7.17 Writing Abstracts
Neal Lerner
68-150a
[email protected]
2-2939
Abstract scrambled
• CG8526 encodes a large-form lysophospholipase that
possesses additional function as an asparaginase.
• These results indicate that CG8526 may be important for
HeT-A translation or folding.
• Localization of a CG8526-GFP fusion indicates that CG8526
localizes to discrete conglomerates in the cytoplasm.
• HeT-A, a Drosophila non-long terminal repeat (non-LTR)
retrotransposon, is unique because it retrotransposes itself
into heterochromatin regions in chromosomes, thereby
extending telomeres.
• Staining with organelle markers indicated that these
aggregates are not in lysosomal, ER, or Golgi vesicles.
• An RNAi knockdown of CG8526 was performed and resulted
in a knockout of a HeT-A-GFP fusion.
• Furthermore, immunofluorescent labeling of Hsp70 and
ubiquitin did not show increased levels in the aggregates.
• The localization of CG8526, a Drosophila protein that
interacted with HeT-A in a yeast two-hybrid screen, was
characterized in Schneider 2 cells.
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Abstract re-ordered
HeT-A, a Drosophila non-long terminal repeat (non-LTR)
retrotransposon, is unique because it retrotransposes itself into
heterochromatin regions in chromosomes, thereby extending
telomeres. The localization of CG8526, a Drosophila protein that
interacted with HeT-A in a yeast two-hybrid screen, was
characterized in Schneider 2 cells. CG8526 encodes a large-form
lysophospholipase that possesses additional function as an
asparaginase. Localization of a CG8526-GFP fusion indicates that
CG8526 localizes to discrete conglomerates in the cytoplasm.
Staining with organelle markers indicated that these aggregates
are not in lysosomal, ER, or Golgi vesicles. Furthermore,
immunofluorescent labeling of Hsp70 and ubiquitin did not show
increased levels in the aggregates. An RNAi knockdown of
CG8526 was performed and resulted in a knockout of a HeT-AGFP fusion. These results indicate that CG8526 may be important
for HeT-A translation or folding.
What is the purpose of an abstract?
• A stand alone, mini-version of
the paper (250 words or less).
• Describes the main sections of
the paper.
• States the purpose, findings,
and impact of the work.
• The goal is an economy of
words.
2
The Essentials of an Abstract
from the UW Madison Writing Center
In an abstracts you address this
question:
– What is the report about, in miniature and
without too much detail?
By doing the following
– State main objectives: What did you
investigate? Why?
– Describe methods: What did you do?
– Summarize the most important results:
What did you find out?
– State major conclusions and significance:
What do your results mean? So what?)
What are Some Pitfalls of Abstracts?
• Contains extraneous detail or
information or conclusions not
stated in the paper.
• Contains abbreviations, chemical
formulas, jargon or references to
material only in the paper itself.
• Failure to state the purpose of the
work at the outset.
• Failure to state the importance of
the work and where it leads at the
end.
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Essential to abstracts is an
economy of words
• Extract key points from each
section of your paper. Condense
in successive revisions.
• Do not include references to
figures, tables, or sources.
• Do not include information not
in report.
• Choose each word carefully.
Make them clear and significant.
Language: Needless Complexity
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Language: Needless Words
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
(already) existing
At (the) present (time)
(basic) fundamentals
(completely) eliminate
(continue to) remain
(currently) being
(currently) underway
(empty) space
Had done (previously)
Introduced (a new)
Mix (together)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Never (before)
None (at all)
Now (at this time)
Period (of time)
(private) industry
(separate) entities
Start (out)
Write (out)
(still) persists
Language: Strong Versus Strong Verbs
• made the arrangement for
• arranged
• made the decision
• decided
• made the measurement of
• measured
• performed the development
of
• developed
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Active and Passive Voice
from Successful Scientific Writing, 2nd ed.
Vague passive phrasing
• It is recommended by the
authors of the present study
that . . .
• The data which were
obtained by Johnson were
probably indicative of . . .
• The following results were
obtained . . .
• It was discovered that a
sustained coordinated effort
will be required . . .
Active, precise wording
• We recommend . . .
• Johnson’s data probably
indicate . . .
• We obtained these results . .
.
• We need a sustained
coordinated effort . . .
Language: Too Many Abstract Nouns
•
Original:
– The existing nature of Mount St. Helens’ volcanic ash spewage was
handled through the applied use of computer modeling capabilities.
• Revised:
– With Cray computers, we modeled how much ash spewed from
Mount St. Helens.
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Tips for Effective Scientific Writing
from George D. Gopen and Judith A. Swan “The Science of Scientific Writing.”
American Scientist 78 (Nov-Dec 1990): 550-558.
•
Follow a sentence’s subject as soon as possible with its verb.
– Bad: Het-A, a Drosophila non-long terminal repeat (non-LTR)
retrotransposon, which retrotransposes itself into heterochromatin regions
in chromosomes, thereby extending telomeres, is unique.
– Better: Het-A is a Drosophila non-long terminal repeat (non-LTR)
retrotransposon that extends telomeres by retrotransposing itself into
heterochromatin regions in chromosomes.
•
Place the person or thing whose “story” a sentence is telling at the
beginning of the sentence.
– Bad: A Drisophila protein that interacted with Het-A in a yeast two-hybrid
screen was CG8526, whose localization was characterized in Schneider 2
cells.
– Better: The localization of CG8526, a Drisophila protein that interacted
with Het-A in a yeast two-hybrid screen, was characterized in S2 cells.
Tips for Effective Scientific Writing (cont.)
from George D. Gopen and Judith A. Swan “The Science of Scientific Writing.”
American Scientist 78 (Nov-Dec 1990): 550-558.
•
Place in the stress position (end of sentence) the “new information” you
want the reader to emphasize.
– Bad: CG8526 localizes to discrete conglomerates in the cytoplasm based on
observation of localization patterns of a CG8526-GFP fusion.
– Better: Localization of a CG8526-GFP fusion indicates that CG8526 localizes to
discrete conglomerates in the cytoplasm.
•
Place appropriate “old information” at the beginning of a sentence for
linkage backward and contextualization forward.
– Bad: Localization of a CG8526-GFP fusion indicates that CG8526 localizes to
discrete conglomerates in the cytoplasm. Lysosomal, ER, or Golgi vesicles were not
seen to contain these aggregates, based on staining with organelle markers.
– Better: Localization of a CG8526-GFP fusion indicates that CG8526 localizes to
discrete conglomerates in the cytoplasm. Staining with organelle markers indicated
that these aggregates are not in lysosomal, ER, or Golgi vesicles.
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