Guided Reading: A Case Study in Evaluating Scientific Reports on Quantitative Research

Researchers have access to a vast repository of scientific papers reporting research results through the Internet. In this context, fostering collective knowledge growth, researchers may encounter situations where the content of a paper is not effectively utilized due to flaws in the presentation of conducted research. Various fields of knowledge have developed research protocols to assist in the production of scientific reports. In the field of Computer Science, proposals for such protocols are still in development. This paper describes a case study conducted with undergraduate and graduate students in Computer Science, involving guided reading of scientific papers, and recording students' perceptions regarding adherence to a set of guidelines for the presentation of scientific results. The case study focused on papers presenting research results with a quantitative focus, such as performance evaluations. The exercise took place over two academic semesters, where reading instructions were provided, and impressions about the observed content were collected every two or three weeks. The analysis results indicated that, despite being well-written, the papers had gaps in relation to the reading guidelines. The study's conclusions suggest that authors underestimate the importance of providing a comprehensive account of their experi-ence, highlighting the need for protocols to report scientific results in the field of Computer Science.