Process:
Step 1: Choose a Topic
During the first week of class, choose a topic from the following list:
• Sickle Cell Anemia
• Familial Hypercholesterolemia
• Achromatopsia
• Huntington’s disease
• Autosomal Recessive Spastic Ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS)
• Tay-Sachs disease
• Thalassemia
• Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD)
• Glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency
• Gaucher disease
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Achromatopsia
All topics are either population-specific, environmental stressor-related or have a particular geographic distribution. You do not need to email me with your choice. However, if after you have looked into the topics, you are unsure which to choose and would like my opinion, I would be happy to help.
Step 2: Begin research on your topic
Prior to week 4, you will want to begin researching your topic. You will need a minimum of 2 peer-reviewed journal articles and/or books. These can be accessed via the library’s databases(this link can be found in Canvas). Additional resources might include support groups for those with the disease/condition (this information will be easy to understand as it is designed for those with no medical/genetic knowledge base); NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders); the NIH Gene Reviews resource. Remember that all of the topics available have a particular population/region they impact at a higher frequency, and that will be key information for your assignment. These groups might practice/have practiced endogamy, have small founder populations, have adapted to certain foods, be impacted by a heterozygote advantage, etc.
Step 3: Major Assignment 1 – Part 1: Genetic Disease Bibliography
**Due the Monday of week 4**
You will create an annotated bibliography with scholarly or peer-reviewed sources
1. Annotated bibliography this means you must include 2-3sentences below each citation explaining how it is useful to your assignment or what information the source covers .
2. Citations must be in APA, MLA or Chicago/Turabian format.
3. Bibliography must include the (minimum) two scholarly/peer reviewed sources from the databases (accessible via the library online) and may include the additional reliable sources from elsewhere.
4. Bibliography must be typed and submitted electronically in MS Word (.doc or .docx) format. The file must be named in the following format: Lastname_MajorAssignment1.doc. Submit your completed document to Major Assignment 1 Part 1, listed on the Modules and Assignments pages, as a file attachment.
