ABSTRACT*

By utilizing web resources, books and scientific journals, students will be exposed to the most current research in human disease.  This assignment should help demystify the scientific process, hone technical writing skills, and encourage critical thinking.  

·        You will focus on one disease that affects humans or use of organisms we cover in Bio 103 .  Each student will focus on a different disease or organism, so have a few alternatives in mind, in case your first choice is taken. Come to lab in WEEK 3 with your topic.

·        Research your disease or organism using the web, reference librarians, or journals in the library.  You will need to supplement any articles with additional information found from textbooks, reference sources, or from journals available in the library.

·        Completely copy or download any articles that are to be used.  Be sure to note the journal name and date of any article and the complete web address of any website.  These copies will be turned in during lab in week 5. Any information found in your abstract must be contained in the articles you turn in.

·        Write a one page abstract as a comprehensive summary.  If you choose a disease, explain the symptoms of the disease, the causes, the treatments currently available, the number of people affected, and any other information of interest.  If you choose use of an organism, please provide details on how the organism is used and how the process was developed.

·        The abstract should be written in the past tense using the third person (don’t use “I” or make reference to yourself or your own beliefs).

·        Quotations should be avoided.

·        Use careful attention to keep mechanical errors (spelling, grammatical, and punctuation errors) to a minimum, as they will be considered in the overall grade in addition to the actual content of the abstract.

·        An abstract will not be accepted if any portion of the content is plagiarized.  I will be checking!

·        Each abstract must include an abstract title, the students’ full name, and the course name and title.

·        References should follow each abstract and must include the list of the chosen articles, referenced in accepted scientific style as illustrated below:

S.K. Saxena, L.S. Dubrovinsky, P. Lazor, J. Hu, Eur. J. Mineral. 10, 1275 (1998).

S.K. Saxena et al., Science 274, 1357 (1996).

                        or the complete web address.          

·        The abstract must be stapled to photocopies of the entire original articles when submitted.

·        The abstract must be presented on 8 ½ ” x 11” sheets of paper, double-spaced.

·        The abstract’s length is limited to one page. 

·        Each abstract must be typed (make a copy for yourself as well!).

·        Abstracts are due in lab during Week 7.

*Abstract outline instructions were adapted from T.A. Reichert, NISOD Innovation Abstracts “Rethinking a Scientific Assignment”, Vol. XXII No.13 (2000).

POSTER 

By presenting a technically correct poster, students will gain an appreciation for simplistic, clear, visual presentations, practice public speaking, and present good audience skills.

·        Posters will be standard size (22” X 28”) and can be purchased in the bookstore.

·        Posters will have a title in a font size large enough to read at a distance.  Titles should be five words or less.

·        Backing paper will be placed behind all material affixed to the poster.

·        The corrected abstract will be glued to the poster along with any graphs, charts, or pictures that are necessary to clarify and enhance the presentation.  Remove your title, name, and course number from the abstract before it is affixed to the poster.  They will appear elsewhere on the poster.

·        All charts, graphs, pictures, etc. will have appropriate labels, axes, etc.  All extra material on the poster will include a legend typed below the figure in a font size large enough to be easily read.

·        Your full name and course number will appear on the lower left-hand corner of the poster in a large font size.

·        The complete references of the original articles will appear in the lower right-hand corner in a large font size.

·        All presented material will be typed.

·        Care should be taken to make the poster aesthetically pleasing:

Not too sparse

Not too crowded

Readable font size from two feet away

Neatly presented (no excess glue, no staples, neatly cut edges, matting paper, etc.)

·        Posters are due in lab during week 11.

·        Oral presentations will be given on the last friday of the course.

·        Oral presentations will last about five minutes.  Voices should be projected so that all can clearly hear.

·        Oral presentations should cover the material in the abstract, as well as any additional material on the poster.

·        Questions will be asked by the audience following the oral presentations.

·        The audience will write a 3 to 5 sentence summary of each poster presentation and offer critical comments.