Difference between revisions of "20.109(S14):Primer design memo"
(→Overview) |
|||
| Line 4: | Line 4: | ||
<font color=red>Revise for S14 to be more specific; follow some of the memo ideas from F09</font color> | <font color=red>Revise for S14 to be more specific; follow some of the memo ideas from F09</font color> | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
| − | + | Persuasive writing is often considered a specialized form of communication. Advertisements, letters to the editor, and brochures are all forms of persuasive writing. In scientific writing such as research articles, you are generally trying to ''indirectly'' persuade your audience of at least two things: that the research is interesting/valuable/applicable, and that the results mean what you think they do. Here you will try your hand at more explicit persuasive writing by crafting a short memo to your hypothetical supervisor at a company specializing in molecular diagnostics. You should prepare an update about the microsporidia research division that justifies the research you have recently pursued and also outlines your plans for the immediate future – should your supervisor continue funding the division, that is. | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | ||
==Logistics== | ==Logistics== | ||
| − | Please | + | Please submit your completed summary on [http://stellar.mit.edu/S/course/20/sp14/20.109/ '''Stellar'''], with filename <font color = 990000>'''FirstNameLastInitial _LabSection_Mod1.doc'''</font color> (for example, AgiS_TR_Mod1.doc). |
| − | This assignment is '''due by 11 am''' on March | + | This assignment is '''due by 11 am''' on March 18th (Tuesday) or March 19th (Wednesday), according to which day you have lab. |
==Content Guidelines== | ==Content Guidelines== | ||
| − | + | Your memo should be structured according to the following format. | |
| + | |||
| + | ===whaddyacallit=== | ||
| + | |||
| + | Title, TO, FROM | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Overview statement=== | ||
| + | |||
| + | Open your memo with about three sentences previewing the key conclusions that you will draw and support therein. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Motivation=== | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Outcomes=== | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Conclusion=== | ||
| + | |||
===Design=== | ===Design=== | ||
| Line 45: | Line 56: | ||
F09: | F09: | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
===Format requirements=== | ===Format requirements=== | ||
| Line 63: | Line 67: | ||
After the header section (i.e. "to" "from" etc) the memo will have 3 major sections. | After the header section (i.e. "to" "from" etc) the memo will have 3 major sections. | ||
| − | + | ||
| − | + | ||
*'''Section 2: Discussion''' | *'''Section 2: Discussion''' | ||
Use this section to point out the most important findings and analysis that led to your recommendation. This section can be any length but should be guided by two thoughts throughout: <br> | Use this section to point out the most important findings and analysis that led to your recommendation. This section can be any length but should be guided by two thoughts throughout: <br> | ||
| Line 76: | Line 79: | ||
* Why this approach might be taken over others--this requires that you had previously identified competing technologies | * Why this approach might be taken over others--this requires that you had previously identified competing technologies | ||
* What further applications you envision for your assay | * What further applications you envision for your assay | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
Revision as of 01:34, 3 February 2014
Revise for S14 to be more specific; follow some of the memo ideas from F09
Contents
Overview
Persuasive writing is often considered a specialized form of communication. Advertisements, letters to the editor, and brochures are all forms of persuasive writing. In scientific writing such as research articles, you are generally trying to indirectly persuade your audience of at least two things: that the research is interesting/valuable/applicable, and that the results mean what you think they do. Here you will try your hand at more explicit persuasive writing by crafting a short memo to your hypothetical supervisor at a company specializing in molecular diagnostics. You should prepare an update about the microsporidia research division that justifies the research you have recently pursued and also outlines your plans for the immediate future – should your supervisor continue funding the division, that is.
Logistics
Please submit your completed summary on Stellar, with filename FirstNameLastInitial _LabSection_Mod1.doc (for example, AgiS_TR_Mod1.doc).
This assignment is due by 11 am on March 18th (Tuesday) or March 19th (Wednesday), according to which day you have lab.
Content Guidelines
Your memo should be structured according to the following format.
whaddyacallit
Title, TO, FROM
Overview statement
Open your memo with about three sentences previewing the key conclusions that you will draw and support therein.
Motivation
Outcomes
Conclusion
Design
Here you should include the following:
- A short (1-2 paragraph) introduction motivating your design challenge and explaining your design choices.
- A table comparing the properties of the V1-PMP2 primer set and your primer set.
The text related to your specific design choices should explicitly refer to the table.
Results
Here you should include the following:
- A short (1-2 paragraph) description of your findings.
- A figure depicting your raw PCR results (as seen on a gel).
- Optionally, a figure or table depicting the PCR results in some processed form.
The figure should include a complete caption as for a publication.
F09:
Format requirements
Memo Template
- Please model your memo on the following template
- Note: the recommended length for this memo is 1-2 pages, not including supplementary documentation
Body of Memo
After the header section (i.e. "to" "from" etc) the memo will have 3 major sections.
- Section 2: Discussion
Use this section to point out the most important findings and analysis that led to your recommendation. This section can be any length but should be guided by two thoughts throughout:
1. organize the information in the clearest, most concise way possible, i.e. make it exceptionally easy for the reader to reach your conclusion on his/her own. Subheadings are a particularly effective way of signaling the organizational structure of this section and of transitioning from one topic to the next.
2. establish yourself as a credible source for this information. You will be most credible if you highlight your expertise and understanding of the subtleties of the subject based upon your experimental results. Establishing credibility also requires that you appreciate and directly address any limitations in the data.
- Section 3: Recommended Action
This is your GO/NO GO decision. Your recommendation should stated clearly, in one sentence, and should based on considerations such as:
- What data you have so far
- How robust your data appears, i.e. performance of any controls as well as any relevant statistics
- What the weaknesses of your approach are
- Why this approach might be taken over others--this requires that you had previously identified competing technologies
- What further applications you envision for your assay
