Summer Writing Workshop Lindsay - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Summer Writing Workshop

Lindsay

Winkenbach

Nishimura Lab

2

3

Paragraphs

A uniform paragraph relates the content to the declared topic sentence

Adopting a standard of organization in your paragraphs adds fluency

General to specific

Specific to general

Familiar to unfamiliar

4

Like many of the RNA binding proteins discussed in this review, Vas appears to have more than one function. It is a component of

nuage

, organelles that are involved in piRNA-mediated transposon silencing, and it has recently been implicated in regulating mitotic chromosome condensation in the Drosophila germline (Pek and Kai 2011). Dependent on the activities of aub and spn-E, two piRNA pathway genes, Vas accumulates in perichromosomal foci during mitosis, and facilitates the recruitment of Barren, which in turn is required for correct chromosome condensation and segregation. This function of Vas appears to be independent of translation, as the VasD617 mutant form operates normally in this regard.

Like many of the RNA binding proteins discussed in this review, Vas appears to have more than one function. It is a component of nuage, organelles that are involved in piRNA-mediated transposon silencing, and it has recently been implicated in regulating mitotic chromosome condensation in the Drosophila germline (Pek and Kai 2011). Dependent on the activities of aub and spn-E, two piRNA pathway genes, Vas accumulates in perichromosomal foci during mitosis, and facilitates the recruitment of Barren, which in turn is required for correct chromosome condensation and segregation. This function of Vas appears to be independent of translation, as the VasD617 mutant form operates normally in this regard.

Like many of the RNA binding proteins discussed in this review, Vas appears to have more than one function. It is a component of nuage, organelles that are involved in piRNA-mediated transposon silencing, and it has recently been implicated in regulating mitotic chromosome condensation in the Drosophila germline (Pek and Kai 2011). Dependent on the activities of aub and spn-E, two piRNA pathway genes, Vas accumulates in perichromosomal foci during mitosis, and facilitates the recruitment of Barren, which in turn is required for correct chromosome condensation and segregation. This function of Vas appears to be independent of translation, as the VasD617 mutant form operates normally in this regard.

General to specific

Sentences

5

“As will be discussed in more detail below, formation of the anterior-to-posterior

Bcd

gradient is primarily achieved through localization of its mRNA at the anterior pole, whereas formation of the posterior-to-anterior Nos gradient is achieved through translational repression of its mRNA by

Bcd

, and enrichment of its mRNA at the posterior where it is translationally active.”

Localization of

bcd

mRNA at the anterior pole establishes the anterior-to-posterior Bcd gradient. Conversely, the posterior-to-anterior Nos gradient forms through translational repression of

nos mRNA by Bcd and enrichment of translationally active nos mRNA at the posterior.Write in the active voice as much as possibleReduce complexity when you can Rules of English grammar apply

Words = 56Words = 37

Brevity- ”reduce content, or reduce the text used to convey content”

Avoid the following:

Passive voice

Nominalization

Unnecessary technical jargon

Roundabout phrases

Parentheticals

Empty modifiers

Padding

6”On first glance it seems perhaps…”“A recent genetic screen has identified short stop, which encodes a spectroplakin protein that binds both actin and microtubules

, and Su(Mir)2, whose identity is unknown, as encoding other potential factors involved in bcd anchoring.””On first glance it seems perhaps…””What must be remembered, however,…”

The germ line cyst is surrounded by a single layer of follicle cellsA single layer of follicle cells surrounds the germ line cyst.

Is surrounded by vs surrounds

Really, very, quite, actually

Summary

Paragraphs

A uniform paragraph relates the content to the declared topic sentence

Adopt a standard of organization

Sentences

Write in the active voice as much as possible

Reduce complexity when you can

Rules of English grammar apply

Vary sentence length to keep the reader’s attentionBrevity

7