0.8 Manual for writing mentors  (Page 11/11)

Sample 250-word summary

"Sleep deprivation does not induce sister chromatid exchange in humans," a 1996 article in Mutation Research by Bjorn and others, confirms that using sister chromatid exchange (SCE) to measure genotoxic exposures in the workplace produces results within the range of normal daily variation for men and women who work night shifts as well as for ordinary daytime workers. A preliminary study by Bamezai and Kumar in 1992 reported dramatic increases of SCE after sleep deprivation. If confirmed, these results would have raised questions about whether SCE levels might be confounded when occupational medicine studies involved night shift workers.

Bjorn and his colleagues compared the SCE levels of 20 persons (10 men, 10 women). Individual baselines of SCE were estimated by the mean of the SCE per metaphase of two subsequent days (control period) and compared to that of a test period two weeks later after 24 hours without sleep. Daily questionnaires about sleep and dietary habits were used to eliminate possible influence of other factors. The rates differed slightly, but the differences were not statistically significant. Differences in conditions of cell cultures might explain differences in the two studies. Previous genotoxic exposures were assumed not to have elevated the mean baseline of individuals. Bjorn and colleagues concluded that the effect of sleep deprivation on SCE, if there is one, would be in the range of normal day-to-day variance, and does not have to be taken into account when SCE is used for genotoxic monitoring at workplaces.

Standards for citations and references

Each assignment may have its own requirements for citations and bibliography. This section details the requirements for Introductory Biology at Rice University, which reflect the conventions of many bioscience journals.

References to works by three or more authors in the text should be abbreviated ( Able et al 1986 ). When different groups of authors with the same first author and date occur, they should be cited thus ( Able, Baker&Charles 1986; Able, David&Edwards 1986 ).

The references in the bibliography should be in alphabetical order with the journal name unabbreviated. The format for papers, entire books and chapters in books is as follows:

• Boutin, C.&Harper, J. L (1991) A comparative study of the population dynamics of five species of Veronica in natural habitats. Journal of Ecology , 79, 199-221.

• Clarke, N.A. (1983) The ecology of dunlin (Calidris alpina 1.) wintering on the Severn estuary . PhD thesis. University of Edinburgh.

• Pimm, S.L. (1982) Food Webs. Chapman and Hall, London.

• Sibly, R.M. (1981) Strategies of digestion and defecation. Physiological Ecology (eds C. R. Townsend&P. Calow), pp 109-139. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.

Grading

When you give written feedback on student work, be sure to say something that specifically addresses that student paper . Avoid trite stock phrases ("interesting topic!," "nice writing," etc.) or automatic responses that offer little insight regarding improving writing ("look at second source"). To address problematic writing specifically, write notes in the margin. Margin notes are effective for engaging specifics of a paper, and show the student that his or her paper is actually being read by a human.

Read and analyze the instructor’s assignment carefully before you begin grading. Make sure the student has chosen an article from the allowed list of journals, met the format requirements, etc. If you have an assessment sheet, make sure you understand the criteria and how points are to be awarded. Bring any questions or concerns to the course instructor. Quality written feedback that supports the numerical grading will strengthen the relationship between student and writing mentor.