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Introduction to Biology : SCI120 Research Project

Lesson 8 Overview

During your study of biology, you may have found a controversial topic or two especially interesting. This assignment gives you an opportunity to apply what you’ve learned by researching additional sources and increasing your knowledge of one controversial topic.

8.1 Summarize complex biological issues using research articles SCI120 Research Project READING ASSIGNMENT To complete this examination, follow these steps:

1. Use a word processing program, preferably Microsoft Word, to complete the examination. 2. At the top of every page, include your name and student number. 3. Be sure to save your work. If you don't have access to Microsoft Word, you must properly format

your document by clicking Save As, naming it using the student number_exam number format (for example, 12345678_007175), and choosing File Type: Rich Text Format. This exam must be uploaded as a .doc or .rtf file to be graded electronically.

To submit your exam, follow these steps:

1. From your student portal, click Take Exam next to the lesson you've completed. 2. Be sure to save your work. 3. Attach your file as follows:

1. Click on the Browse box. 2. Locate the file you wish to attach. 3. Double-click on the file. 4. Click on Upload File.

4. Click on Submit Files. 5. After you've submitted your project, you'll be able to see it by clicking View Project.

Procedure

Before you begin your graded project, visit the Biology page of the Penn Foster Virtual Library (pflibrary.pennfoster.edu/c.php?g=589955) for tips on writing your research paper as

http://pflibrary.pennfoster.edu/c.php?g=589955

well as helpful links and videos.

Additionally, make sure you've registered for the Research Paper and APA Formatting webinar, available as a supplement in this lesson and as a link in the Research Paper Resources on the Library page.

Read the instructions for research papers included as a supplement to this lesson. Then, select a topic from the following choices:

Human stem cells Genetically modified foods Zoos and wildlife parks (conservation of species) Use of vaccinations Cloning Designer babies

Consult resources other than your reading assignments. Examples of resources include textbooks, journal articles, and reputable websites. Reputable online sources include encyclopedias and university or government websites. Never use Wikipedia as a source for a research paper. Prepare a detailed report on the topic you choose, including these elements:

1. Describe the background and basic issue of your chosen topic. 2. Describe the basic argument of opposing viewpoints. 3. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of both views. 4. Choose which view you agree with (only in the conclusion). 5. Explain why you agree with that view.

Incorporate the information you learned about your chosen topic from this course, but don’t limit your discussion to the textbook and study guide. Take advantage of external resources to provide an in-depth, comprehensive report.

Goal

This assignment is designed to help you apply what you’ve learned from your lessons by researching and writing about a controversial topic you’ve studied and to give you an opportunity to demonstrate your written communication, research, and critical thinking skills.

Writing Guidelines

1. Type your submission, double-spaced, in a Times New Roman font, size 12. Use a standard document format with 1-inch margins. (Don't use any fancy or cursive fonts.)

2. Read the assignment carefully, and address the topic suggested. 3. Be specific. Limit your submission to the topic suggested. 4. Use proper APA formatting. Include in-text citations and a reference page in APA style.

On this page, list websites, journals, and all other references used in preparing the submission. Also, include a cover page and in-text citations. For assistance with this project and APA in-text citations and references, please see the Biology page in the Penn Foster Virtual Library (pflibrary.pennfoster.edu/c.php?g=589955) .

5. Proofread your work carefully. Check for correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization.

Grading Criteria

Your paper will be graded according to the following rubric.

SCI120 Research Paper Grading Rubric

Skill Realized 100–90

Skill Developing 90–80

Skill Emerging 80–70

Skill Not Evident

70–0

Content/Writing 70 Points Total

Intro and Background

The student described the chosen topic. __/5 points

The topic is defined in detail and history/background is given. 5 points

The topic is defined, but there's no history or background given. 4 points

The topic is defined incorrectly, and the history isn't given. 2 points

There's no definition or attempt at background info/history. 1 point

http://pflibrary.pennfoster.edu/c.php?g=589955

The student described the basic argument of an opposing viewpoint/presented the controversy. __/10 points

The student states that there's a debate and gives a brief summary of the debate. 10 points

The student states that there’s a debate but offers no summary. 7 points

It can be inferred that there’s a debate, but not stated within the first two paragraphs. 5 points

There’s no mention of a controversy or debate. 1 point

Body

The student explained the pros and cons of the topic with detail and examples.

