ScientificReadingandWritinginEnglishMaterialand.pptVIP

Scientific Reading and Writing in English Material and Methods Shu-ying Wang, Ph.D. Dept. Microbiology and Immunology Tel: +886-6-2353535 ext. 5634 Fax: +886-6-2082705 Email : sswang23@mail.ncku.edu.tw The “Materials and Methods (MMs)” is to address “what/how you did it”. Material and Methods reads like a cookbook Need to provide sufficient information so that the readers can exactly reproduce the experiment Material and methods Subjects Sample preparation techniques Sample origins Data collection protocol Data analysis techniques Any computer programs used Description of equipment and its use Spacing …..previously described (30) 2 mM, 2 h (2 hr), 2 min, 2 sec, 2 pg/ml, 1 ml, pH 6.8, 5%, 4°C, -80°C, ~ 40, 171 mm, 4 ? a = b = C = 152 mm, 0.15 x 0.15 x 0.2 mm 1-368, 22-mer DNA What is “MMs” and what should be in the “MMs” section? “MMs”. The “MMs” section should include sufficient technical information to allow the experiments to be repeated. When centrifugation conditions are critical, give enough information to enable another investigator to repeat the procedure: make of centrifuge, model of rotor, temperature, time at maximum speed, and centrifugal force ( X g rather than revolutions per minute). For commonly used materials and methods (e.g., media and protein concentration determinations), a simple reference is sufficient. -continued If several alternative methods are commonly used, it is helpful to identify the method briefly as well as to cite the reference. For example, it is preferable to state ‘‘cells were broken by ultrasonic treatment as previously described (9)’’ rather than to state ‘‘cells were broken as previously described (9).’’ The reader should be allowed to assess the method without constant reference to previous publications. -continued Describe new methods completely and give sources of unusual chemicals, equipment, or microbial strains. When large numbers of microbial strains or mutants are used in a study, inc