Refer to your Expeditions in Reading book for a complete version of these texts.

Question

How are the ideas presented in “Make Your Own Microscope” and “Stick to Real Microscopes” different?

Responses

“Make Your Own Microscope” states that the best thing about smartphone microscopes is that they can be taken into the field, but “Stick to Real Microscopes” denies that this is an important feature.
“Make Your Own Microscope” states that the best thing about smartphone microscopes is that they can be taken into the field, but “Stick to Real Microscopes” denies that this is an important feature.

The first text includes reasons why making a smartphone microscope was positive for the author, but the second text explains how the author’s personal experience was negative.
The first text includes reasons why making a smartphone microscope was positive for the author, but the second text explains how the author’s personal experience was negative.

“Make Your Own Microscope” claims that a smartphone microscope is an effective tool for everyone, but “Stick to Real Microscopes” proves that scientists would never use a smartphone microscope.
“Make Your Own Microscope” claims that a smartphone microscope is an effective tool for everyone, but “Stick to Real Microscopes” proves that scientists would never use a smartphone microscope.

The first text states that the magnifying power of a smartphone microscope is as good as a real microscope, but the second text presents evidence that real microscopes are much more precise.
The first text states that the magnifying power of a smartphone microscope is as good as a real microscope, but the second text presents evidence that real microscopes are much more precise.

Answer 1

The ideas presented in “Make Your Own Microscope” and “Stick to Real Microscopes” are indeed different in several ways. Here’s a brief summary of their contrasting viewpoints based on your responses:

1. Portability vs. Importance: “Make Your Own Microscope” highlights the advantage of smartphone microscopes being portable and suitable for fieldwork. In contrast, “Stick to Real Microscopes” downplays the significance of this portability, suggesting it may not be as important for scientific work.

2. Personal Experience: The first text reflects positively on the experience of creating and using a smartphone microscope, emphasizing its benefits, while the second text based on the author's personal experience suggests a negative view, possibly depicting the limitations or frustrations encountered.

3. Effectiveness vs. Professional Use: “Make Your Own Microscope” argues that smartphone microscopes are general effective tools accessible to everyone. Conversely, “Stick to Real Microscopes” contends that professional scientists would not consider smartphone microscopes adequate, implying they have limitations in serious scientific research.

4. Magnifying Power and Precision: The first text claims that the magnifying power of smartphone microscopes is comparable to that of real microscopes. In opposition, the second text provides evidence that real microscopes are more precise, highlighting their superiority in detail and accuracy.

So, the differences primarily lie in their views on portability, effectiveness, the authors' personal experiences, and the comparative precision and power of the microscopes discussed.