Concepts of Biology

Written Assignment: Biology and Technology in the Real World

Addresses course outcomes 2 and 3:

use knowledge of biological principles to ask relevant questions about the natural world
make observations and discriminate between scientific and pseudoscientific explanations
1. Select one of the topics listed below.

2. Find at least two information sources related to the topic. You can find assistance with searching for articles at the UMUC Library Subject Guides at http://libguides.umuc.edu/science.

3. Write a 750-1500 word paper, excluding references and title page. You must read the information sources that you find and summarize the information in your own words, addressing each of the questions and expectations for your chosen topic. Extensive quotes from the article are discouraged. Use APA style for citing references, see http://www.umuc.edu/library/guides/apa.html.

a) Genetically modified organisms (GMOs). What is the purpose genetic engineering of crop plants and domestic animals? Briefly explain how GMOs are created. What foods in your supermarket contain GMOs? Are foods that contain GMOs safe for human consumption? What types of regulations exist for these foods? Clearly explain your reasoning for each answer. 

750 words