Real-Life Communication -- Solution
You could say:
"We extracted the DNA. Then we made
copies of the DNA and looked at certain genetic markers. These genetic markers
matched the DNA of the suspect."
Dr. W. Rowe says that communication
skills are a very important part of a DNA analyst's job. As a consultant,
he often makes decisions like this one.
Written reports have to be
expressed in simple language so that the police and jury can understand them.
They also have to be technically accurate. How do you do both? Rowe says it's
difficult.
Rowe states that you need to think about WHO you are talking
to. If you are talking to a jury, what kind of jury is it and where is it?
For example, a military jury is usually made up of people with college educations.
These people can understand more technical information than other juries.
On
the other hand, in some places, most jurors have not completed high school.
Somewhere else, the jury might be half and half.
You make your information
fit the education of the jury. But while you want the jurors to understand,
you don't want them to feel that you think they are dumb. So you present your
information at a slightly higher level than what you think they would easily
understand. This makes the jurors feel that you think they are
smart.
You also use word pictures to describe technical information.
For example, Rowe often describes DNA strands as nine to 10 feet long and
very, very thin. People can then see this picture of DNA in their minds. This
is a picture that an average person can understand.