ENG 363 Scholar’s Notebook: Feb. 14 – Mar.

14, 2022

Tiffany Chan

14 Feb. 2022: “How to Make Scientific Writing Accessible”

Cross adapts the paper by Xu, et al. (2017)’s paper into something that is more accessible for a
wider audience in many ways. For example, he inputs interviews around the article like in
paragraph two, where he quotes scientists who have been paying attention to the events and
speculate on how it could improve. Even in the last paragraph, the scientist Jones is quoted with
the intention of making the reader feel good by saying, “I like to imagine in 50 years’ time my
grandchildren will say..”
He also uses language that anyone can understand. When talking about a plant, Cross uses the
common name first (the thale cress plant) before using the scientific name and going into detail
about what it looks like in paragraph 4. That way the reader isn’t completely lost.
Finally he also uses analogies like in paragraph 5 where he compares the poor plant growth to a
human’s immune system. That way a person gets a better conceptualization of what is occurring.

Vivid language:
- “Genetically engineering hardy plants resilient to the array of diseases caused by
microbial beasties” (p. 5). It compares the bacteria and dangerous organisms by calling
them “microbial beasties” which gives a cartoony and vivid image of what is attacking
the plants.
- “Theoretically, identifying genes that kick off this immune response and dialing up their
activity should yield superstrong plants” (p. 3). Using imagery like “dialing up” the
activity and “kick off” all help paint a picture in the reader’s mind. It makes it more
interesting as well for the reader to see.
Metaphor:
- “a better control switch” (p. 6). When referring to the NPR1, they use the phrase control
switch in place of how the gene works. They want something that they can dial and
control better, like a control switch in terms of the gene they are studying.

Group choices:
Adaptation
- “Microbial Beasties” (p. 5)
 - Adapting the plant thale cress plant by using common and scientific name as well as
explaining what it looks like. (p. 4)

Vivid language
- "Plants don't have a bloodstream to circulate immune cells. Instead, they use receptors on
the outsides of their cells to identify molecules that signal a microbial invasion, and
respond by releasing a slew of antimicrobial compounds." (p. 3)

Metaphor
- " ...was acting as a control switch for this plant immune response..." (p. 7)

7 Mar. 2022: “Summarizing Activity”

Notes:
- 1 million African Americans impacted by inequitable kidney treatment
- Racial disparities in medical care
- Underestimated how black kidneys are affected
- Difficulties in assessment & diagnoses
- Still inaccessible due to price and not being very common

Draft:
P.O.C. medical treatment is racially biased and inefficient. Kidney treatment has a race
blind assessment but is not easily accessible.

Final:
P.O.C. medical treatment is racially biased and inefficient. Kidney treatment now has a
new race-blind assessment, but is inaccessible due to price and scarcity.