Writing for the Public: Jargon Obviates Amelioration

Posted by Taylor Roberge

When I talk to my lab mates about my biology research, I often talk in a special code: “Malaclemys terrapin is a relatively small estuarine Emydid turtle that represents a possible keystone species. It also exhibits sexual dimorphism and TSD." But when I go home, and talk to my girlfriend, who is in the medical field, I code switch, or cut out the jargon, to make sure that she understands the importance of what I am doing and why I am late for supper again. Here’s a translation: "Diamondback terrapins are small turtles related to the common pond turtles you can get from the pet store. They live in salt marshes where fresh and salt water mix and are very important to the diversity of animals and plants in the marsh. Males and females are different in size and shape, and the sex of the animal is determined by egg incubation temperature and not the presence of a specific gene (e.g. X or Y in humans)." No matter who hears it, this explanation usually elicits sympathy for the turtles, and/or interest in my research, so I’m ahead either way.

Tower of Babel Jargon

Adapted from a painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder at Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pieter_Bruegel_the_Elder_-_The_Tower_of_Babel_(Vienna)_-_Google_Art_Project_-_edited.jpg

One of the biggest differences between scientific writing in the professional sense (e.g.  journal articles, grant proposals), and writing for the public is the avoidance of using scientific jargon. The Laura Diaz-Martinez of ASCB states, “Scientific lexicon, which is different even between physicists and biologists, is partly to blame for the divide that exists between the many amazing discoveries scientists make and the few that make it into the public sphere and get non-scientists excited about them too.”  It is difficult for us to explain complex ideas without using jargon, mostly because we get so comfortable using these terms in every day speech. However, I’m sure everyone has had to explain what they were working on to a family member that is not scientifically literate if only to explain why you don’t have a “real” job yet and are still in school. 

Reducing the use of jargon, or defining it will keep the audience engaged and reduce the chance that they will feel intimidated and stop reading. Just remember, next time you are writing about your latest research in the field of astrophysics to explain it like you were talking to your uncle (unless your uncle happens to be Neil deGrasse Tyson). For more information about avoiding jargon, check out the page on WritingInTheZone

Tips & Tricks: What Writers Can Learn from the Ancient Maya Builders

Posted by Jennifer L. Greer

Every time I visit a Maya ruin in Mexico or Central America (a favorite vacation spot), I am awed by how much planning went into each and every building. I guess if you are designing a temple for the gods or lugging heavy stones across a steamy jungle to please a king who will toss you into the sea if dissatisfied, you perform well. In fact, most graduate writers can probably identify with these kinds of high stakes! As you can see by the photographs from the ancient city of Tulum, overlooking the Caribbean on the eastern Yucatan Peninsula, Maya architects and builders put a great deal of thought into the structure of their classical buildings (below left) from the location to the essential supports, such as columns and arches (below right, from another ruin at nearby Coba). Although no architectural blueprints, drawings, or models have survived the passage of time, the Maya clearly knew to "begin with the end in mind,” as modern life/work guru Stephen Covey advised in his popular book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” (https://www.stephencovey.com/7habits/7habits.php.)

So how do you begin with the end in mind on an academic writing project? One of the smartest things you can do is pre-write the abstract, or overall summary of the article, early in the writing process. This advice usually perplexes writers because they are taught to write abstracts at the end of the process. But that sequence doesn't help them see the whole story structure when they need to see it most, when they have to organize mounds of information, when they must be able to see the end in mind. To help writers pre-write, I developed a simple tool, called the OJISH Model, for fastdrafting abstracts in 10 minutes. Of course it takes longer to flesh out and polish what you can draft quickly. But I challenge you to give OJISH a try. See if it doesn't help you jumpstart a writing project --- and structure a research narrative as strong and sound as any ancient Mayan masterpiece.

    

What I'm Working On: The Science of Collecting Brains

Posted by Lesley McCollum

It’s Friday night and my mentor is calling, which can only mean one thing. "We're getting a brain in" she says when I answer the phone. I jump in the car for a late night funeral home run to pick up the brain just harvested from a donor. With brain in hand, I head to the lab. We're never sure when the next one will be coming, but when it does we have to act fast. 

Chances are that you have thought about whether or not you’d like to be an organ donor. But have you ever thought about donating your brain? As part of my graduate research I help maintain the Alabama Brain Collection. We receive brain donations from people with a desire to help advance science after they’re gone. Each donation is valuable and critical to advancing research, whether from a healthy individual or someone with a brain disorder wanting to help find a cure for others in the future.

With the brain back in the lab we inspect and weigh it. Each one is unique with its own characteristics and quirks. We quickly get it in fixatives or frozen in dry ice to preserve it just how it is. Then we store it for future experiments where it can be used to help understand how our brains work and what goes wrong in brain disorders. We are grateful to those who chose to donate. They are the ones who make our research possible.