knockdown/knockout in italics - (Apr/29/2014 )
Hi there,
in quite a few documents/presentations like grant applications, lab meeting etc. in our lab I've seen the words knockdown and knockout written throughout in italics. I understand that there are some words that are common to be written in italics such as in vivo or in vitro or some species names, but knockdown and knockout ?? This has been bothering me for a while, I also write it that way now but I still wonder if it is common use or if there is even any sense to it, or if there's some rule...
Rule of thumb: latin words in italics (although this is changing, some publishers even ask you not to do it , see http://www.editage.com/insights/latin-phrases-italics-or-not
why they write knockdown and/or knockout in italics: I have no idea!!!! Seems a bit weird!
Maybe they write it in italics because they are used to write down the gene in italic... but I dont see why you would thus also write the word "knockdown" itself in italisc...
Oh well, 95% of people still think that LB medium stands for Luria Bertani medium while it does not.. so it does not wonder me that there are people (majorities) out there making weird "mistakes".
I agree, it is unnecessary for knockdown/knockout. Any word from another language that isn't in common usage is typically written in italics, not just latin/greek - for instance you might find the words au revoir italicized in writing.
Lysogeny broth - hence no need to add the broth to LB (lysogeny broth broth...) and it should be then called L-agar for the solid medium.
it may be that they use the italics to emphasize the word without using bolding or underlining.
or (some pet peeves) to make themselves appear to be properly educated (as in the misuse of "I" or pronunciation of the "t" in often or pronouncing aunt awnt or ahnt).
bob1 on Wed Apr 30 08:51:44 2014 said:
I agree, it is unnecessary for knockdown/knockout. Any word from another language that isn't in common usage is typically written in italics, not just latin/greek - for instance you might find the words au revoir italicized in writing.
Lysogeny broth - hence no need to add the broth to LB (lysogeny broth broth...) and it should be then called L-agar for the solid medium.
Au revoir ? I doubt you would see this in a scientific paper? lol
Or are you talking in general?
But is this also a rule to write those words also in italics? We dont really use that rule, just the latin (or in rare cases greek, altough alpha, omega etc.. are often just written normally.) words
Thanks for all your comments! I must say that I also learned LB = Luria-Bertani, but following your comments on that I looked it up and even Wikipedia says this a common wong use of the abbreviation. Learnt something now 
Tabaluga on Thu May 1 16:17:07 2014 said:
Thanks for all your comments! I must say that I also learned LB = Luria-Bertani, but following your comments on that I looked it up and even Wikipedia says this a common wong use of the abbreviation. Learnt something now ;-)
Well, 90% of people still thinks is Luria Bertani.... and some of then, even after I tell them its not correct (and show them the proof), refuse to use the correct terminology...
It would also help if companies would sell it as lysgony broth and not luria Bertani broth.
The NCBI style guide also does not mention knockdown/knockout to be italicised.
pito on Wed Apr 30 15:59:29 2014 said:
bob1 on Wed Apr 30 08:51:44 2014 said:
I agree, it is unnecessary for knockdown/knockout. Any word from another language that isn't in common usage is typically written in italics, not just latin/greek - for instance you might find the words au revoir italicized in writing.
Lysogeny broth - hence no need to add the broth to LB (lysogeny broth broth...) and it should be then called L-agar for the solid medium.
Au revoir ? I doubt you would see this in a scientific paper? lol
Or are you talking in general?
But is this also a rule to write those words also in italics? We dont really use that rule, just the latin (or in rare cases greek, altough alpha, omega etc.. are often just written normally.) words
In general literature. It's not really a rule as such, more of a guide, and common terms tend not to be italicized, which is why you don't usually see alpha and omega italicized. Some examples - you probably wouldn't italicize the words "kosher" or "kaput" but you would for "doppelganger" (borderline, its usage is becoming more common) and "anlage".
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