The student identified the strengths and weaknesses of both views and clearly evaluated the arguments. __/35 points

Pros and cons are defined and explained, examples are given, and critical analysis is made.

There’s an explicit explanation of why the point is a pro or con and whether the point is valid. The reader doesn't need to infer anything. 35 points

Pros and cons are defined, but some examples are missing or some critical analysis and evaluation of points is missing.

Minimal inferring for pros/cons (not every point is explicit). 30 points

At least one pro and one con are listed. There's no evaluation of the validity of different points, just definitions and examples. More informative than evaluative. 20 points

The writing is strictly informative. Pros and cons aren't described, nor can they be inferred. 10 points

Language used was clear and correct. __/5 points

The spelling and grammar were correct, and language was clear. Words were used correctly. 5 points

Writing included some vague language or mistakes. There were fewer than five spelling or grammar issues. 4 points

Writing included vague language as well as five or six spelling or grammar issues. There was also incorrect word usage. 3 points

Writing included more than six grammar or spelling issues. There was also vague language and unclear wording. 1 point

Conclusion

The student chose a view that he or she agreed with. __/5 points

The conclusion clearly stated whether the student was pro, con, or undecided. 5 points

An opinion was inferred to be pro, con, or undecided. 4 points

An opinion was attempted but inconsistent. 2 points

There’s no opinion on the debate either given or inferred. 1 point

The student supports his or her stance with facts and clearly explains the reasoning for his or her chosen view. __/10 points

The student gives at least two reasons for his or her opinion and supporting provides research. 10 points

The student gives one reason for his or her opinion and provides supporting research, or the student simply gives more than one reason for his or her opinion. 8 points

The student gives one reason for his or her opinion but fails to provide supporting research. 4 points

There’s no reason given for the student’s opinion on the topic. 1 point

Formatting 30 Points Total

Cover Page

The student includes a cover page at the beginning of the paper. __/5 points

The cover includes the following: title, author's name, student ID, course title/exam number, date, school name, and email address. 5 points

The cover is missing any of the following: title, author, student ID, course title/exam number, date, school name, and email address. 4 points

No cover/title page is present, but identification information is listed on the top of the paper. 3 points

No cover/title page or student information is provided. 0 points

References

The student includes references in APA formatting at the end of the paper. __/10 points

References are in APA format with no errors. 10 points

A reference page is included with fewer than three formatting errors. 8 points

A reference page is attempted, but there are more than three formatting errors. 6 points

No references are provided. 0 points

Citations

The student includes in-text citations in APA formatting throughout the paper that coincide with the references and show where all information comes from. Paraphrasing and quote formatting are correct. __/10 points

All citations are in APA format. Citations are present where required. All references have citations. 10 points

Most citation information is provided and in the correct format. 8 points

Some citations are attempted. A few quotes are cited but not formatted as quotes. 4 points

No citations are included. 0 points

If no references or citations are included, you'll receive a 1% on your paper for plagiarism.

Formatting

The student adhered to the following formatting requirements:

12-point, normal font

1-inch margins

3–5 pages

Double-spaced

__/5 points

All formatting requirements are met. 5 points

One formatting requirement is missing. 4 points

Two formatting requirements are missing. 3 points

More than two formatting requirements are missing. 0 points

Preparing for the Proctored Exam READING ASSIGNMENT Read these tips on preparing for a proctored exam. Then, return to your student portal and complete your proctored exam. Note: Your course materials may be used when taking the proctored exam.

Please note: The Biology proctored examination is open-book. You're encouraged to use your course materials and notes to answer the questions during this one-hour examination.

To prepare for a proctored exam means reviewing the assigned material. This doesn’t mean you need to study everything again. Some of the material you already know or remember, and some you'll have forgotten.

