What advice would you now give to someone writing his/her first scientific paper?

The first thing I would say is not to pick a topic that would have more statistics then stuff you could right in your own words, that was my mistake. My advice would be to listen to all directions and make sure you really research your topic. Then before writing your paper make sure you have some statistics and your own details, also make sure your paragraphs flow to a conclusion and make sure your thesis is clear in your introduction and conclusion paragraph. If you need help do not be afraid to ask your instructor or go to the writing center. Good luck to you who are next to take this class.