terminator

Definition

A DNA sequence that basically tells RNA polymerase to shut up and go home—the molecular equivalent of a bouncer. When this bad boy shows up, transcription stops cold and your mRNA transcript gets the axe.

Example Usage

The rho-independent terminator sequence halted transcription right on schedule.

Source: Common molecular biology terminology

Related Terms

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carnegie unit

A measure of instructional time equating one credit hour to 120 hours of student work, standardizing education through the magic of Victorian-era timekeeping. Because learning definitely happens in neat hourly blocks.

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active learning

Any teaching method where students do more than passively listen to lectures, supposedly engaging them more deeply with material. It's education's way of admitting that sitting and listening for hours doesn't actually work, though many professors still resist the evidence.

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feminism

The radical notion that women are people too, packaged as both a social movement and academic discipline that somehow remains controversial in the 21st century. Born from the audacious idea that legal and social restrictions based on gender might be worth questioning, it's evolved into multiple waves, branches, and heated Twitter debates. Encompasses everything from voting rights to wage gaps to mansplaining, depending on which scholar or internet commenter you ask.

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MOOC

Massive Open Online Course—free or low-cost online classes promising to democratize education by reaching thousands simultaneously. Initially hyped as higher education's disruptor, most have completion rates under 10%, proving that 'free' and 'massive' don't automatically equal 'effective.'

🎓 Education / Academia

Beginner

programme

The British spelling of 'program' that Americans find unnecessarily fancy, referring to a structured set of activities or a show's broadcast schedule. It's also that pamphlet theaters give you that you'll immediately lose but swear you'll keep for memories. In Commonwealth countries, it's the correct spelling; everywhere else, it's just showing off.

🎓 Education / Academia

Advanced

Differentiated Instruction

The pedagogical philosophy that every student learns differently, which teachers acknowledge by continuing to teach the exact same way but feeling bad about it. It's the thought that counts, assuming the thought is documented in a lesson plan.

🎓 Education / Academia

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