Few items; then, recommendation memo
For those planning a personal statement for graduate school in the sciences, start here, with advice from AAAS Science Magazine. NSF's guidance on their fellowship program is also helpful. However, you should look at the prompts from the graduate schools on your list. One variation on the all-purpose personal statement is a statment that is specifically research focused. Here, you focus less on your path forward as a scientist and more on the research you are engaged in, as well as the research you hope to do.
Professional programs in clinical health care need a different approach. Read in the professional associations that accrediate your desired program: pharmacy, optomentry, nursing, dentistry, PT, OT, etc. Ths US News and World Report article cautions you about trite and overused elements.
---- LONG but simple punctuation lesson now:
Oxford comma (wars): Look at these examples, to jump start the lesson.
To my parents, Ayn Rand and God.
To my parents, J.K. Rowling and God.
To my parents, Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart.
OR
In a newspaper account of a documentary about Merle Haggard:
Among those interviewed were his two ex-wives, Kris Kristofferson and Robert Duvall.
These two preceding examples are from Theresa Hayden. Here is another doosie that cries out for a serial or Oxford comma.
The Times once published an unintentionally humorous description of a Peter Ustinov documentary, noting that
"highlights of his global tour include encounters with Nelson Mandela, an 800-year-old demigod and a dildo collector."
Now, to be clear, the serial comma does not always solve ambiguity problems:
They went to Oregon with Betty, a maid and a cook –
- They went to Oregon with Betty, who was a maid and a cook. (One person)
- They went to Oregon with Betty, both a maid and a cook. (One person)
- They went to Oregon with Betty, a maid and cook. (One person)
- They went to Oregon with Betty (a maid) and a cook. (Two people)
- They went to Oregon with Betty, a maid, and with a cook. (Two people)
- They went to Oregon with Betty – a maid – and a cook. (Two people)
- They went to Oregon with the maid Betty and a cook. (Two people)
- They went to Oregon with a cook and Betty, a maid. (Two people)
- They went to Oregon with Betty as well as a maid and a cook. (Three people)
- They went to Oregon with Betty and a maid and a cook. (Three people)
- They went to Oregon with Betty, one maid and a cook. (Three people)
- They went to Oregon with a maid, a cook, and Betty. (Three people)
We can also look at the grocery list problem:
buying bread, jam, coffee, cream, juice, eggs, and bacon. VS
eating toast and jam, coffee and cream, juice, and bacon and eggs
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In class we will use all stasis questions to think about this question: which is the better disposal cup for the environment?
paper vv. plastic (Styrofoam is a plastic!)
Marybeth Shea
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