Masters Degree in Bioinformatics
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We solve problems from biology and medicine using methods and tools from computer science and mathematics.
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WHERE YOU MAY GET IT WRONG
WHEN WRITING ENGLISH the PossessIVe
NOTE The rule in 5.6 might have exceptions. When two nouns are in joint ownership, it is possible for both to have the possessive form:
The fact that Blair’s and Bush’s governments face parallel but separate inquiries from their own legislatures operates, in some ways… (Time)
5.7 Add (’s) to plural nouns not ending in (s):
Classic editions of children’s folk tales… (NY Times)
Geno Auriemma laments the lack of attention women’s basketball receives. (NY Times) 5.8 In case of inanimate nouns which are plural in form but singular in meaning (i.e.
physics, mathematics, measles, news, shingles, diabetes, acoustics, species, crosswords, General Motors, the United States), you may add an apostrophe if you follow the manual of style and usage of major U.S. publications, particularly The Associated Press. If you follow the BBC, the standard bearer of British English (BrE), and even The New York Times, the standard bearer of American English (AmE), there is no need for the apostrophe:
We do not have mathematics difficulties. (BBC) Using an applying mathematics website (BBC) The number of measles cases continues to rise. (BBC)
United States wealth has plunged 12 percent since 2007. (NY Times) General Motors profits decrease during 12 months (NY Times)
NOTE You may come across the words mathematics, measles, United States and General Motors in the above sentence written with an apostrophe in AmE (mathematics’ rules, measles’ cases, United States’ wealth and General Motors’ profits).
NOTE When writing English try to avoid the personalization of inanimate objects. Therefore, using the possessive excessively with inanimate objects is not recommended in English.
Try to give preference to the of construction in cases involving inanimate nouns. For example, write rules of mathematics instead of mathematics rules and cases of measles instead of measles cases.
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5.9 The (s) and the apostrophe are not the only markers to express the possessive (genitive case) in English. There is a close similarity between the meaning of a noun in the possessive form and the same noun in which the possession is expressed by of construction (the of-genitive). The choice between them, grammarians say, is mostly an issue of gender and style. However, there are a few rules. The (s) and the apostrophe are normally reserved for personal nouns, higher animals and geographical names. The of construction is mainly reserved for inanimate nouns:
Teacher’s Notes are available to support most programmes. (BBC) Book’s notes are available to support most programmes. Q
Notes of the book are available to support most programmes. Q Notes from the book are available to support most programmes. R Book notes are available to support most programmes. R
EXERCISE
Here are a few samples of the pitfalls you may fall into when using the posessive form in English:
5.10 In the following, there is a difference between founder’s and founders’. The difference is simple but affects meaning a great deal. Is the writer talking about the families of one founder or more than one founder? Try to be extra cautious with the singular and plural forms of nouns indicating ownership. Replacing founders’ with a possessive pronoun and using the plural form founders solves the ambiguity. In fact founder’s is wrong because there is no indication of possession or ownership there:
A large fraction of the world’s publicly traded firms are controlled by their founder’s or members of the founders’ families. Q
A large fraction of the world’s publicly traded firms are controlled by their founders or members of their families. R
5.11 The possessive form is not the only construction in English indicating ownership.
The of construction is one of them. Another is the possessive form of English pronouns (see Chapter 11). There is nothing wrong with the following from the grammar viewpoint, but the sentence will read much better through the use of the of construction or a possessive pronoun:
Chapter 13 concludes the thesis by summarizing and discussing the thesis’ main contributions. Q
Chapter 13 concludes and summarizes the main contributions of the thesis. R Chapter 13 concludes the thesis, summarizing its main contributions. R
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WHERE YOU MAY GET IT WRONG
WHEN WRITING ENGLISH the PossessIVe
5.12 Here is another instance where there is no need for the apostrophe since ownership is already indicated by the use of the of construction, which is one of the main indicators of possession in English. In the absence of the of construction, the need for the possessive form would arise, i.e., culture’s transmitters and authors:
A central point of departure for a cultural historical analysis of leadership is to see leaders more as transmitters’ than authors’ of culture. Q
A central point of departure for a cultural and historical analysis of leadership is to see leaders more as transmitters than authors of culture. R
5.13 Uncertainty and confusion in the use of the possessive form prompts the writer to add an apostrophe where it is not necessary:
Consumers would like the mutual funds’ they invest in to maximize risk-adjusted expected returns. Q
Consumers would like the mutual funds they invest in to maximize risk-adjusted expected returns. R
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