“Where We Stand” Presentation
Instructions
Project Description:
In this project, you will have the opportunity to research and present on a current issue in the
field of biology. The goal of this project is to deepen your understanding of biological concepts
and their real-world applications. Additionally, you will develop your presentation skills and
demonstrate your ability to synthesize information, think critically, and communicate to a
diverse audience.
Objectives:
1. Research a current issue in biology.
2. Analyze the topic from multiple perspectives.
3. Synthesize information to form a well-rounded understanding of the issue.
4. Create an engaging and informative presentation.
5. Deliver a clear and compelling presentation to the general education biology class.
Project Guidelines:
1. Identify the topic: It may be useful to conduct a literature review and begin reading papers
before choosing your topic to ensure that there is relevant and useful information. DUE Apr 3.
2. Research: Conduct extensive research on your topic. Use primary resources such as scientific
journals, government reports, and reputable news articles to gather relevant information.
Ensure that you properly cite all sources to maintain academic integrity. On this document, click
“view” in the top toolbar, then checkmark “navigation pane”. In the navigation pane, click on
“Accessing Online Resources at The MDC Library” to learn how to use the resources available to
you, then click “How to read primary articles” for instructions on how to read those sources.
Your deliverable for the research is a list of citations that you will use. To get full credit you
need a minimum of 10 references that are relevant to your topic. DUE Apr 10.
3. Identify the Issues: Analyze the causes, impacts, and relationships between your topic and
society. Identify the main challenges and key stakeholders involved in these issues.
4. Analysis and Synthesis: Analyze the information you have gathered and identify key points,
trends, and controversies surrounding the topic. Consider the implications of the issue on
society, the environment, and the field of biology as a whole. Synthesize the information to
form a well-rounded understanding of the topic.
5. Presentation Creation: Create a visually engaging and informative presentation. You may use
presentation software such as PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Prezi. Include relevant images,
graphs, and diagrams to enhance your presentation. Your presentation should be well-
structured, with clear headings and subheadings.
6. Supporting Evidence: Use primary resources to support your presentation. Cite relevant
research studies, case studies, and expert opinions to strengthen the credibility of your
arguments. Ensure that you properly reference all sources using IEEE citation style both in-text
and on the last slide. Click here for a reference on how to use IEEE citation style. Contact the
library staff who can provide you with easy-to-use citation tools.
7. Presentation Delivery: Prepare yourself to deliver a clear and compelling presentation to the
class. Practice your presentation multiple times to ensure you are confident and fluent in your
delivery. Use appropriate body language, maintain eye contact, and engage the audience with
your content. Aim for a presentation duration of 10 minutes. POWERPOINT DRAFT DUE Apr 17.
8. Q&A Session: After your presentation, be prepared to answer questions from your
classmates and the instructor. Engage in thoughtful discussions and demonstrate your deep
understanding of the topic.
9. Revise and Retrain: After the practice session, and based on feedback from your peers,
consider revising your powerpoint slides and/or the presentation to create a clearer and more
compelling story of where we stand on a current issue in biology.
10. Final Presentation: Final presentations will be on Apr 22 and Apr24. Presenters will be
called upon randomly using a random number generator. Therefore, you must be prepared to
present on either day.
Accessing Online Resources at the MDC Library
1)To access primary resources go to the mdc library page:
https://mdc.edu/learning-resources/
2) In the search bar, type in the topics that you want to explore and filter by either title or
subject.
3) You will get a page that looks like this. You should sign in using your MDC credentials.
4) On the left sidebar, under Availability, be sure to always checkmark the “Peer-Reviewed
Journals” to ensure the sources are reliable. It is recommended that you also filter the resource
type and constrain your search to articles (these are primary research) and review articles (this
is secondary research). It is very likely that you will also want to filter by subject. Apply the
filters to narrow your search results.
When you find a resource that you wish to use ALWAYS download the PDF. Make a new folder
on your computer that is specific to this project and save all PDFs in this folder. You do not want
to lose these.
How to read primary articles
Start with the Abstract: Begin by reading the abstract. This concise summary provides an
overview of the study’s objectives, methods, results, and conclusions. It’s a quick way to
gauge whether the paper is relevant to your interests.
Dive into the Introduction: Move on to the introduction section. Here, you’ll find the
background information, the research question, and the significance of the study. This
section sets the stage for understanding the context of the research.
Focus on Results and Discussion: For a more comprehensive understanding, concentrate on
the results and discussion sections. In the results section, you’ll find the key findings
presented in tables, figures, or graphs. The discussion section interprets these results,
placing them in the broader context of existing knowledge.
Look at the Conclusion: Read the conclusion for a summary of the main findings and their
implications. This section often discusses the broader significance of the research.