Scan your course and ask yourself, “Do I know this, or don’t I?” If you know the material, then skip it. If you don’t know some of the material or aren’t sure about it, take the time to reread and restudy that section, and rework the exercises associated with that section.

One way to prepare for the proctored exam is to make notes. Just because you’ve written notes once doesn’t mean you know the material. Rewrite your notes. And, don’t try to cram them all on one page. Each time you rewrite your notes, ask yourself the fundamental question: “Do I know this, or don’t I?” If you do, skip it. The idea here is to keep rewriting your notes until you can get them down to a few pages.

When taking a proctored exam, you should know the material. You don’t have time to look up the answer or try to figure out how to work a problem using the example in the reading assignments. Getting your notes down to a page or two tells you that you know almost all of what you need to know. If something you don't know comes up on the exam, you can quickly

look at your notes to refresh your memory about it.

Scanning and rewriting notes seems like a lot of work. It all depends on how much you know from previously studying the material. However, scanning/rewriting will give you a good chance to earn a strong grade on a proctored exam.

What to Do When Taking the Proctored Exam

Proctored exams are very different from lesson exams. Proctored exams consist of essay questions, short-answer questions, and exercise or problem-solving questions. They aren't multiple-choice, true-or-false, or fill-in-the-blank questions (with only a few exceptions).

The structure of proctored exams may differ depending on the subject. Generally, a proctored exam consists of more heavily weighted questions or longer, multistep problem questions. As an example, there may be two or three questions that are each worth a greater number of points. Then, the remainder of the exam will have short-answer and less-lengthy problems to work, which will have lower point values.

Time management during the exam is very important. Many students start the exam by looking at the first question, reading it, and then immediately starting to answer it. But, too much time may be spent at the beginning, and as a result, you don’t get a chance to answer all the exam questions.

A better way to take the exam is to scan all the exam questions before answering questions. For example, if the exam's Part A has three 20-point questions, and Part B has ten 4-point questions, you have a better idea of how to budget your time. Read the instructions. In some cases, you might be told to answer two out of three 20-point questions. Some students answer all three questions instead of the two required, wasting valuable time. Be sure to read the instructions thoroughly.

Remember to budget your time. You have 60 minutes to complete the exam. For example:

Reviewing the instructions and the exam questions may take, say, 4 minutes. As you read each question, ask yourself, “Do I know this, or don’t I?” If you do, write the answer down. Answer the questions you know the answer to first. If you don’t know the answer or are unsure, skip over the question and come back to it after answering questions you're surer of.

With three 20-point questions, you might decide to spend 12 minutes on each question for a total of 36 minutes. Having spent 4 minutes scanning, and budgeting 36 minutes for the more heavily weighted questions, total time adds up to 40 minutes. Twenty minutes remain to complete the short-answer questions. Each exam is different. You have to decide how to best manage your time.

You may complete some of the questions in less time than you’ve allotted. This may give you extra unused time toward the end of the hour to go back and work on questions you’re having difficulty answering. This is the time to look at your notes or go back into the textbook to jog your memory. If you finish more quickly than you planned, use your spare time wisely. Think about where you can use that time to capture the greatest number of points. If you've no clue about a particular question but have some idea about another question, your time might be better spent answering the question you know you may get right.

Showing your work on a math problem may help improve your score. Math exams require you to show your work, and partial credit is given where it makes sense. A student who does the process correctly but makes a small error will come up with an incorrect answer. Yet instead of deducting all the points for that question, the instructor may deduct fewer points depending on the mistake. For example, if there are four steps in solving a problem and the student stops at step three, forgetting to do the last step, partial credit may be given. However, if a student only provides an answer without showing his or her work and the answer is incorrect, then the full points for the question must be deducted.

Taking a Proctored Exam Using the Online Option

Things to consider before deciding whether to take the proctored exam remotely (online) or on paper include the following:

Typing skills. You should have good typing skills if you want to take the remote proctored exam. If you’re not confident in your ability to think and type quickly at the same time, you might be better off completing the paper version. Typing to show your work is a little more challenging if you’re not used to entering math problems electronically. Some find it better to complete the work on paper first and then typing it in. However, this takes more time since you’re writing the work twice.

