BIOL-290H Biology Research - Honors

Biology Research is an honors course which provides students with an opportunity to engage in biological research. With the guidance of a faculty member, students select a research topic, carry out a literature search, design and execute appropriate research, write a scientific paper, and deliver a formal oral presentation to the class and science faculty. There is an emphasis on oral communication throughout the semester including weekly oral progress reports followed by class discussion and feedback as well as the final oral presentations.

Credits

3

Prerequisite

A or B in BIOL-101, ENGL-121, and consent of instructor

Hours Weekly

3 hours weekly

Course Objectives

1. 1. Formulate a scientific problem and appropriate hypotheses.
2. 2. Conduct a literature search on a particular problem or question in the biological sciences.
3. 3. Design and implement a scientific research project and write a formal research proposal.
4. 4. Apply the following statistical analyses using statistical computer software: chi-square goodness-of-fit,
   chi-square independence test, and T-test for independent samples.
5. 5. Deliver oral progress reports to the class that effectively communicate the status of the project and
   problem being encountered.
6. 6. Record data and observations during the course of the research.
   
7. 7. Write a formal research paper in which the problem, background information and research procedures,
   results, and conclusions are presented.
8. 8. Deliver a formal oral presentation of his or her research project which effectively and clearly
   communicates to the listeners the student’ research problem, procedures and results.
   
9. 9. Evaluate the research projects presented by other class members.
10. 10. Evaluate the oral presentations delivered by other class members.

Course Objectives

1. 1. Formulate a scientific problem and appropriate hypotheses.
2. 2. Conduct a literature search on a particular problem or question in the biological sciences.
3. 3. Design and implement a scientific research project and write a formal research proposal.
4. 4. Apply the following statistical analyses using statistical computer software: chi-square goodness-of-fit,
   chi-square independence test, and T-test for independent samples.
5. 5. Deliver oral progress reports to the class that effectively communicate the status of the project and
   problem being encountered.
6. 6. Record data and observations during the course of the research.
   
7. 7. Write a formal research paper in which the problem, background information and research procedures,
   results, and conclusions are presented.
8. 8. Deliver a formal oral presentation of his or her research project which effectively and clearly
   communicates to the listeners the student’ research problem, procedures and results.
   
9. 9. Evaluate the research projects presented by other class members.
10. 10. Evaluate the oral presentations delivered by other class members.