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Integrate biological knowledge to develop an informed response to a socio-scientific issue
Credits: 3 Assessed: Internal Lit/ Num Standard: Literacy
Introduction
This standard involves processing information on a socio scientific issue to present an informed response to the issue. The emphasis is on processing and evaluating information as this demonstrates that you understand the topic or issue. This standard is carried with teacher guidance - this means that you drive the investigation while your teacher provides you with the broad parameters for the investigation. These parameters can include the following: suitable topics, directions for investigation when you are stuck, and ideas for your report presentation. You must work independently to process and evaluate the data relevant to your topic and then come up with an informed opinion on the topic.
Socio Scientific Issue
A socio scientific issue is an issue that:
is science based and provokes controversy/conflict within society
individuals and groups hold differing opinions or viewpoints on
has both biological implications and social implications ( these may be either positive or negative), social implications may be economic, ethical, cultural and environmental.
The issue needs to be contemporary ( ie current) and must have direct relevance to New Zealand. Current socio-scientific issues in New Zealand include:
vaccination ( MMR, HPV)
overfishing in coastal waters
establishment of marine reserves
use of waterways for irrigation of farmland
pollution of waterways by farming practices
fluoridation of town drinking water
vaping in teenagers
use of antibiotics in NZ poultry farming
GMOs in NZ
mining for minerals in coastal water
Resources
You need to access a wide range of sources of information as possible to get a complete picture of the biology and range of viewpoints, implications, and opinions on your topic. Use
websites - a Google search will provide a wealth of information. You must check the validity of any information as anyone or any group can put information online and the information does not need to be reviewed or checked by an independent source. Much information put online is by interest groups and is biased to their point of view.
Pod casts/TED talks/ You tube.
Newspaper and magazines - these can be accessed in hardcopy and or online. Articles can be a bit " light" on biological content ( written for a layperson rather than professionals) but often present a range of opinions and implications on an issue - check out editorials, letters to the editor, and op- eds.
Journals and periodicals - tend to be excellent sources of biological information but can be hard to read or understand as the language is dense with technical jargon. They will contain up-to-date information and their validity can be assured.
Peer review refers to an evaluation of scientific/academic/professional work by others working in the same field. therefore articles published in scientific journals have been closely examined by a panel of reviewers who are experts on the material covered in the article. Peer reviews act as a form of self-regulation by qualified members in a specialist area of work, therefore providing credibility to the article.
Television programs eg documentaries, Q & A, interviews, news reports
Organizations and interest groups eg Forest & bird, Greenpeace, Mountain Clubs of New Zealand etc. Such organizations typically present information that suits their purpose and, therefore is likely biased. However, you need to assess the information so you are then able to make a justified opinion.
Government departments and research institutions - these are excellent sources of biological information as well as sources of implications and opinions
Libraries
Be aware that all information must be up to date and relevant therefore always check the date of publication.
Disinformation
Similar to misinformation has the intent to deceive.
When you go online, people/organizations release eye-catching items that do not necessarily tell the truth and you can not rely on social media platforms to filter out falsehoods. The result is disinformation (also known as fake news or alternative facts)These stories are specifically designed to mislead or deliberately misinform. Therefore you need to try and determine whether what you are reading and seeing online is real or fake news
Check for the following:
Read the article. is it well-written and formatted? Are there spelling errors? Bad grammar? Exaggerated language? Are the images clear/ professional? Issues in these areas often indicate a nonreliable source.
Find out about the source- eg for a website, click on the " about us" section and check that there is clear and accurate information/descriptions of the author/organization and their history. Is the organization reputable/trustworthy?
Check out the author- look for their credentials/have they written other articles and for whom? If they have no recognized credentials/have written no other articles/write for websites that do not appear to be trustworthy, then you have reason to doubt the author's statements.
Check that the article contains references; if the article is online, check that it has links to other articles and authors, click on these links to see if they appear reliable too.
Do a Google image search to see other websites that have this or similar images. By checking these websites out, you will be able to see if the image has been used out of context; if it has then the source is unreliable.
See if the story is shared/ reported on other mainstream news outlets such as BBC News. If the contents of the story/article appear on mainstream sites, it is likely the story /article is reliable as these organizations thoroughly check these sources.
If you are unsure of the trustworthiness of an article/story do not share it. The more stories are shared/go viral the more likely they are to be believed.. So don't fall into this trap yourself. Repeated exposure can increase the sense that disinformation is true eg the anti-vax movement. Humans tend to suffer from visibility bias - we tend to think something is normal or acceptable if we see lots of other people doing it.