Running out of time. Students may run out of time before finishing the exam for several reasons.

As discussed previously, having weak typing skills (speed) is one reason students may not finish. Starting to answer the first question without having scanned the exam first may lead to spending more time on individual questions than you should, and you may run out of time before completing the exam. Math exams generally are open book, so you can refer to your textbook, reading material, or notes. However, some students spend too much time looking up examples or formulas and not enough time answering the questions on the exam because they’re unprepared. Be sure you have a good understanding of the material so you don’t have to refer to the books as often. Many students need to work out problems on scratch paper first. They’ll then type the solution, showing their work on the exam. This may take more time and is another reason why students don’t complete all the questions on a proctored exam.

Which Is Best for You? Online Proctored Exams versus Traditional Proctored Exams

Students generally choose the remote option because they don’t want to find a local proctor, which is required when taking the paper proctored exam. Remote proctoring may be more convenient; however, not all proctored exams can be taken remotely. Finding a proctor may be necessary at some point, depending on the program in which you’re enrolled.

Everyone has taken paper exams some time in his or her life, with someone supervising in a classroom. Yet not everyone has taken a proctored exam using a computer. If you have confidence in your abilities to take a proctored exam online, by all means, you should do so. However, you may have the knowledge to score well taking an exam on paper but not feel comfortable typing when taking a math exam. In that case, you may be better off taking a traditional (paper) proctored exam.

Remember, the proctored exam is worth 1/3 of your course grade, so select the method that

will allow you to do the best you can on the exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Can I use my books, reading materials, or notes on the proctored exam?

Answer: You’re permitted to bring your notes and reading materials to use during this exam. All exams are open-book unless otherwise specified. You may also use a calculator during your exams.

Question: I’m an e-book student/my learning material is all digital. Can I use a computer to access my books and lessons during the exam?

Answer: If you’re in an e-book program or are in a course for which your courses are only provided digitally, you’re permitted to use a computer during the exam. However, you may only use a computer to access your e-books and reading material. You’re only permitted to use the computer for exams covering courses that have digital-only materials.

It’s your proctor’s responsibility to monitor your use of a computer during the exam, so advise them of this when informing them of their duties as a proctor. Any unauthorized use of a computer during the proctored exam will result in the invalidation of all of your exams. If suspected, you’ll receive a grade of 1 on each of your exams and be required to retake each of them. The highest grade you can receive on these retake exams is 70.

Question: What types of questions are included in the proctored examination?

Answer: Most of the questions are subjective, including both essay questions and numerical problems. The examination may also contain objective questions, such as multiple-choice and matching items. Students aren’t allowed to use computer software such as Excel for calculations.

Research Project Tips READING STUDY MATERIAL

Purpose

Your curriculum is designed to prepare you for a professional career. No matter what that career may be, you’ll need to be able to follow specific directions, research information, write effectively, convey factual information and ideas to others, maintain ethical standards, think

critically, and produce focused, informative documents that are free of errors. To help you develop and perfect these skills, Penn Foster Schools requires you to complete research projects and writing assignments in many of the courses throughout your curriculum. These projects are related to the specific subject matter you’re studying.

Organization of a Research Project

Your research project may consist of either a topic that you must research and develop into a paper or a series of questions that you must answer.

If your project involves a research paper, your paper should have three parts:

1. Introduction. The introduction should be a short paragraph of around three to five sentences in which you clearly state the purpose of your paper.

2. Body. The body should consist of a number of paragraphs in which you develop the purpose you included in the introduction. In the body, you should clearly and completely explain the purpose. To do this, add facts, details, and examples from your research. To write a clear and complete explanation, you should research more than just one website or article. Remember: You’re not writing your opinion. Rather, you’re clearly explaining the concept and why it’s important, required, necessary, controversial, and so on to a reader who has no prior knowledge of the subject. Since the reader is presumed to know nothing of the subject, you must cover the material completely and thoroughly so that the reader gains a firm understanding without having to go to any other source of information.