Skip the Methods (Unless Replicating the Study): As introductory biology students, you
may choose to skip the methods section unless you plan on replicating the study. The
methods typically provide detailed information on how the research was conducted and can
be quite technical.
Examine References: Check the references section to identify related works. This is a
valuable resource for further exploration and understanding of the topic.
Take Notes: While reading, take notes on key points, important findings, and any questions
or thoughts you may have. This will help you retain information and contribute to class
discussions.
Consult Your Textbook: If you come across terms or concepts you’re unfamiliar with, don’t
hesitate to consult your biology textbook or other reliable resources. Understanding
foundational concepts will enrich your comprehension of the paper.
Practice Regularly: Reading academic papers is a skill that improves with practice. The more
papers you read, the more comfortable and adept you’ll become at extracting valuable
information.
Consult with Claude.ai: It is recommended that you upload the paper into claude.ai. This is
an artificial intelligence tool that is free to use and can be used to summarize academic
papers. USER BEWARE! Claude.ai is not perfect. While it may be a useful tool, it may
inaccurately summarize papers and should only be used as a tool to check your
understanding of the paper but not as the primary and/or only way of reading the paper.
Important Due Dates
April 3 7:30PM: 1 point
Submit your topic.
April 10 7:30PM: 1 point
Submit citations for at least 10 references.
April 17 7:30PM: 1 point
Submit a draft of your PowerPoint presentation and be ready to practice the oral
presentation in front of your colleagues.
April 22 and 24 7:30PM: 9 points
Present your final presentation. You must be ready when called upon or you will not get
credit
Total project value = 12 points
Grading Rubric
Below is the rubric I will use to evaluate your presentations.
Criteria 3 Points 2 Points 1 Point
Knowledge and
Understanding
Demonstrates a deep
understanding of the
current issue in biology,
including the causes,
impacts, and relationships
with society. Provides
thorough and accurate
information.
Shows a satisfactory
understanding of the
current issue in biology,
including some causes,
impacts, and relationships
with society. Provides
mostly accurate
information.
Demonstrates a limited
understanding of the
current issue in biology,
with minimal discussion
of causes, impacts, and
relationships with
society. Provides
inaccurate or incomplete
information.
Presentation
Skills
Engages the audience
with clear and concise
communication. Uses
appropriate language and
tone. Presents
information in a logical
and organized manner.
Utilizes visual aids
effectively.
Engages the audience
with mostly clear and
concise communication.
Uses mostly appropriate
language and tone.
Presents information in a
somewhat logical and
organized manner.
Utilizes visual aids
adequately.
Does not effectively
engage the audience with
unclear or disorganized
communication. Uses
inappropriate language
and tone. Presents
information in a
confusing or
unstructured manner.
Utilizes visual aids
minimally or
ineffectively.
Critical
Thinking
Demonstrates strong
critical thinking skills by
analyzing the topic from
multiple perspectives.
Provides insightful
connections between
historic events,
stakeholders, technology,
decisions, etc. and the
current issue. Utilizes
evidence to support
arguments.
Demonstrates some
critical thinking skills by
analyzing the topic from
different perspectives.
Provides connections
between historic events,
stakeholders, technology,
decisions, etc. and the
current issue. Utilizes
some evidence to support
arguments.
Demonstrates limited
critical thinking skills.
Fails to provide
meaningful connections
between historic events,
stakeholders, technology,
decisions, etc. and the
current issue. Lacks
evidence to support
arguments.
Total Points: 9
Use of Artificial Intelligence
In the ever-evolving landscape of research and technology, it is essential to harness the power
of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including ChatGPT, to enhance the quality and efficiency of
your presentation. When incorporating AI tools into your project, please adhere to the
following guidelines:
Use of Claude.ai, ChatGPT, and Gamma:
a. Claude.ai is recommended as a tool for summarizing academic papers.
b. ChatGPT can be employed for taking notes, outlining and refining your writing, and
drafting a script.
c. Gamma can be used to draft a PowerPoint presentation with your notes.
d. While these tools are beneficial, consider them as supplementary aids, not
substitutes for thorough reading, understanding, and writing. AI WILL LIE TO YOU. You
are the mechanism of quality control and quality assurance.
Citation of AI Tools:
Clearly state if you are using any AI tools in your research or analysis. This should be
done by citing the AI tools in the references section of your presentation.
AI Tool Limitations:
AI tools have limitations such as potential biases or inaccuracies. Therefore, to reiterate,
these should be used only as a tool to supplement, and not replace, your reading,
understanding, and writing.
Consultation with Library Staff:
If you have questions about the appropriate use of AI tools or need guidance on citing
them, consult with library staff.
Resources used to make this document
ChatGPT 3.5 was used to draft instructions on how to read academic journals, policies for use
and citation of artificial intelligence.
Eduaide.ai was used to draft the instructions and rubric for this project.
