Presenting Experimental Evidence in Review Papers

COMMUNICATION IN THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Department of Biology

PRESENTING EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE IN REVIEW PAPERS

GOOD EXAMPLE:

"Indirect immunofluorescence was used to determine the subcellular localization of the p15 protein in Hi-5 cells. A double labeling experiment was performed with the anti-p15 antibody and anti-NP1, an antibody that recognizes a nuclear envelope protein. p15 and NP1 were found to colocalize, showing that..."

BAD EXAMPLE:

"Researchers wanted to determine the subcellular localization of the p15 protein in Hi-5 cells. First, they fixed and permeabilized the cells. Then, they added the anti-p15 and anti-NP1 antibodies and incubated for an hour. Next, they washed the cells three times with buffer. After washing they added a rhodamine-labeled secondary antibody for the anti-p15 antibody and a fluorescein-labeled secondary antibody for the anti-NP1 antibody and incubated for one hour. Cells were then washed three times with buffer, mounted on slides, and photographed with fluorescence microscopy. This experiment revealed that the p15 and NP1 proteins colocalized in the cells. This finding indicates that…"

Comments:

The second example is bad because too much detail about the procedures is given.

Tell the reader what techniques were used. In a review, do not tell them how to do the techniques.

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