Write a synopsis following the guidelines below about the paper attached. Must answer all 4 bulleted questions.
To aid in your reviewing a paper and subsequent writing of the synopsis, we have put together a few suggestions on what to think about when reading/writing. This is not comprehensive, just something to help you get started.
1. On what previous data/studies is this study based that brought about the reason for this study? Understanding the background should help you in stating the hypothesis of the study. Must answer all 4 questions below.
2. Why do you think this paper is important? What is the impact of the findings/how did it bring about a new idea to the field? Think about why the instructor selected this paper for you to read. You should end the synopsis with a statement of impact/how the paper advanced the field.
3. What are the major methods used in the study and the model system? Why did they use that model system? Could they have used another approach or model system?
4. What are the study conclusions/findings? Did the authors “deliver” on these conclusions, or not? Give reasons why/why not you think they proved their points. If not, what could they have done better, or added as an experiment?
There are a few “traps” that students often are caught in that you should avoid. First, students sometimes just “rehash” what was done in the study. “The authors first did A and they found B. They next did C, etc.” Try not to just only describe the studies performed and the results. The goal of the synopsis is to try and get you to think beyond just what was done. Second, often students will try to look for every little thing that was wrong with the study. Realize that no paper is perfect. If there is a issue that could impact how the authors interpreted of an experiment, that is important to note, but try not to be so hypercritical that it blocks your understanding of the major findings.
Finally, the synopsis should be one page, single-spaced with either moderate (1-inch top/bottom, 0.75-inch sides) or narrow (0.5 inch on all sides) margins. A one page, double-spaced synopsis will not be accepted. Also, please keep text between 10-12 point font and a little over one page in length is fine, but do not go overboard. Maximum of two pages.
