Doyle Online Writing Lab

Writing in the Reed Biology Department

Among biological sub-disciplines, expectations of format, content, and style differ somewhat.

Each professor gives instructions and guidelines in the context of each course.

There are some universals that biology students should learn and adhere to and many of these are captured nicely by the article that is distributed to all Intro Bio students.

The following resources are also recommended:

  • McMillan, V.E. 2006. Writing Papers in the Biological Sciences. 4th Edition. Bedford/St. Martin's, Boston.
  • Strunk Jr., W. and E. B. White 2000. The Elements of Style. 4th Edition. Macmillan Publ. Co., New York.

For a good laugh and for those obsessed with punctuation:

  • Truss, L. 2004. Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation. Penguin Group, New York.

Different journals specify the published format down to the use of every punctuation mark in the References in their Instructions to Authors.

Several bio faculty like the following sites: