Gene Editing Assignment 3 Paper

BIOTECHNOLOGY PAPER

This quarter, you will complete a project which will culminate in a 5–6 page paper on an established or emerging biotechnology. The project covers both the biological basis of the technology, as well as its benefits, drawbacks, and ethical aspects. The project is broken down into four stages, with deliverables due at each stage. In the final stage, you will combine your previous work, edited according to the feedback you’ve received, into one coherent final paper.

 Assignment 1: Biotechnology Article – This first assignment, and the entire project, begins with your selection of one article about a particular biotechnology. Subsequent assignments will build on this first assignment, and thus extend your research on the same biotechnology. In Assignment 1, you will summarize the article you’ve chosen (your “target article”), and address some additional issues about how your article relates to the course, to your life, and to the funding of ongoing research.

 Assignment 2: Biological basis – In the second assignment, you will explain what your chosen biotechnology accomplishes and how it is implemented, and describe the body of knowledge that it is based upon. Your overall goal in this assignment is to show that you understand the underlying science behind the technology.

 Assignment 3: Benefits, Drawbacks and Ethical Aspects – In the third assignment, you will look at your technology in more depth to analyze the pros and cons, and to also consider any ethical issues that arise from the technology.

 Assignment 4: Biotech paper – You will pull this final paper together using edited pieces from Assignments 1, 2, and 3, along with an additional section providing your personal viewpoint and summation. The result should be a coherent paper on the biotechnology you’ve chosen.

Assignment 3: Social and Ethical Implications Due in week 7 and worth 80 points Continuing on your research from Weeks 3 and 5. Provide an analysis of the social and ethical implications of your chosen biotechnology. Strive for an even-handed honest-broker approach in which you carefully analyze the possible benefits of the technology, as well as any possible drawbacks. For now, hold back on disclosing your point of view (you’ll get a chance to express your opinion in the final paper in Week 9). For both benefits and drawbacks, state whether these are based on actual evidence, or based on speculation about possibilities. Consider the possible biases of both proponents and critics, if appropriate. Finally, address whether there any special ethical considerations that go beyond simply looking at the risks and benefits. This assignment should be at least one page of double-spaced text (about 300 words) but not much more than two pages of double-spaced text (about 600 words). As always, think of the expected length as a proxy for how much to cover and how much detail to go into. In addition to your general remarks, you will need to go into depth on several issues to meet the expected length. Describe your points in a clear manner, and support them with explanations, examples, and discussions. Hint: Merely providing a list of issues will not be sufficient for a good grade. You need to describe the issues fully, and support them. Do not copy any bulleted lists from your sources. You must have a reference section which contains an SWS reference to your chosen article and all other sources. Additionally, you must provide in-text citations (in SWS format) to your references in the body of the text. Integrate all sources into your paper using proper techniques of quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing, along with your in-text citations. Double-space your paper. Use standard margins and fonts. Also, follow any additional formatting instructions provided by your instructor.

Objectives evaluated by this assessment:

1. Categorize a wide range of organisms, from single-celled to multi-celled organisms. 2. Describe how organisms acquire and utilize both energy and material. 3. Describe the cell cycle, cell reproduction, and control. 4. Investigate DNA and gene expression as well as technologies based on our understanding of

them. 5. Discuss interactions between organisms in ecosystems.

Points: Assignment 3: Social and Ethical Implications

Criteria Unacceptable Below 60% F

Meets Minimum Expectations 60-69% D

Fair 70-79% C

Proficient 80-89% B

Exemplary 90-100% A

1. Provide an analysis of the social and ethical benefits of the technology. Weight 30%

Did not submit or incompletely/inaccurately provided an analysis of the social and ethical benefits of the technology.

Insufficiently provided an analysis of the social and ethical benefits of the technology.

Partially provided an analysis of the social and ethical benefits of the technology.

Satisfactorily provided an analysis of the social and ethical benefits of the technology.

Thoroughly provided an analysis of the social and ethical benefits of the technology.

2. Provide an analysis of the social and ethical drawbacks of the technology. Weight 30%

Did not submit or incompletely/inaccurately provided an analysis of the social and ethical drawbacks of the technology.

Insufficiently provided an analysis of the social and ethical drawbacks of the technology.

Partially provided an analysis of the social and ethical drawbacks of the technology.

Satisfactorily provided an analysis of the social and ethical drawbacks of the technology.

Thoroughly provided an analysis of the social and ethical drawbacks of the technology.

3. For both benefits and drawbacks, state whether these are based on actual evidence, or based on speculation about possibilities. Weight 30%

Did not submit or incompletely/inaccurately stated whether these are based on actual evidence, or based on speculation about possibilities.

Insufficiently stated whether these are based on actual evidence, or based on speculation about possibilities.

Partially stated whether these are based on actual evidence, or based on speculation about possibilities.

Satisfactorily stated whether these are based on actual evidence, or based on speculation about possibilities.

Thoroughly stated whether these are based on actual evidence, or based on speculation about possibilities.

4. Application of the SWS

Lack of in-text citations and / or lack of reference

In-text citations and

In-text citations and

Most in-text citations and

In-text citations and

standards for citation. Weight: 5%

section. references are given, but not in SWS format.

references are provided, but they are only partially formatted correctly in SWS style.

references are provided, and they are generally formatted correctly in SWS style.

references are error free or almost error free and consistently formatted correctly in SWS style.

5. Use of proper written mechanics, Weight: 5%

Student did not submit the assignment or there are so many errors that work is confusing to read.

Multiple errors (7-8) in grammar and mechanics.

Several errors (5-6) in grammar and mechanics.

A few errors (3-4) in grammar and mechanics.

Minimal (0- 2) errors in grammar and mechanics.