Why communication matters
A discovery is only useful if others can understand and repeat it. Communication in biology means presenting information so clearly and honestly that another person could follow the work and trust the results.
Ways to present biological information
- Tables — organise readings neatly, with headings and correct units.
- Graphs — a line graph shows how one quantity changes with another; a bar chart compares separate groups.
- Diagrams and labelled drawings — show structures such as a leaf or a cell clearly.
- Written reports — describe the aim, method, results and conclusion in order.
Rules for clear communication
Good scientific communication is accurate, honest and easy to follow. Axes on a graph must be labelled with units, drawings must have clean label lines, and data must not be changed to fit an expected answer. When ideas come from another source, they should be referenced to avoid plagiarism.
Example
To show how temperature affects an enzyme, a student draws a line graph with temperature on the x-axis and reaction rate on the y-axis, both with units. Anyone reading it can see the pattern at a glance.
Remember
Choose a line graph for continuous change over a range, and a bar chart for comparing separate categories.
Choosing the right form
Different information suits different forms of presentation. Raw readings from an experiment fit neatly into a table, which then becomes the source for a graph. A pattern or trend over a range of values is shown best by a graph, while the structure of an organism is shown best by a labelled diagram. A written report ties everything together with clear sentences. Choosing the wrong form can hide the very pattern you are trying to reveal, so a good scientist thinks about the reader before deciding.
Today, biologists also use ICT — spreadsheets, presentation slides and the internet — to record, analyse and share data quickly and accurately. A spreadsheet can turn a table into a graph in seconds and can repeat calculations without mistakes, which saves time and reduces human error.