So instead think like a scientist ie adopt a questioning attitude and be aware of personal bias when analyzing information in resource material.
For this assessment, your resource material will need to be processed to select and collate information relating to the issue. A good way to check on what you have to cover is think BIO.
B - Biological concepts and processes
I - Implications - biological and social
O - Opinions and viewpoints.
Biological Knowledge
Biological concepts and processes
Biological concepts and processes relating to the issue must be from reputable sources. Biological concepts are the biological ideas or facts related to the issue. Biological processes are the techniques or procedures carried out, or things done. Models' annotated diagrams, tables, and graphs should be used. Examples:
1080 control of possums - need to include descriptions and explanations of why possums are a pest and why they need controlling, consider NZ ecosystems, methods of control, detail on 1080 including how it works, how it is broken down, its effectiveness, provision of relevant data eg population numbers of relevant species in specified areas will be needed, tables, graphs with sources given.
Pollution of waterways by farm practices -will need names and sources of pollution, why the named pollutant is a pollutant, and explanations of the harm it is doing to the waterway/ecosystem. Reasons for the control of pollutants are needed. Relevant data on pollutants, levels and damage to named waterways, will need to be provided- use tables, and graphs with sources given
Implications
Biological and social implications
Implications are the possible flow-on effects from carrying out the biological procedures eg the effects of using 1080 to control possums or the effects of using water from waterways to irrigate farmland: implications may be positive or negative.
Biological implications may be:
environmental
ecological
genetic
evolutionary
Social implications may be:
economic
ethical
cultural
Implications cause concern to people and may affect people in different ways. You need to consider a range of implications and compare their significance
1. Biological implications of 1080 control of possums may include the killing of non-target species, the effect of 1080 in waterways, change in no. of possum populations and the effect of this on the ecosystem, and possible development of resistance to 1080.
Social implications of 1080 control of possums may include human distress if pets eg dogs become by kill, possible pollution of drinking water, impact on jobs/trappers if possum numbers are greatly reduced, reduction in deer and goats for hunters, concerns about whether 1080 kills are humanely.
Eg 2. Biological implications of pollution of waterways by farm practices may include changes in the abiotic environment (salinity, pH, O2, CO2, nutrients) and biotic environment ( numbers of named plants and animals, microorganism populations (especially decomposers of the waterway and eutrophication and the likely effects of these changes to the waterways and ecosystems.
Social implications of pollution of waterways by farm practices may include the costs to farmers and communities of reducing/controlling/removing pollutants and the cost to the community/country of not removing or controlling the pollution, effect on community of polluted waterways ( eg water not safe to drink, swim in or use for other recreational purposes, unsightly and smelly waterways, damage to country's reputation.
Opinions
Differing opinions and viewpoints
Differing opinions and viewpoints about the issue may be from( named/specified) individuals and ( names/specified) organizations. Opinions may be about the biology of the issue or the implications that arise from the issue. Organizations such as Greenpeace, Forest and Bird, Federated Farmers, etc will often have published viewpoints on issues of concern to their members. may sure you differentiate between an ethical viewpoint and other viewpoints. If someone says something is wrong then it is an ethical opinion, however, if someone says something dangerous then this needs to be resolved/supported by scientific data and analysis. Always give the source of the opinions and viewpoints.
Logically, individuals and groups should study then interpret, and evaluate biological data to reach their opinion which they should then be able to justify. This justification should be based on valid scientific data; however, opinions are typically based upon interactions with and /or expectations of society as well as personal beliefs. This results in it being difficult, if not impossible, to reach a collective agreement and to implement action supported by all.
Scientific Validity
Today scientific knowledge faces opposition that is often both organized and bitter. A spiritual war has been declared on the consensus of experts eg the use of 1080 to control pests in NZ and the anti-vaccination movement in NZ and throughout the Western World.
Any biological idea used must have scientific validity - ie it must be based upon scientifically accurate information that is used in an unbiased way.
Decisions and responses on issues must be made on the basis of accurate, unbiased scientific data as this means that the information is biologically valid.
Anecdotal evidence can undermine scientific results - an example of this is the conflict over vaccinations where some people believe vaccinations are linked to autism, some children displayed autism coincidentally with vaccination. however just because two things happen together doesn't mean one caused the other and just because events are clustered doesn't mean they're not still random.
An informed response
From processing the information that you have collected on the issue, you will gain knowledge and develop an understanding of the biology and various implications of the issue. You now need to:
develop a personal opinion/position
propose relevant actions
evaluate the sources and information you have used.
Develop a personal opinion/position on the issue
You will need to justify your personal opinion/position on the issue - this requires you to:
state your opinion/ position on the issue.
support this opinion/position using relevant biological/ scientific knowledge and/or data and relevant implications.
