Completing an Experimental Research Project

Biotech II Research Project

This research project counts 20% of your grade for each quarter. Below is a description of how the grade will be distributed between the different components of the project. Please review information below including the grading rubrics to make sure that you include all of the appropriate detail necessary for a successful, well-designed, well-written project. There will also be some additional assignments that will count in this category of your grades.See your syllabus for due dates.

Phase I: Generating the idea

During this course, you will be completing a research project. The first step is to choose an area of interest. In the Biotech II class, this area of interest must be relevant to the biosciences. The topic you choose must be appropriate for a high school honors course and must be suitable for research and experimentation. Remember that you are going to have to design and perform an experiment so you must have access to all the components of the experiment. While cancer is a noble cause to investigate, do you have access to cancer patients. Human patient information is very hard to come by and so it is recommended not to choose a topic that requires it. Also, think of whether you have access to specialized equipment. Talk to your teacher about the equipment needed to do your project. Think of three topics of research that interests you. Turn those topics in to your teacher by September 4th. Your teacher will help you chose the best one to continue to pursue.

Phase II: Researching the Topic

Each student should gather at least six articles that address the topic area. Articles can be obtained from the Internet, magazines, and scientific journals At least two of the articles must be obtained from print material rather than on-line and two must primary research articles. Once you have collected six research articles, you need to read and summarize each article. Always include the reference information with the summary to use with your bibliography. Use these summaries to write a review of the research (background section). This review must include information that will help you further understand your topic area and enable you to develop a testable problem/question. The review should be4-5 pages in length, typed, double-spaced, and in 12 point font. When writing a research review, you must use in-text citations. Rules for citations are described below. Be sure to write an introductory paragraph that sets up your topic. Then back it up with relevant information. Finally, finish your review with a conclusion that summarizes and restates the point of your paper

Sample Citation: You find an article called “Acid Rain and Forest Decline” on pages 113-118 in a journal called Environment. The author is John Smith and the date of the magazine is June 1988. It is volume 30, number 5. If you use a direct quote from the article you must put the quoted material in “quotations” and use a citation. “Acid rain has caused a critical decline in the world’s rainforests” (1). The “(1) “ is the in-text citation (Chicago style) that denotes from where this information came. If you use an idea from an article and put it in your own words you must still use a citation but you do not have to use quotations. An example follows. The camel of the Atkins High School mascot is a Dromedary camel since it has one hump rather than the two hump Bactrian camel (2). You will lose points for not including in-text citations.

At the end of the paper you will have a section titled References This is very similar to a bibliography. Please useChicago format. There are several websites, such as citation machine ( that can help you with proper citations. One warning is when using internet sources, please do not only include the web address as that frequently changes. I have included some examples below. If you have further questions, consult a Chicago style handbook such as

1. Gomez-Lechon MJ, Castell JV, Donato MT. The use of hepatocytes to investigate drug toxicity. Methods MolBiol 2010;640:389e415.

2.Ananthanarayanan A, Narmada BC, Mo X, McMillian M, Yu H. Purpose-driven biomaterials research in liver-tissue engineering. Trends Biotechnol 2011;29:110e8

To monitor for plagiarism, the teacher may ask you to submit the paper to You should turn your paper in electronically as instructed rather than a hard copy. Your teacher will print it off.

Phase III: Writing your Question, Hypothesis, and Procedure

Next, you need to write your question. This question should come from your research, but should not be common knowledge. On the other hand, it should be a simple straight forward question with independent and dependent variables. A natural place to put your question is near the end of your conclusion paragraph from your research. After you write your question you will write your hypothesis. It should be a predicted answer to your question and reflect your research. This means that you should include several sentences about why you predicted what you did (citations need to be included as well). Your hypothesis should be at least one 1/3 page in length and should be typed. The final step for this quarter will be writing your procedure. This should be typed and in a numbered list. Remember to include as many details as possible in order for your procedure to be approved. Make sure your procedure includes only one independent variable to be explored at a time. State how you plan to measure it (dependent variable). Include how you plan to control your experiment and what control groups you are including. Finally, be sure that you have an appropriate sample size to allow you to draw a valid conclusion. Repeat your experiments at least 3 times or have at least 3 members in each group tested to help you collect enough data.

If you are using human subjects in any way (experiments, surveys, choice tests), animals, microorganisms, or chemicals, please read the second page of the link and answer all questions in your procedure.

Phase IV: Collecting/Analyzing Data and Drawing Conclusions

You have asked your question, performed your research, and written your hypothesis and procedure—so now what??? You are ready to follow your written instructions and perform your procedure.

1—Gather your materials, and perform your experiment. Ask your teacher for help with this – especially when chemicals or bacteria are involved. Collect detailed quantitative and qualitative data at each stage of your experiment; it is better to have too many details than too few. A notebook is a good place to keep all of this info together

2—Organize and type this information as the Results/Data section of your paper. Results are where you simply state what you saw or found (paragraph form). This is also the best place to include graphs that summarize all of your numerical results. A visual representation of your data is required!

3—Based upon your results, draw conclusions about why your experiment occurred in this way. In paragraph form, this should include: a) a mix of the research and your opinions about how your experiment fits into this base of knowledge; b) your hypothesis and why do you think that it was or was not correct; c) you also want to state sources of error for you experiment and how this might have affected the outcome; d) the last thing that you want to include is a small section on where the research should go next; what was missing in your procedure or what would be a good follow-up experiment. Remember: REE, PE, and PA

4—Correct all earlier work and put all of your sections together in a complete paper with a cover sheet. (Order: Abstract, Research, Question, Hypothesis, Procedure, Data, Conclusions, References, Appendices).

