၇.၃ Task 3: Punctuation

This final task is designed to help you reflect on your understanding of academic writing and how well you can use punctuation.

Activity 5

Please punctuate the following text. It is an extract from the level one science short course SK195 Human genetics and health issues. It describes the human genome.

many thousands of genes have been discovered including many that have roles in disease these genes are scattered throughout the human genome but what is the human genome the physical appearance of the bulk of the human genome is 46 long thin structures known as chromosomes it is along the length of each chromosome that the genes are located the term genome is a combination of the two words gene and chromosome chromosomes are built up from a remarkable substance called DNA which stands for deoxyribonucleic acid DNA is breathtakingly simple in structure and yet capable of directing the way we grow reproduce and survive hence it is often referred to as the genetic blueprint the plan of human life

Now compare your punctuation with the answer below:

Answer

Many thousands of genes have been discovered, including many that have roles in disease. These genes are scattered throughout the human genome. But what is the human genome? The physical appearance of the bulk of the human genome is 46 long, thin structures known as chromosomes. It is along the length of each chromosome that the genes are located. The term genome is a combination of the two words ‘gene’ and ‘chromosome’.

Chromosomes are built up from a remarkable substance called DNA (which stands for deoxyribonucleic acid). DNA is breathtakingly simple in structure and yet capable of directing the way we grow, reproduce and survive; hence it is often referred to as the genetic blueprint – the plan – of human life.*

* A variety of punctuation has been used here to break up the text and make it easier to read. You may have punctuated the passage in a more simple way which would be equally correct, for example, brackets, dashes and the semicolon can all be replaced by commas.

The full stops and question marks followed by a capital letter are essential.

A new paragraph is needed because the main subject changes from the genome to DNA.

၇.၂.၁ Self-assessment

၇.၃.၁ Self-assessment