ideojn. Majstri ĉi tiujn bazaĵojn estas la unua paŝo por certigi, ke ĉiu frazo, kiun vi skribas, kontribuas substancon.

Teknikoj por Plibonigi Frazojn

Ne, ni ne estis lasos vin pendanta. Jen kelkaj praktikaj teknikoj, kiujn vi povas uzi por ke ĉiu frazo aldonu valoron al via esplora papero.

Atingi klarecon estas ege grava, precipe en scienca verkado kaj ene de via teza deklaro. La argumento devas esti klara al la leganto tuj. Unu ofta afero estas la troa uzado de kompleksaj frazoj, kiuj malklarigas viajn punktojn. Kontraŭbatali ĉi tion per fokuso pri uzado aktiva voĉo prefere ol pasiva voĉo. Pasiva voĉo povas simple malklarigi "kiu" faras la agon.

Jen ekzemplo: "La esploristo faris la eksperimenton" (aktiva) estas pli klara ol: "La eksperimento estis farita de la esploristo" (pasiva).

Ankaŭ, kiam vi klarigas procezojn aŭ rezultojn, kiuj okazis en via studo, pasinta tempo devas esti uzata konstante por konservi klarecon. Certigu, ke ĉiu verbo en via frazo kondukas hejmen klaran ideon, apogante la ĉefan argumenton. Do, kiam temas pri klareco, nepre elektu la ĝustan verbotempon.

Frazstrukturo estas grava parto por konservi viajn akademiajn artikolojn engaĝaj. La ĝenerala regulo estas miksi malsamajn specojn de frazoj por konservi la intereson de la leganto kaj reliefigi ŝlosilajn punktojn.

Komencu per ŝanĝante la longon de viaj frazoj: parigu pli mallongan, efikan frazon kun pli longa, pli priskriba. Ĉi tio povas malhelpi, ke via skribo fariĝu enuiga. Post akra aserto, ekzemple, plilongigu la sekvan frazon kun pliaj detaloj.

Ankaŭ gravas eksperimenti malsamaj komencoj de frazoj . Uzi adverbon, adjektivon aŭ frazon por gvidi viajn pensojn povas esti helpema. Diskuti viajn temojn kun diversaj verboj ankaŭ aldonas ritmon kaj dinamikon al via teksto. Faru tion zorge, tamen: tro kreiva per via vortado povas fari frazon pli kompleksa ol ĝi devas esti.

Fidu nin, valoras la penon reformigi frazojn por eviti ripetajn strukturojn kaj certigi, ke viaj ideoj estas esprimitaj kiel eble plej klare kaj vive. Ĉi tio estas ŝlosilo por krei konvinkan rakonton por via artikolo.

Potencaj transiroj estas la gluo, kiu tenas vian eseon kune, gvidante la leganton glate de unu ideo al la sekva. La unua frazo de ĉiu alineo devas servi kiel a ponto de la antaŭa alineo. La plej grava punkto de nova sekcio estu enkondukita klare kaj koncize.

Ĉi tio helpas la leganton sekvi vian argumenton sen lukti tra abruptaj ŝanĝoj kaj malkonektitaj punktoj. Ekzemple, se unu paragrafo diskutas specifan aspekton de via esplorado, la sekva povus ligi tiun aspekton al alia, profundigante la komprenon de la leganto pri la temo.

Ene de alineo, ĉiu frazo devus logike flui al la sekva , uzante transirajn vortojn kaj frazojn por signali la ligon inter ideoj. Uzado de transiroj efike klarigas la rilaton inter alineoj kaj frazoj. Ĝi ankaŭ plifortigas la ĝeneralan strukturon de via artikolo, certigante ke ĉiu punkto kontribuas signife al via tezo.

Skribu Pli bonajn Frazojn Kun Smodin

Uzi Smodin en via akademia skribo povas transformi kiel vi strukturas frazojn en viaj esploraj artikoloj. Smodin estas ekipita per iloj por rafini vian skribon kaj certigi, ke ĝi estas klara, allogaj kaj informa. Kun ĝi, vi povas atendi zorgeman atenton al detaloj. Tio ebligas al vi prezenti pli da detaloj klare en viaj diskutoj.

La temo de via artikolo estas traktata kun precizeco, subtenata de artefarita inteligenteco (AI), kiu riĉigas vian argumenton per bone strukturitaj ideoj kaj nur la koncernaj pruvoj.

La AI-iloj de Smodin helpas konservi akran fokuson pri la temo ĉe mano kaj elekti la plej bonajn vortojn por esprimi viajn ideojn. Ĉi tio povas esti precipe utila kiam vi devas esprimi multajn esplorajn rezultojn ene de malgranda vortlimo. Krome, la kapablo de Smodin generi referencojn precize kaj integri ilin perfekte plibonigas kredindecon kaj ŝparas al vi tunojn da tempo.

Ni ankaŭ menciu, ke la aro de AI-skribiloj de Smodin iras multe preter nur restrukturado de frazoj. Vi ankaŭ povas fari plagiatajn kontrolojn kaj ricevi ampleksan esploran helpon, subtenante vian skribadon ĉe ĉiu paŝo.