It is not enough to just make a general statement of what you think. Be aware of distorting information to support your own beliefs.
For example: A justified opinion on genetic modification of crop plants in New Zealand could include the following:
" Genetic modification of crop plants has the potential to improve the diets, both quality and quantity of millions of people globally. However I feel it is important that NZ does not cross this line at this stage, As outlined by Dr. Wilson, public anxiety about GMOs is high while understanding is low, so caution is sensible (reference 3). It is also reasonable to be concerned about the loss, so called 'clean, green image' - upon which much of our export industry is based on. Should release of GMO occur (reference 5)"
The example of a justified opinion contains the following features.
An implication of the issue has been opposed. The opinion is that although GMOs may improve the diet of millions of people, NZ should not release GMOs at this stage.
This opinion has been justified with supporting information from specific sources - eg Dr. Wilson (reference 3) and (reference 5) have both been used as support for the opinion
Propose Relevant Action
Relevant action on the issue may be at an individual level and /or a societal/group level. You will need to provide reasons that you have proposed this course of action and then analyze the likely effectiveness of the action.
Possible actions could include:
writing a letter to the editor of a publication ( eg Listener, NZ Herald expressing your opinions, lobbying your local MP, and setting up and presenting a petition.
attending local body meetings and making a submission ( in person or in writing).
becoming an active member of an organization concerned with the issue ( eg Green Peace, Forest and Bird) or an organization actively involved in pest control.
Set up an organization in your school that raises the issue amongst fellow students and plans actions.
Becoming active on social websites ( eg Facebook, Twitter, placing relevant videos on YouTube) or maintaining a blog.
setting up or joining a public demonstration.
fundraising for an organization active on the issue.
investigating and obtaining data ( i.e. practical) on the issue ( eg sampling waterways to get data on population numbers, levels of nutrients in the water, etc.)- this data can be made public or presented in Science Fair Project, these have been used in the past to alert public to issues) and organizations/individuals held accountable.
An example of a practical relevant response to an issue in Northland follows:
Saved by the bell?
" In 2012/2013, an environmental group gave away hundreds of cat collars in a bid to protect Northland's native birds. The trustees of Bay Bush Action, a volunteer group working to eliminate pests and restore wildlife in Poua State Forest dug into their own pockets to buy 300 collars worth $11 each. The one-size-fits-all, vet-approved collars came with two bells and safety release in case the collar gets snagged. Studies have found bell collars can cut bird kills by 50%. Initially, the offer was open to cat owners in the Bay of Islands but the trustees have now expanded it to all wildlife areas in Northland."
Evaluating Sources and Information Used
Evaluating the sources and information you have used needs to be very specific - "my sources of information were all valid as they came from scientific journals or websites" is not an evaluation. You need to name sources and consider their validity and possible bias.
Validity - scientific information/data is objective and does not contain bias. Valid scientific information is most often found in peer-reviewed journals or similar publications and is widely accepted by the scientific community. Articles published will typically be referenced throughout and have an extensive reference list.
Bias - occurs when individuals/ groups select aspects of the information/data to be included in their report/account/speech and ignore other ( relevant ) data. A particular opinion(s) is emphasized at the expense of others, a particular angle may be pushed. The author/speaker takes a particular stand on the issue and presents only the data or information that supports their stand. Information may be distorted to suit the person's/organization's agenda. One side of the issue is presented while the other side is overlooked. Beliefs may override scientific data. Value judgments may be made at the expense of an all-inclusive account.
Integration and referencing
Integrating means taking information from different sources and rewriting it so that descriptions and explanations are blended to form a discussion. You must use your own words - this allows you to develop a logical and coherent account and indicates your understanding of the topic.
Do not simply copy or do a cut and paste from your sources - this does not show that you understand the topic and copy/paste accounts typically lack coherency as the content doe not flow in a logical progression.
Descriptions can be:
definitions
clearly drawn diagrams with labels, which are annotated.
statements about characteristics eg the contraceptive vaccine in possums: the gene gun method of genetic modification, the risk factors associated with coronary heart disease
an account eg. of a process or a procedure.
The research and descriptions must be a Level 8 of the Biology curriculum - they need to be on an appropriate issue and to contain some biological language and terms that a student studying Level 8 Biology would be familiar with.
Explanations are reasons as to how or why something happens.
Terms that indicate an explanation could include: because, therefore, as a consequence, consequently, so that, since, however, due to, the reason for, hence, accordingly. An example of an explanation follows.
