Agricultural Biotechnology

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Biology 110 Short Research Paper Assignment
Due No Later Than: 11:59 PM on Thursday October 1, 2020!
***MUST be submitted through Blackboard.***
Instructions for assignment:
1. This is a research paper on current research, not a book report.
2. Write a short paper/summary about a topic within one (1) of the categories listed below under
“Categories.”
3. Use a minimum of two (2) peer-reviewed, primary, published, scientific literature sources to research the
topic. (Remember one of the first assignments was to learn how to find these sources.)
4. Summarize those two (2) or more peer-reviewed, primary, published, scientific literature sources. Be sure
to include an introduction and conclusion (see page 4 for more details).
5. You can use your textbook and lab book and other additional resources, but they would be in addition to
the 2+ peer-reviewed, primary scientific sources. See details about sources below — and ask if you don’t
know how to find them.
6. It must be typed, doubled-spaced, using Times New Roman 12-point font, Cambria 12-point font, Calibri 12-
point font, or Arial 12-point font; and normal margins (3/4 to 1 inch on all sides)
7. It should be approximately 2-3 pages (not counting literature cited section, which is also required);
however please don’t add random sentences to make it longer and don’t cut out critical information to make
it shorter. “Long enough to cover the subject, short enough to keep it interesting.” Be reasonable about the
length. Ask if you have questions.
8. All sources must be properly cited. This means that you need to read about the topic, and then write
about it in your own words. Then you must cite all of the resources that you use to find/learn the information.
Then you must have a separate page for the Literature Cited/Bibliography section. Ask if you have questions.
There are some examples at the end of this page and in Bb in “Articles.”
NOTE: If you fail to cite your resources within the text of the paper and/or lack a proper Literature Cited
section; it is likely that you will receive a “0” for your grade (that is, 0 out of 100 points). Reminder: read the
Course Outline and the Student Handbook for more information regarding plagiarism.
Bonus Points (5) if completed and submitted before 11:59 pm Thursday September 24, 2020!!
Bonus Points (10) if completed and submitted before 11:59 pm, Thursday September 17, 2020!!
Bonus Points (15) if completed and submitted before the first exam for this class!!!
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Categories (these can be about animals, plants, bacteria, etc. – not only humans – current data within 15
years)
• “Molecular motors” and other new discoveries in cells and their functions
• Choose a specific protein, research its functions and current studies about it (e.g. leptin and obesity, specific
hormones and their effects, … )
• New research about DNA and other factors involved in gene expression or inheritance
• New medications from plants (e.g. cancer treatments), animals (e.g. anticoagulants in bat saliva and Gila
monsters), insects, etc.
• Genetics of new bacteria and/or viruses (e.g. how are these organisms resistant to medications?)
• Genetics of current pandemics and epidemics (such as: H1N1, avian flu, seasonal flu, …)
• Agricultural Biotechnology (i.e. cloning, genetic engineering of food crops, …)
• If you have a specific biological topic of interest that is not listed here, please ask if it is acceptable to write
about it.
Required Sources
Scientific Journals (online or in print)
Acceptable Sources (as additional sources only)
Textbooks or Scientific/Health Books
Reliable internet sources
How to cite references for Literature Cited (these are mostly made up sources, but correctly cited)
ALL references should be cited in Alphabetical Order according to the first author’s last name! Need to include
all authors’ last names and first initials, in the order they are listed on the source.
➢ If you source is Peer-reviewed, scientific literature – with 1 author:
Mouse, M. 2007. Dancing with others. Animal Dancing Journal. 103:72-84.
➢ If you source is Peer-reviewed, scientific literature – with 2 authors:
Lee, J.E. and Raines, R.T. 2008. Ribonucleases as novel chemotherapeutics: The ranpirnase example. BioDrugs
22(1): 53-58.
Mouse, M. and D. Duck. 2003. How to dance with other species. Mouse Journal of Fun. 74:63-90.
➢ If you source is Peer-reviewed, scientific literature – with 3+ authors:
Mouse, M., D. Duck, and B. Bunny. 2008. Why animals love to dance. Mouse Journal of Fun. 110:37-42.
Richardson, C. S., Heeren, T., Widmaier, E. P., and Kunz, T. H. 2009. Macro- and microgeographic variation in
metabolism and hormone correlates in big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus). Physiological & Biochemical
Zoology. 82(6):798-811.
➢ If you source is a Book:
Bunny, B. 2001. Carrot Gardening in Animal Gardening, Critter publishers, New York. 583 p.
