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 2: Biological Basis Due in week 5 and worth 80 points Continuing on the research that you started in Week 3, explain what your chosen biotechnology accomplishes and how it is implemented, and describe the body of knowledge that it is based upon. The detailed guidelines are as follows:

 Begin with a description of the biotechnology and what it accomplishes. Then, explain whether it involves manipulating the DNA (or RNA) of an organism, or simply utilizing the DNA (or RNA) that is already there naturally.

 Provide a full and complete description of exactly how the technology works. o If your technology involves manipulating the DNA of an organism, then you should

explain how that is accomplished. Depending on the specific technology, adding DNA to cells is often accomplished with a vector, such as a virus or bacterium, but there are mechanical means as well, such as microinjection or use of a “gene gun.”

o If your technology involves interpreting the DNA in an organism (as one might do for personalized medicine), explain how that is accomplished. What are the means of collecting a sample? How is the sample processed? What exactly is being analyzed to generate the interpretation?

 Discuss the key biological principles that underlie the technology. Many of them are based on an understanding of genes and how they are expressed. Other technologies may be based on the concept of the genome, transcriptome, or proteome. Others are based on an understanding of non-coding DNA (such as the short-tandem repeats used in DNA fingerprinting). Many are based on an understanding of DNA replication, as well as basic heredity.

The expected length is a proxy for how much detail to go into. Go into enough detail to get 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). Your overall goal in this assignment is to show the instructor that you understand the underlying science behind the technology.

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. A large portion of the grading of this assignment is based upon the coherence, depth, and accuracy of your writing. 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: 80 Assignment 2: Biological Basis

Criteria Unacceptable Below 60% F

Meets Minimum Expectation s 60-69% D

Fair 70-79% C

Proficient 80-89% B

Exemplary 90-100% A

1. Describe the biotechnolog y and what it accomplishes , including if it involves manipulating DNA/RNA or just using it. Weight: 30%

Did not submit or incompletely/inaccuratel y described the biotechnology and what it accomplishes, including if it involves manipulating DNA/RNA or just using it.

Insufficiently described the biotechnolog y and what it accomplishes , including if it involves manipulating DNA/RNA or just using it.

Partially described the biotechnolog y and what it accomplishes , including if it involves manipulating DNA/RNA or just using it.

Satisfactorily described the biotechnolog y and what it accomplishes , including if it involves manipulating DNA/RNA or just using it.

Thoroughly described the biotechnolog y and what it accomplishes , including if it involves manipulating DNA/RNA or just using it.

2.Provide a full and complete description of exactly how the technology works. Weight: 30%

Did not submit or incompletely/inaccuratel y provided a full and complete description of exactly how the technology works.

Insufficiently provided a full and complete description of exactly how the technology works.

Partially provided a full and complete description of exactly how the technology works.

Satisfactorily provided a full and complete description of exactly how the technology works.

Thoroughly provided a full and complete description of exactly how the technology works.

3.Discuss the key biological principles that underlie the

Did not submit or incompletely/inaccuratel y discussed the key biological principles that underlie the technology.

Insufficiently discussed the key biological principles that underlie

Partially discussed the key biological principles that underlie

Satisfactorily discussed the key biological principles that underlie

Thoroughly discussed the key biological principles that underlie

technology. Weight 30%

the technology.

the technology.

the technology.

the technology.

4. Application of the SWS standards for citation. Weight: 5%

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

In-text citations and references are given, but not in SWS format.

In-text citations and references are provided, but they are only partially formatted correctly in SWS style.

Most in-text citations and references are provided, and they are generally formatted correctly in SWS style.

In-text citations and 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.