The document provides guidance on how to make effective biological drawings from microscope observations. It emphasizes that drawings should be neat, accurately reflect what is seen through the microscope, and include important details and labels. Specific tips include avoiding crowded drawings, titling drawings with the specimen and magnification, labeling known structures with straight lines that do not cross, keeping labels vertical when possible, and drawing only what is observed rather than embellishing. The document also analyzes an example student drawing, identifying six errors such as crossed and angled lines, inaccurate cell shapes, missing magnification, angled labels, and an unlabeled line. Students are assigned to make an improved drawing of the same microscope image.

1. Making Biological Drawings

2. Biological drawings are an
important record of what you
actually see through the
microscope.

3. You don’t have to be an artist to
make good drawings, just neat and
observant!
And making drawings of what you see
through the microscope forces you to
observe closely and accurately.

4. What makes a good
biological drawing?

5. the drawings are sharp and clear

6. they’re large enough to make
the details easy to see and not
crowded on the page or in the
space

7. each specimen has a title

8. each drawing either shows the size
of the specimen or indicates the
magnification that was used while
viewing it

9. known and visible structures should be
labeled with straight, neat lines that DO
NOT cross over each other
when possible, keep the label
lines vertical and make sure
the line is right on the
structure you are identifying

10. Most importantly, draw what you
ACTUALLY SEE and not what you THINK
you should see or what you think
SHOULD be there.

11. Here are the main points:
•Don’t crowd things in your drawing.
•Title your drawing as exactly as possible.
•Include the magnification or size.
•Label all known structures.
•Label lines should be straight and NOT crossed over each other.
•Keep label lines vertical.
•Label lines should clearly end on the appropriate structure.
•Draw what you actually see and don’t embellish.

12. Now, examine the picture here. It’s
an image you might see through
the microscope. Read the
description below:

13. Here’s a student’s
drawing of that
microscope image
on the last slide.
This drawing
should be a lot
better. Can you
pick out all the
errors? Pause
the slideshow and
try to pick out as
many as you can.

14. Error#1
Some lines cross
over each other
and are angled
instead of straight

15. Error#2
Cell shapes are inaccurate
and don’t represent the
layers as they are seen in
the specimen; some of
the “cells” have open
lines and are just round
instead of being shaped
like the real cells in the
slide

16. Error #3
There is no magnification
or size information given.

17. Error #4
Some labels are drawn at
an angle.

18. Error #5
There’s a line to a cell
type that has no label.

19. Error #6
The title isn’t specific
enough. What kind of
root?

20. Here’s your assignment:
•On a clean sheet of paper with a proper heading,
make a biological drawing of the same microscope
image from the example. Improve upon the one made
by our fictitious student and correct all the errors that
were made.
•Bring this drawing with you to your next class
meeting. If you do not have it with you, you will not be
allowed to participate in the microscope lab that day
and will have to make arrangements with me to make
it up.
The image is on the next slide. Have fun!!!!