Fino Pensoj

Por fariĝi "bona verkisto", vi devas regi frazstrukturon kaj klarecon. Komence ne estos facila, sed vi povas fari ĝin!

Prezentu vian temon en maniero kiu resonas kun via leganto, certigante ke ĉiu frazo konstruas sur la lasta por formi koheran argumenton. Fine, kun praktiko kaj atento al detaloj, vi pliboniĝos.

Memoru, vi povas akceli ĉi tion utiligante la potencon de artefarita inteligenteco. Smodin ebligas vin komenci senpage, do kion vi atendas?

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AI-assisted writing is quietly booming in academic journals—here's why that's OK

by Julian Koplin, The Conversation

If you search Google Scholar for the phrase " as an AI language model ," you'll find plenty of AI research literature and also some rather suspicious results. For example, one paper on agricultural technology says,

"As an AI language model, I don't have direct access to current research articles or studies. However, I can provide you with an overview of some recent trends and advancements …"

Obvious gaffes like this aren't the only signs that researchers are increasingly turning to generative AI tools when writing up their research. A recent study examined the frequency of certain words in academic writing (such as "commendable," "meticulously" and "intricate"), and found they became far more common after the launch of ChatGPT—so much so that 1% of all journal articles published in 2023 may have contained AI-generated text.

(Why do AI models overuse these words? There is speculation it's because they are more common in English as spoken in Nigeria, where key elements of model training often occur.)

The aforementioned study also looks at preliminary data from 2024, which indicates that AI writing assistance is only becoming more common. Is this a crisis for modern scholarship, or a boon for academic productivity?

Who should take credit for AI writing?

Many people are worried by the use of AI in academic papers. Indeed, the practice has been described as " contaminating " scholarly literature.

Some argue that using AI output amounts to plagiarism. If your ideas are copy-pasted from ChatGPT, it is questionable whether you really deserve credit for them.

But there are important differences between "plagiarizing" text authored by humans and text authored by AI. Those who plagiarize humans' work receive credit for ideas that ought to have gone to the original author.

By contrast, it is debatable whether AI systems like ChatGPT can have ideas, let alone deserve credit for them. An AI tool is more like your phone's autocomplete function than a human researcher.

The question of bias

Another worry is that AI outputs might be biased in ways that could seep into the scholarly record. Infamously, older language models tended to portray people who are female, black and/or gay in distinctly unflattering ways, compared with people who are male, white and/or straight.

This kind of bias is less pronounced in the current version of ChatGPT.

However, other studies have found a different kind of bias in ChatGPT and other large language models : a tendency to reflect a left-liberal political ideology.

Any such bias could subtly distort scholarly writing produced using these tools.

The hallucination problem

The most serious worry relates to a well-known limitation of generative AI systems: that they often make serious mistakes.

For example, when I asked ChatGPT-4 to generate an ASCII image of a mushroom, it provided me with the following output.

It then confidently told me I could use this image of a "mushroom" for my own purposes.

These kinds of overconfident mistakes have been referred to as "AI hallucinations" and " AI bullshit ." While it is easy to spot that the above ASCII image looks nothing like a mushroom (and quite a bit like a snail), it may be much harder to identify any mistakes ChatGPT makes when surveying scientific literature or describing the state of a philosophical debate.

Unlike (most) humans, AI systems are fundamentally unconcerned with the truth of what they say. If used carelessly, their hallucinations could corrupt the scholarly record.

Should AI-produced text be banned?

One response to the rise of text generators has been to ban them outright. For example, Science—one of the world's most influential academic journals—disallows any use of AI-generated text .

I see two problems with this approach.

The first problem is a practical one: current tools for detecting AI-generated text are highly unreliable. This includes the detector created by ChatGPT's own developers, which was taken offline after it was found to have only a 26% accuracy rate (and a 9% false positive rate ). Humans also make mistakes when assessing whether something was written by AI.

It is also possible to circumvent AI text detectors. Online communities are actively exploring how to prompt ChatGPT in ways that allow the user to evade detection. Human users can also superficially rewrite AI outputs, effectively scrubbing away the traces of AI (like its overuse of the words "commendable," "meticulously" and "intricate").

The second problem is that banning generative AI outright prevents us from realizing these technologies' benefits. Used well, generative AI can boost academic productivity by streamlining the writing process. In this way, it could help further human knowledge. Ideally, we should try to reap these benefits while avoiding the problems.

The problem is poor quality control, not AI

The most serious problem with AI is the risk of introducing unnoticed errors, leading to sloppy scholarship. Instead of banning AI, we should try to ensure that mistaken, implausible or biased claims cannot make it onto the academic record.

After all, humans can also produce writing with serious errors, and mechanisms such as peer review often fail to prevent its publication.

We need to get better at ensuring academic papers are free from serious mistakes, regardless of whether these mistakes are caused by careless use of AI or sloppy human scholarship. Not only is this more achievable than policing AI usage, it will improve the standards of academic research as a whole.

This would be (as ChatGPT might say) a commendable and meticulously intricate solution.

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