Due by Sunday November 24th, 2013 11:59 PM, EST via your Assignments Folder
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 following topics below.
2. Find articles related to the topic. You can find assistance with searching for articles at the UMUC Library Subject Guides athttp://libguides.umuc.edu/science.
3. Write two pages, double spaced, excluding references. You must read the articles that you find and summarize the information they contain briefly in your own words. Extensive quotes from the article are discouraged. This assignment demonstrates the acceptable, ethical, and academic method for citing information from a public source. You may not use online encyclopedias as a source more than once. Use APA style for citing references (see http://www.umuc.edu/library/guides/apa.html).
4. Post your assignment to your Assignments folder.
Topics (select one)
a) Genetically modified food. What is the purpose of human-made genetic recombinations in food? Are foods that contain genes resulting from artificial genetic recombinations really safe? What foods in your supermarket result from genetic recombination? What types of regulations exist for these foods? (For example, you might search the Food and Drug Administration website.) Clearly explain your reasoning for each answer.
b) Stem cells. A relative of a friend of yours had a spinal cord injury after a bad car accident. The medical team has decided that this patient is a good candidate for a clinical trial using stem cell therapy. Your friend has not had a biology course since high school, so you are going to write for him or her a two-page discussion of stem cell information. In your discussion, include a description of the biology of stem cells, and explain how these cells are unique in their ability to treat diseases and injury. The following website from NIH regarding stem cell research will be very helpful:http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp.
c) Fracking (hydraulic fracturing) and tar sands (oil sands). With society’s dependence on nonrenewable fossil fuels, the oil & gas industry is turning more to use of hydraulic fracturing and tar sands to extract natural gas and oil. A friend asks you. "What’s all this controversy in the news about fracking and tar sands?" Briefly explain to your friend how hydraulic fracturing and oil sands are used to obtain fossil fuels. Then, in more detail, describe the environmental problems involved in these processes and why they are controversial. Finally, give your opinions on possible solutions to the problems, with your reasoning backed by the references that you studied.
Grading Rubric for the Written Assignment
Grading Category
Associated BIOL 103
Course Outcome
Points
Content of paper
Use knowledge of biological principles to ask relevant questions about the natural world
25 pts = full credit will be awarded for writing your paper in your own words and addressing the questions asked in the topic description below.
Credibility of sources
Make observations and discriminate between scientific and pseudoscientific explanations
15 pts = full credit will be awarded for using credible sources (assistance with evaluating web resources can be found athttp://www.umuc.edu/library/how.shtml.
Contribution
Use knowledge of biological principles to ask relevant questions about the natural world
Make observations and discriminate between scientific and pseudoscientific explanations
50 pts = full credit will be awarded if you analyze and defend your ideas based on what you have learned from your research on your topic. Your paper should be well organized and flow well.
Format
Following directions is a desirable outcome for everycourse and task you complete; it is not specific to BIOL 101.
10 pts = grammar, formatting, spelling
TOTAL
100 pts
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