[renge ishyo]

If your plan is to write a paper that will be example of biased, bad journalism and fear mongering - stop asking us for help.

But what if his career goal is to become a professional writer?

[JGK]

If you have ever read papers published by doctors in the UK medical Journals you'll find it's quite common for a question to be posed and answered in the paper's title especially in epidemiology papers

Stating both in the paper title has nothing to do with assuming conclusion before starting research.

Apart from the fact that most of the questions posed belong in the category entitled "School of the blindingly obvious"

[Noobert]

Haha Quote
If your plan is to write a paper that will be example of biased, bad journalism and fear mongering - stop asking us for help.

But what if his career goal is to become a professional writer?
 
 My oppinion is how it is because of what happened to me. I know this is not scientifically correct, but I am just writing a research paper for a highschool chem class.  It has to be controversial and we have to pick a side from the start and back it....S why not pick the side you feel strongly about?

Anyway... Does my thesis look decent or would you change it?

Thanks so much for your help... Sorry if I sound unnapreciative and argumentitive. I really do appreciate the help.
 

[Borek]

I know this is not scientifically correct, but I am just writing a research paper for a highschool chem class.

sigh

[billnotgatez]

Borek –

There is a difference between doing a research paper for English and Science. The original posting person took is using the former style and unfortunately the high school chemistry teacher will accept it.

Regards,
Bill

[Borek]

There is a difference between doing a research paper for English and Science.

Like you can ignore reality in English, but you can't ignore it in Science?

It is not about writing SF story, but about reporting some knowledge.  You can always have your own opinion and you can always state that your personal experience differs from that reported as average for the population, but when reporting what others have found you should stick to the facts and be objective. It is not always possible, but you should assume that's what you are going to do.

Otherwise it is not even stamp collecting (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ernest_Rutherford)

[JGK]

Thanks for your response and yes I researched it quite a bit while I was recovering from being sick. STILL I am a firm believer that aspartame has long term effects...


Anyway thanks for all of your help and oppinions... But.... Do you think I can find enough sources to back my oppinion? Thanks.

On the internet you can find anything to back an opinion, but the art is finding stuff which is still reliable, valid or (even) true. Search for anything and I daresay you can find scare stories/conspiracy theories going on about it.

The one that springs to mind is the link between the MMR vaccine and Autism, you still find people quoting this as fact even though the study which came to the conclusion was dismissed by virtually the entire scientific community as "fundamentally" flawed.

[Noobert]

So what everyone is saying is that I should write my paper on how aspartame is safe because many reliable big companies back the research? That way I am sure I will have enough information.

[Noobert]

You are still doing the same mistake - you are assuming you know better. If your intent is to write a good research paper - stop and try to be objective, and don't generalize your personal experience to the whole population. If your plan is to write a paper that will be example of biased, bad journalism and fear mongering - stop asking us for help

.

Woooww there.. I have submitted a thesis. I have to write on that. So... I really donnt have much of a choice. Both sides have a valid argument and I do not see how arguing one side over the other is going to get me a bad grade.

[Noobert]

I geuss what I am trying to say is that I am just trying to get a good grade... My research paper is not going to be any big breakthrough in medical science... Although, I geuss it was stupid stupid to just pick a side because of what happened to me... If I had made my posts earlier I probobly would have been better off  having listening to you and researched initially more objectively. You are all clearly very intelligent and I appreciate all of your input.

[renge ishyo]

No worries guy, just write the paper and you'll do fine. There are facts to support either side in this case, so either way you go IS a matter of opinion on this issue. There is no clear cut evidence on this issue (yet). What matters for the assignment is that you support your argument convincingly using facts from published sources that support your stance. I think some on here are just upset with the notion that you had already made up your mind about the conclusion *before* reading to become knowledgeable about the subject. The frustration isn't with you per say, it's with the fact that we see a LOT of people doing this in industry (you see this happen when people with obvious bias write a "scientific paper" that merely falls in line with their employers interests), and it is sad to see a young student "willingly" become a part of it. A "pure" scientist should desire to see the truth..not use the facts of science as tools to further an agenda. That's all.

[JGK]

I geuss what I am trying to say is that I am just trying to get a good grade... My research paper is not going to be any big breakthrough in medical science... Although, I geuss it was stupid stupid to just pick a side because of what happened to me... If I had made my posts earlier I probobly would have been better off  having listening to you and researched initially more objectively. You are all clearly very intelligent and I appreciate all of your input.

And all we are saying is that a research paper should at least show some semblance of balance.

You may think Aspartame has negative effects but to highlight only the negative while ignoring the wealth of evidence that has been produced showing a lack of those same effects in order to get aspartame to the market is just bad science. 

As someone who has workes for over 20 years in the field of regulatory safety assessment there is nothing worse that people pontificating about something for which they have no evidence.

[typhoon2028]

I really see no problem with Noobert is trying to do. 

"The artificial sweetener Aspartame may be very hazardous to one's health."

Why is it wrong to write a paper citing research to try and prove one's statement?  Noobert is obiviously not going to do a study of his own.  He cannot be expected to inject rats with Aspartame, observe what happens, and a write a paper on his findings and conclusions.

[Darel2021]

No worries guy, just write the paper and you'll do fine. There are facts to support either side in this case, so either way you go IS a matter of opinion on this issue. There is no clear cut evidence on this issue (yet). What matters for the assignment is that you support your argument convincingly using facts from published sources that support your stance. I think some on here are just upset with the notion that you had already made up your mind about the conclusion *before* reading to become knowledgeable about the subject. The frustration isn't with you per say, it's with the fact that we see a LOT of people doing this in industry (you see this happen when people with obvious bias write a "scientific paper" that merely falls in line with their employers interests), and it is sad to see a young student "willingly" become a part of it. A "pure" scientist should desire to see the truth..not use the facts of science as tools to further an agenda. That's all.

Sorry, I already wrote in another thread there is a question, but I need to find a quick answer. You write that it is important to refer to other sources. But is it possible to write a scientific work, absolutely without references? What if my research hasn't been done before, and nothing like it. Will they laugh at me?

[Borek]

But is it possible to write a scientific work, absolutely without references?

No.

What if my research hasn't been done before, and nothing like it.

Highly doubtful. While it is definitely possible to find some new things in science, millions of scientists have been researching everything for several hundreds of years. That means these new things are found mostly in quite exotic places/conditions, not ones that are easily available to everyone. Plus, they always only extend what we already know, chances of finding some completely isolated gem of knowledge by someone not extremely well trained and extremely well knowing their area of expertise are non existent.

Will they laugh at me?

I am afraid if you have to ask such questions you don't understand how science works and how everything is interconnected, which makes is quite unlikely you will be able to produce paper that will meet standards of peer reviewed publication.

Hard to comment further not knowing what your findings are. Be aware of the fact scientific community sees people claiming they have found something extraordinary and groundbreaking yet not being able to prove it often enough to not care at all. This is typically a sad experience for everyone involved.