➢ If you source is an online scientific article (that isn’t published as peer-reviewed scientific literature and
is lacking authors, then the organization goes first):
World Science. 2007. Genes affecting generosity may be found. World Science website. http://www.worldscience.net/exclusives/071028_altruism-gene.htm
(***NOTE: If it has an author or authors, please cite it using the authors’ names as you would cite other
articles that have authors. ***)
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How to cite references in the body of the paper (these are mostly made up sources, but correctly cited)
It was found that properly growing carrots helps to increase their nutritional value (Bunny, 2001). This
information was especially important to the newest members of “Dancing with Famous Animals” because they
need to be as healthy as possible for their intense training, especially if they want to win the competitions
(Mouse, 2007; Mouse et al., 2008).
IMPORTANT NOTE for in text citations:
Use the author’s last name and the year that the article was published (for example: Bunny, 2001).
If two (2) authors then use both authors’ last names and the publication date (for example: Mouse and Duck,
2008).
If three (3) or more authors then use the first author’s last name and et al. and the publication date (for
example: Mouse et al., 2008).
The phrase et al. needs to be italicized and there is a period after it.
If you obtained the same information from multiple sources, you need to cite all of the sources that contained
that information, in order of publication date. Here is an example: (Mouse, 2007; Mouse et al., 2008).
*** See Blackboard for some peer-reviewed literature and see how they cite information within the text. ***
(And, NO, you can’t use these for your assignments or papers. These are provided as examples only.)
****** Important Reminders ******
➢ Early submissions are encouraged (and even rewarded with bonus points)
➢ Late submissions are NOT accepted (results in a “0” for your grade – no exceptions)
➢ Plagiarism is not tolerated and results in a failing grade
➢ Papers must be submitted via Bb (Blackboard); they won’t be accepted otherwise (“0” for grade)
➢ Save a backup copy (suggestion: e-mail a copy to yourself and save a copy to a flash drive)
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Additional Information about Expectations for your Short Research Paper
Your paper should include:
• Introduction
o One (1) paragraph
o Introducing your topic
o Describing/defining your topic
• Body
o Main part of paper
o Summary of primary literature on your topic
o Include Properly Cited references
• Conclusion
o One (1) paragraph, usually
o Summary of your paper (“re-cap” major points)
o Include: A = your opinions and/or B = suggestions for further/future research
• No plagiarism. Properly Cited references (primary literature AND other sources used) with in text
• No plagiarism. Properly Cited references in Literature Cited/Bibliography (separate page) and
arranged alphabetically by author’s last name
• Use Correct English Grammar and Spelling (see tutor or have someone proof-read to help you)
• Use of Acceptable sources
• Use of MINIMUM of 2 Primary Literature Sources
• Approximately 2- 3 pages long (not counting citations, which have to be there, but don’t count
towards the length of the paper)
• Typed, doubled-spaced, using Times New Roman 12-point font, Cambria 12-point font, Calibri 12-point
font, or Arial 12-point font; and normal margins (3/4 to 1 inch on all sides)
• Approved topic
• No plagiarism
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Assorted Comments Commonly Made on Papers (Comments that you prefer NOT to get)
And Things That Could NEGATIVELY Affect Your Grade (“DOs and DON’Ts”)
Comments Commonly Made Regarding Citations
• You didn’t cite anything within the text of your paper. If you don’t cite anything that means that you are taking
credit for someone else’s work, which is plagiarism. Plagiarism results in a failing grade.
• Your citations aren’t correctly written. You were provided with 4 pages of instructions for this assignment.
Those instructions included examples of how to cite works in both the text and the literature cited sections of a
research paper.
Comments Commonly Made Regarding Grammar
• Don’t use contractions for verbs when writing papers. Write out the full words.
o Examples: Don’t = do not, couldn’t = could not, it’s = it is, …
• Be careful when you use apostrophes.
o If something is possessive it might appear like this: the doctor’s coat or the doctors’ coats (depending if
it is only 1 or more than 1 doctor).
o The doctors determined… means that there is a group of doctors that determined something.
o Weird exceptions: It’s = it is and “its” is possessive.
• Use numerals when typing numbers 10 and above, use the words for the numbers for numbers under 10.
• Always use the words for any number if it is the first word of a sentence.
• Punctuation goes after the citation at the end of a sentence. The citation belongs to that sentence.
• ALL authors’ last names and first initials are required in the Literature Cited section.
• Remember to cite within the text, also. (See page 2 for details.)
• Don’t write in 1st or 2nd person. Always use 3rd person when writing.
o 1
st person = I, we, my, our, …
o 2
nd person = you, yours, …
o 3
rd person = he, she, it , they, their, …
• Punctuation goes after the citation. The citation belongs to the sentence before it, so punctuation
goes after that.
• When using abbreviations for the first time in a paper, write out the full words. Write the full words
and put the abbreviations in parentheses or use the abbreviations and put the full words in
parentheses.
Other Comments to try to avoid receiving
➢ You didn’t follow the instructions for this assignment.