Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
product, a scientific result is not valid if it is not independently reproducible by other
researchers.
In ecological modelling we are faced with the problem that often the model code is
too long to fit into the usual format of a scientific publication. Though this situation
has improved significantly through internet-based model repositories, some authors
still prefer to keep the source code of their model confidential. Though this excludes
the model in a strict sense from the scientific discourse, it is possible to specify the
employed relations in a way that an independent re-programming (eventually on a
different software and hardware base) should be possible and can arrive at qualita-
tively (or even quantitatively) comparable results. Describing a model in such a way
that the reader knows which relations have been used for model specification is
crucial for the scientific discourse. How models should be documented is in itself a
topic of a discourse. The ecological modelling practice has arrived at practical
solutions which can be found in the respective literature (see e.g. the Journal
“Ecological Modelling”).
It is largely a matter of consensus which issues are required for model docu-
mentation in the scientific literature. The same general requirements hold as in
other fields of science, which we summarize here with respect to the usual
organization of a scientific paper. Good examples where the organization of
scientific communication can be studied are Day and Gastel (2006); McMillan
(2006); Alley (1996), and Goben and Swan (1990). Therefore, we concentrate on
the particular aspects which relate to the necessary documentation for ecological
model issues. In general, the “Authors Instructions” of the particular journals
provide additional technical information regarding the requirements and formal
standards of a journal.
The Abstract
Is the first part and should be written when the paper is finalized, outlining what the
article offers to the reader specifying the topics dealt with and for which aspects
results are provided and discussed and why they are relevant.
The Introductory Part
This part should contain a clear specification of the problem that was investigated.
What makes the problem scientifically relevant? For this, a consideration of
previous work and the state-of-the-art on which the developed model builds is
necessary. With respect to the model development a description (or reference) of
theperformedsystemsanalysisisimportant. This section should contain the
identified system components, the relevant processes and their interrelations.
Depending on the focus of the publication this part might also be placed in the
following section.
