For my topic, do phytoremediation or the use of knock out animals that help scientists understand how genes work and why diseases happen.
Final Paper
Final Paper and Discussion Review:
Part of the final in this class you are to submit a paper and participate in the discussion following the Guidelines below:
1. Choose a scientific article that discusses any topic covered in the class that you find interesting. The article can be a research article or a review paper. Do not pay for online access to an article or paper. There are plenty of free sources on the web to download a paper or article. The article should cover a topic that you now are able to understand based on the information you have learned in this class. If there is information in the article that you would not have understand before taking the class but now you understand it then the article is appropriate. If you read the article and there is nothing you learned in the class that helps you understand the article better then find a different article or paper.
After reading the article start your report with the basic information listed below. Some articles may not have all this information. Give what you can. The background information determine whether or not any experimental results and data are trustworthy. It also tells the reader about the audience for whom the article was intended.
Include the following:
Title of article
Source – journal, date, magazine, publisher etc.
Author or authors
Institution of authors – Where do they do their research? If the writer is a journalist interviewing scientists, who are the scientists and where did they do their research?
3. A clear simple statement in a few sentences regarding what kind of article it. Some articles are general reviews of information on a particular topic, some are reports of new research, some are social commentary or economic analysis of a new technology etc. The title may not make it clear what kind of article you have chosen, so make a clear statement summarizing that information.
4. The main part of the report should be a summary of what the article covered. No need for a lot of details; remember it is a summary, not a retelling of of the entire article. Your entire report should be no longer than four pages. Find the “take home message”. Make it clear that you understand the point of the article. (Does it answer a question or explain something? Does it speculate about the future? What is the theme?)
5. Next, try your very best to find the relevance of the article. To whom is the information in the article relevant and why? Is it relevant to MD’s for example if yes then why? Is it most relevant to the general public? If so, explain why? Is it important to everyone or only to a few specialized researchers?
6. Finally, give your personal response/opinion to the article including the following:
a. Did you personally learn anything new from it?
b. How convincing was the information? What were you able to understand in the article that you would not have understood before
taking this class? (If there is nothing then you chose the wrong article – get a different one!)
c. Do you think the data are meaningful and reliable or there flaws/inconsistencies in the results or conclusions?
d. Are there inconsistencies or errors in the design or conclusions?
e. Was the article clearly written or hard to read: Were graphs, diagrams or data tables easy to understand or confusing etc.
f. Would you recommend the article to others? If yes, who and why? Explain your reasons for your opinions.
7. Your paper should be no longer than four pages, double spaced, Arial or Times New Roman 10-12 font size.
8. Include a link to the article.