3. Conclusion. In the conclusion, you restate your purpose and bring your paper to a close by providing a final insight into your research or the significance of your topic.

If your project involves a series of questions, make sure to answer each question in a complete paragraph or two. Include an introductory sentence, a paragraph of explanation, and a concluding sentence. These three elements should include the same information as the introduction, body, and conclusion of a research paper.

References and Citations

References and citations are essential parts of a research project. Now, you'll explore exactly what these are.

References

At the end of your project, you must include a separate page that includes a properly formatted listing of all materials used from any outside source. The list should include any books, magazines, journals, newspapers, interviews, websites, and other electronic resources that you’ve used in gathering information. Each reference should have at least one corresponding citation in the text of your project. The purpose of the reference list is to provide the reader with enough information to find your sources.

Citations

Whenever you use information from an outside source, you must indicate that the information isn't your own but belongs to someone else. You must show (in your written document wherever the information appears) where you found the information and give credit to the original author. Any time you use a word-for-word quote, restate another person’s ideas but change the wording, or summarize information, facts, studies, or theories, you must cite your information. Citations aren't located at the end of your paper but appear within the sentences of the document, or as footnotes.

If you don't give credit (cite the source) when using someone else’s information or ideas, you’re plagiarizing that person’s work. Plagiarism is unethical behavior and is subject to a grade of zero and/or disciplinary action.

The academic world recognizes several different citation and reference styles. Penn Foster has chosen to use the style of the American Psychological Association (APA) for this research project. The Penn Foster Student Library includes extensive information on research papers in general and citation and references in particular, including the APA style guide. You can access the library from your Student Portal.

Summary

The directions for each research project include six sections:

1. Background 2. Procedure 3. Goal 4. Writing guidelines

5. Grading criteria 6. Submission

These directions tell you what you're to do to successfully complete your project as well as how you’ll be graded. Your project will be graded for content, written communication, and format. The value of each element, which varies from project to project, will appear in the project assignment.

You must complete the project as directed. Failure to do so will be reflected in your grade.

Consider this situation.

Suppose you went to a restaurant and ordered a vegetarian meal, but the waiter brought you a steak instead. Would you accept that as your order? You would likely ask the waiter to take it back since it wasn't what you ordered. Now, it might be a very nice steak: well prepared and of high quality. However, it wasn't what you ordered, and as such, it's unacceptable. A research project is similar. The paper can be very well written, but if it doesn't contain what was assigned, it’s unacceptable.

You may now continue with your assignment or consult the Penn Foster Library's Guidebooks and Tips section to read the information provided there on writing a research paper, the basics of citation, and APA style.

Good luck with your project!

Biology Research Paper and APA Formatting: Tips for Success! Webinar READING STUDY MATERIAL

This is a recorded session. This webinar will introduce you to the essential components of the research paper and highlight tips for successfully completing the paper. This webinar is highly recommended, as it discusses the paper topics, structure, formatting, and citation practices.

Biology Research Paper and APA Formatting: Tips for Success! Webinar (attendee.gotowebi nar.com/register/2487609192897688336) Biology Proctored Examination Webinar READING STUDY MATERIAL This live webinar will provide insight into the format and structure of the Biology proctored examination. Students are provided with helpful tips and resources to prepare for the examination. The overall aim is for students to gain familiarity with the assessment format and expectations promoting academic

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2487609192897688336

success. Please note that this webinar is optional (not required), but it's highly encouraged.

Click to open: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/4698297164285301006 (attendee.gotowe binar.com/rt/4698297164285301006)

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Lesson 8 Overview
Procedure
Goal
Writing Guidelines
Grading Criteria
What to Do When Taking the Proctored Exam
Taking a Proctored Exam Using the Online Option
Which Is Best for You? Online Proctored Exams versus Traditional Proctored Exams
Frequently Asked Questions
Purpose
Organization of a Research Project
References and Citations

References
Citations

Summary