You will produce two products for this course on an area of current research. The topic area must be approved in advance by me.

• Product 1: A written report detailing and summarizing current research on the topic. The format for written report is:
  • Title
  • Abstract (about 250 words)
  • Introduction (brief history of the research area, its relevance or importance, and reasons why you chose this topic)
  • Literature Review (presentation of methods, results and conclusions of previous research)
  • Materials and Methods used in a current research publication
  • Discussion and Conclusions drawn from the current research publication
  • What's Next? Based on your review of this topic, what is the next logical research step?
  • Literature Cited
• Product 2: A Power Point oral presentation given to all members of the class.
  • 20-minute presentation, with a 5-minute question and answer period.
  • The grading criteria for the presentation will be based on the following:
    • Clarity
    • Pace
    • Topic development
    • Engagment of the audience
    • Presentation Style (vs. reading presentation or rote memorization)
    • Effectiveness in answering questions

Grading: The written report is worth 45 points, the oral report is worth 45 points and class participation is worth 10 points.

click here to learn more about the April 24 Library Workshop on Writing a Scientific Paper