Instructions
Choose a topic and write a brief (4-5 page) review (formal essay format) that relates to a nutritional supplement. Use Controversy 7 in your textbook to help you explain what a nutritional supplement is and what the reasons for taking this particular supplement may or may not be.
This assignment must incorporate what you have learned about scientific information sources. It must include references to peer reviewed journal articles, and these references must be cited in the correct APA format.It will require at least 3 journal article references to adequately cover the topic you choose. To make the best arguments, you should find papers that contradict each other. If you only use references that support (or reject) your personal opinion, then you are being biased. A good scientist should be able to see a problem from many angles–so you need to learn to be flexible in your suggestions.
Your analysis should include a summary of the hypotheses of the experiments that were performed in the journal articles, the results and discussion of the results, and most importantly–your opinion of the study. Why did you find it interesting and what did you learn about the topic?
Chapter 1 in your textbook gives you information related to how science is done and how to think critically to evaluate scientific claims. Incorporate this material into your assignment and convince me that the information you are conveying is scientifically sound and comes from a peer reviewed source. An example of a database that will allow you to access these articles is PudMed.
Formatting
4-5 pages maximum
This is a university-level written paper. Use the same citation format as your textbook, APA style, and ensure you complete the following steps:
Use 12pt font – Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman.
Double space the Word document with 1″ (inch) margins.
Include properly formatted, embedded references and citations. The paper will not be marked without references.
Embed references in the text and list them in the References section.
Do not include database links (for example, do not copy and paste from PubMed)
Include web pages only when they are reputable; you can use them as a “supportive reference,” and they must be referenced correctly
Do not include a separate title page. Title the paper and include the link you have chosen for the professor’s reference.
Remember your audience: paragraph structure and overall flow are important. You are presenting your opinion to a scientist, which is different from the reports you may have written in high school.
Marking Rubric (10 Marks)
At least 3 scientific journal article references (other resources can be used to support your ideas) that convey different conclusions related to your topic. (1 mark)
A brief but well thought out description of the experiments, the results, and conclusions. (4 marks)
Your personal opinion about what the results mean and why you chose to research this topic. (3 marks)
References are correctly formatted (both the in-text citations and the References on the final page). (2 marks)
Extra:
paragraph 1 – an introduction to the topic you have chosen – why you chose it and what your opinion was of it before you started your research. You can introduce the articles you have chosen and give me a general understanding of what you learned.
paragraph 2,3,4 – these will be summaries of the articles – make sure you cover any potential bias that might be involved and the limitations of the research.
paragraph 5 – MOST IMPORTANT – tell me what your opinion of the topic is now – after you have researched – you should have chosen articles that have conflicting information – so you will need to combine and compare the results to give me an idea of how you feel about the topic now. *****ensure that your statements are backed up with evidence from the articles and include properly embedded citations.