Phase V: The Presentation

Create a powerpoint for your experiment, data, and conclusions. The title should be your question or topic, and you should include all of the sections from your paper. Summarize research, data, and conclusions (bullet points are a good method). Include graphs, pictures, and items from you experiment. Take your time and create a neat and attractive presentation that clearly illustrates your experiment.

Phase VI: Atkins Science Fair

You may wish to enter your project in the Atkins Science Fair. If so, you can choose, instead, to put your work on a display board rather than a powerpoint. The display board should be neat and visible. Use at least 18 font. Include your question as the title, abstract, hypothesis, detailed procedure, data tables/graphs, conclusions, and references. Either way, you will be asked to present your findings to the class.

Biotech Research Project QualitativeRubric

Compare the work you are turning it to the rubric below to make sure you have addressed each of the components with enough quality to achieve your highest. You should review this rubric each time you turn in a component of your project.

Name: ______

Component / Excellent / Fair / Poor
I. Background Research and Hypothesis
Question/Purpose / The purpose or question to be answered during the project is clearly identified and stated. / The purpose of the lab or the question to be answered during the lab is partially identified, and is stated in a somewhat unclear manner / The purpose or question to be answered during the lab is erroneous, irrelevant or absent.
Scientific Concepts / Report illustrates an accurate and thorough understanding of scientific concepts underlying the project. / Report illustrates a limited understanding of scientific concepts underlying the lab. / Report does not illustrate any accurate understanding of scientific concepts underlying the project.
In-Text Citation / Several reputable background sources were used and cited correctly. Material is translated into student's own words. / A few background sources are used and cited correctly, but some are not reputable sources. Material is translated into student's own words. / Material is directly copied rather than put into students own words and/or background sources are cited incorrectly.
Mechanics / One or fewer errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar in the report. / Three errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar in the report. / More than 4 errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar in the report.
Hypothesis / Hypothesized relationship between the variables and the predicted results is clearly explained and reasonable based on what has been studied. / Hypothesized relationship between the variables and the predicted results has minimally been stated, or appears to be based on flawed logic. / No hypothesis has been stated.
References / Included properly cited references / Include references but were not properly cited. / No references included.
NO GRADE
II. Procedures
Procedures / Procedures appear to be replicable. Steps are outlined sequentially and are adequately detailed / All steps are outlined, but there is not enough detail to replicate procedures. / Few or no steps are outlined AND there is not enough detail to replicate procedures.
Experimental Design / Experimental design is a well-constructed test of the stated hypothesis. / Experimental design is relevant to the hypothesis, but is not a complete test. / Experimental design is not relevant to the hypothesis.
Variables / All variables are clearly described with all relevant details. / Most variables are clearly described with most relevant details. / Variables are not described OR the majority lack sufficient detail.
Calculations / All calculations are shown and the results are correct and labeled appropriately. / Some calculations are shown and the results labeled appropriately. / No calculations are shown OR results are inaccurate or mislabeled
III. Data and Conclusion
Data / Professional looking and accurate representation of the data in tables and/or graphs. Graphs and tables are labeled and titled. / Accurate representation of the data in written form, but no graphs or tables are presented. / Data are not shown OR are inaccurate.
Conclusion / Conclusion includes whether the findings supported the hypothesis, possible sources of error, and what was learned from the experiment. / Conclusion includes what was learned from the experiment. / No conclusion was included in the report OR shows little effort and reflection.
IV.Entire Paper
Neatness / Paper is typed and uses headings and subheadings to visually organize the material. / Paper is typed, but formatting does not help visually organize the material. / Paper is handwritten and looks sloppy with cross-outs, multiple erasures and/or tears and creases. Not acceptable
Required Elements / All required elements are present and additional elements that add to the report (e.g., thoughtful comments, graphics) have been added. / All required elements are present. / Several required elements are missing.
See the Quantitative Rubric for how the entire paper will be graded. Remember to turn in the entire paper that includes:1)an abstract, 2) background, 3) hypothesis, 4) procedure, 5) results, 6) conclusion and 7) references. If you failed to collect data, at least turn in the first four items for a partial grade.
V. Presentation
Preparedness / Student is completely prepared and has obviously rehearsed. / The student is somewhat prepared, but it is clear that rehearsal was lacking. / Student does not seem at all prepared to present.
Quality of Presentation / Presentation is highly effective at communicating student’s research project / Presentation does not adequately describe the student’s research project in its entirety. / Student does not have a presentation and only talks to class.

Final Biotech Research Paper Quantitative Check-List

Name: ______Date: ______

Score

/

Items to be included

Title (5 pts)

1.In the form of How does (independent variable) affect (dependent variable)?

  1. Includes 25-50 word abstract

Introduction (20 pts)

  1. 4-5 pages long

  1. Relevant background information included

  1. In-Text citations include in the body of the text

  1. Hypothesis with explanation included

C. Procedure (30 pts)

  1. Sufficiently detailed

  1. Numbered in step-by-step fashion

  1. Includes quantities and measurements

  1. Includes appropriate sample sizes (at least 3 per group)

  1. Includes controls and control groups when possible

  1. Includes only one set of independent variables per experiment

Results (25 pts)

  1. Includes raw data (pictures, notebook, etc)

2.Includes visual display of summarized data (table, chart, graph)

3.Its obvious the experiment was completed by the student

Conclusion (20 pts)

  1. Results with Evidence and Explanation

  1. Reflects on original hypothesis

  1. Possible Errors

  1. Practical Application

F. References (all or none)

  1. Chicago format

G. Turned in before deadline (5 pts)

Final Grade