Writing for Biology Class Part 3: Grammar and Proof-reading

1. Writing for Biology ClassPart 3: Grammar and Proof-reading Materials taken from Knisely, Karin. (2009). Writing in Biology. Sinaur/Freeman and edited by Angela Bush, SRVHS

2. Hints for Writing “Good” Lab Reports • Do not use first person language • Example: I noticed that when the yeast was mixed with sugar-water, it smelled like bread. • Revised: When the yeast was mixed with sugar-water, it smelled like bread • Write to enlighten your peers (other students), not to impress your teacher • Do not use unnecessary verbiage • Keep it simple and get to the point! • See slides 5-8 • Do not use language that you don’t understand • Use scientific words when appropriate. Define terms that are unfamiliar to your audience. • Do not use jargon • Avoid clichés, slang, and abbreviations. • Do not plagiarize

3. Use Complete Sentences and Proper Grammar • Always include the question in your answer to ensure complete, comprehensible sentences • Do not use pronouns without antecedents, use nouns! • Example: No, it did not. • Revised: No, the sand did not show signs of life under the microscope • Not sure if it is a pronoun, or if you are properly using a pronoun? Check this website! • Do not use contractions in formal writing • Be sure your word usage is correct • Spell check will not correct a word that is spelled correctly, but used incorrectly! • Grammar check often misses these mistakes too! • See slides 9-12

4. Use Well Developed Paragraphs • Each paragraph focuses on one topic • The first sentence introduces the topic • Subsequent sentences support the topic sentence • Connecting phrases are use to achieve good flow between sentences.

5. Clarity in Writing (avoiding redundancy)

6. Examples of Clarity • There are two protein assays that are often used in research laboratories. • It is interesting to note that some enzymes are stable at temperatures above 60°C.

7. Empty Phrases (wasted words)

8. Empty Phrases (con’t).

9. Word Usage: Affect vs Effect • Affect is a verb that means “to influence.” • Example: Temperature affects enzyme activity. • Effect can be a noun, effect means “result,” if effect is used as a verb “to cause.” • Example (noun): We studied the effect of temperature on enzyme activity. • Example (verb): High temperature effected a change in the shape of the enzyme, which destroyed the enzyme’s activity.

10. Word Usage Cont’d • Fewer vs. less. • Use fewer when a quantity can be counted. Use less when the quantity is unknown. • Do not use contractions in formal writing. Use it is instead of it’s. • Lowered vs. raised. • Transitive verbs require a direct object, a noun to act on. • Example: • Wrong: The fish’s body temperature lowered the response to the cold water. • Correct: The cold water lowered the fish’s body temperature.

11. Spelling Advice • Wrest a Spell • Eye halve a spelling chequer • It came with my pea sea • It plainly marques four my revue • Miss steaks eye kin knot sea. • Eye strike a key and type a word • And weight four it two say • Weather eye am wrong oar write • It shows me strait a weigh.

12. Spelling Advice…. • As soon as a mist ache is maid • It nose bee fore two long • And eye can put the error rite • Its rare leas ever wrong. • Eye have run this poem threw it • I am shore your pleased two no • Its letter perfect awl the weigh • My chequer tolled me sew. • -Sauce unknown