1. Writing for Biology Class Part 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 2

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 3

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. 4

5. Clarity in Writing (avoiding redundancy)
Redundant
Revised
It is absolutely essential
It is essential
Mutual cooperation
Cooperation
Totally unique
Unique
The solution was obtained and transferred
The solution was transferred

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)
Concise
A majority of
Most
As soon as
When
At all times
Always
Based on the fact that
Because
For this reason So
In fact
Don’t use at all
Functions to, serves to
It is interesting to note that

8. Empty Phrases (con’t). Referred to as Called With the exception of
Concise
Referred to as
Called
With the exception of
Except
Came to the conclusion
Concluded
With the result that
So that
At a much greater rate than
Faster
So as to To
Despite the fact that
Although, though
At the present
now

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
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