While the title of a scientific article will tell you the topic, you’ll need to do some reading to figure out what the writer’s angle or perspective on that topic is.
When you’re reading scientific texts, often you can figure out how ideas are arranged by looking for signal words that are used in specific organizational patterns. Click each pattern below to see some examples of these words.
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as well as, compare, like, similar to, similarly, both . . . and, however, contrast, different, but, on the other hand, unlike, less than, more than |
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so, because, but, since, if . . . then, therefore, the reason for, effect of, consequence of, cause of |
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first, second, third, next, then, last, finally |
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can be divided, can be classified, can be categorized, grouped into, sorted by, the first/second type, the first/second category |
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first, second, third, next |
Try using signal words to identify how ideas are developed in the excerpt below, which is from a transcript called Getting a Bird’s-Eye View of Biodiversity with Landsat.
Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are trying to figure out how temperature affects bird biodiversity across the country, which will help conservationists figure out where to prioritize their efforts. The team used data from Landsat’s thermal sensor, called TIRS, to map temperature across the United States. They also used a computer algorithm to map small-scale temperature differences. For example, a grove of trees in an open field. The algorithm compares the temperature variability in one area to those adjacent to it.
The team then compared their temperature data to bird biodiversity across the country, focusing on the winter months and birds that don’t migrate to find warmer temperatures. Turns out, large-bodied bird species tend to choose places with higher overall temperatures. But for small birds and climate-threatened species, having a habitat with variable temperatures seems to be more important.
Question
How are the ideas organized in these two paragraphs?