" Genetic modifications usually affect only a small number of cells and the consequent growth of entire organisms from each cell can take months or years. Therefore, marker genes are usually used in addition to the target genes to allow easy identification of genetically modified organisms from unmodified organisms."
This is an explanation of the biological concept of the use of genetic markers in producing transgenic organisms. The first sentence is a description of the success of genetic modification. The second sentence clearly states the reason that genetic markers are used - to speed up the process or to identify transgenic organisms.
Discussion
A discussion links and integrates descriptions and explanations logically to form a comprehensive and coherent account of the topic. A discussion has the following characteristics.
It consists of paragraphs ( not bullet points, lists or single sentences).
The language used is sophisticated and biological with correct spelling, grammar and punctuation.
Biological ideas are linked in a comprehensive, logical way. Usually, the first sentence of each paragraph is a statement, which is then expanded and fully discussed in the rest of the sentences within the paragraph. A range of sources of information is integrated to form the discussion.
The form of a discussion could be analysis, an evaluation, comparing and contrasting, justifying or relating.
Terms that indicate a discussion could include: "The evidence shows that........., According to .........., Similarly......, In contrast.........., Alternatively, both.........and..............,However........., On the other hand..........,Although........"
Referencing
Good referencing practice using accepted protocols is expected at Level 8 of the Biology curriculum and should be used in AS91602/Bio 3.2. This means the following:
References to sources of information are included within the body or text of your report/essay. Any data, facts, diagrams, graphs, or quotes must be referenced where they appear in the report/essay. This is usually done by using a superscripted number that is then end or foot noted. Direct quotes need to be in quote marks and used sparingly to illustrate a point you make. An example of end or foot notes follows.
It has long been argued that pork and leek sausages are better than pork and apple.1 However, Neville has recently produced conclusive evidence to the contrary.2
1 John Butcher, The Perfect Sausage: From Pigsty to Plate (Cumberland: Pork Press, 1990), pp. 78-90.
2 Harry Neville, Breakfast Bangers (London: Brown, 2005), pp. 56-98.
Full details of each reference are given as a reference list/bibliography, normally at the end of your report/essay. Your reference list must be detailed enough so that each source of information is traceable - ie someone can find the exact source of information using the details in your reference list.
How to Reference Using :
Books - Give the author, date of publication, title ( in italics or underlined), and publication information ( name of publisher and place of publication). Examples of book references follow.
Gibbs, G. (2006). Ghosts of Gondwana. Craig Potton Publishing, Nelson.
Coppold, M. and Powell, W. (2006). A Geoscience Guide to the Burgess Shale. The Burgess Shale Geoscience Foundation, British Columbia.
Periodicals - These include journals, magazines, newspapers etc. Give the author, date of publication, article title in quotation marks, and journal title ( in italics or underlined), page(s). For journals, give the volume number and then the pages. It is not necessary to put 'vol' before the volume or 'pp' before the pages. For newspapers and magazines, give the date and pages (pp).
Specter, M. (2016). ' DNA Revolution', National Geographic, 230: 30 -59
Oaklander, M. (2016). 'The New Science of Exercise', Time, 188: 66-72.
Videotape/DVD/motion picture - Give the producer and director along with the date of publication, the title of the video/picture ( in italics or underlined), country of origin, studio or distributor. An example follows:
Davidson, M. (producer) and Roberts, I. (director). (2019). Tramping the Ranges ( DVD). New Zealand. TVNZ.
Television broadcast/ Series - Give the producer, date of broadcast or copyright, title of broadcast, city of origin, TV channel. An example follows:
Brown J. D. (producer) ( 2017, 1 October.) National News ( Television Broadcast), Wellington. TV3.
Interviews - Give the speaker, date, place of the interview, and address of the person being interviewed. An example follows.
Clarke, J. R. (2020, 1 October) ( interview at Auckland University) ( Auckland University, Symonds St, Auckland).
Websites - Give the URL of the website, the organization or person in charge of the site, and the date that the site was accessed. An example follows.
http://osms.otago.ac.nz (Otago University). Accessed 1 October 2019.
Final Assessment Checklist
The assessment needs to have all the required aspects. These are:
biological concepts and processes.
biological and social implications and their significance.
opinions/ viewpoints from specified individuals or organizations.
your justified opinion.
action(s) that can be taken at a personal or societal level.
likely effectiveness of these actions.
validity and bias of the sources of information used.
It is helpful to do a draft report, leave it for a week or so, and then come back to it, errors, omissions and better ways of saying something become more obvious with time. Keep the use of bullet points to a minimum, as they do not integrate information.
A reference list giving all sources of information used needs to be given on a final separate page.
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