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Overview of the Project
Overview of the Project
Scientific evidence is not a matter of opinion.....but you’ll often get a lot of “scientific” information in the form of unsolicited advice. Has anyone ever told you to drink orange juice if you have a cold? Have you ever wondered if red wine is actually good for your health? Will using a cell phone increase your risk of brain cancer?
In this assignment, students will select a commonly held belief and conduct research to explore any existing evidence for it. Is there scientific data and consensus to back up these beliefs or claims? Students will present their findings to the class to help us all understand whether the topic investigated is fact or fiction.
Instructions
Instructions
- By week 7 of the semester, students will select topics.
- Click here to see the list of potential topics and sign up sheet (NOTE YOU CANNOT EDIT THIS SPREADSHEET)
- Only one student per topic so as soon as you choose one, speak to me or email me and I will put your name on the list.
- Topic selection is "First come, first serve".
- Presentations will take place during week 10 and will be either on a volunteer basis or a random draw of names.
- ALL STUDENTS MUST BE PRESENT ALL PRESENTATION DAYS IN ORDER TO RECEIVE CREDIT FOR THEIR OWN PROJECT.
- All students must "hand in" their project the first day of presentations so as to not give an unfair advantage to those presenting later in the week.
- Click here to see the list of potential topics and sign up sheet (NOTE YOU CANNOT EDIT THIS SPREADSHEET)
- Projects may be created using any of the following formats:
- Powerpoint presentation, Prezi, video, brochure, skit, song, facilitate an activity/demonstration - or anything else that you can think of!
- Presentations should take about 5 minutes (NOT TOO SHORT NOR TOO LONG).
- Supporting materials (citations, slides, notes, etc.) need to be provided to the instructor along with your project.
- If you create a brochure or other materials that need to be distributed to the class, please send to the instructor in advance so photocopies can be made.
- Written notes to accompany your presentation should be included, for example, in the notes section for each Powerpoint slide or handed in on a separate sheet of paper (about 500 words total).
- Your presentation and written notes to accompany it should be written in your own words not copied (read about plagiarism below).
- Don't not read your slides/presentation to us - talk to us about what you learned!
- Read this example Mythbusters Project from a previous semester.
- Written notes to accompany your presentation should be included, for example, in the notes section for each Powerpoint slide or handed in on a separate sheet of paper (about 500 words total).
- If you create a brochure or other materials that need to be distributed to the class, please send to the instructor in advance so photocopies can be made.
- Scroll down the page to see suggested websites and databases to conduct research on the chosen topic.
- Supporting materials (citations, slides, notes, etc.) need to be provided to the instructor along with your project.
- Projects must include a minimum of three legitimate scientific sources to back up all conclusions.
- THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT OBJECTIVE OF THIS ASSIGNMENT.
- Check with the instructor to make sure you are on track.
- Original research by the researchers/institution that conducted the research (primary or secondary sources) or summaries of the state of the knowledge on the topic from a reputable tertiary source such as a medical or scientific institution.
- Newspaper articles, popular magazines, blogs and .coms are NOT reliable sources.
- Electronic, hard copies, and/or links to webpages cited should be submitted with the completed project.
- Use the following resources to create the bibliography:
- CSE Citation Wizard
- Click here to learn more about CSE (Council on Scientific Editors) documentation style
- Do not wait until the last minute to get started with research and write up.
- Ask for help when you need it.
- Be ready to enjoy yourself. The days we do presentations are some of the most fun days of the semester.
Other Important Information About the Project
Other Important Information About the Project
- Do not procrastinate! Conduct your research early, decide on a format and get to it. Ask for help when you need it.
- Students may not copy ("cut and paste") any information into slides, video, webpage,etc...
- Any verbatim quotes must be properly put into quotation marks and clearly cited
- A project that has plagiarized elements will be given a "zero"
- Read this UC Davis handout on Avoiding Plagiarism
- Follow this link to read about and distinguish between primary, secondary and tertiary literature
- Click here to see the grading rubric for the assignment - 50 points possible
Resources for Conducting Searches
Resources for Conducting Searches
- CCSF Library Articles and Databases - use the advanced search option and select peer-reviewed articles
- Berkeley Wellness
- Discover Magazine
- Environmental Health News
- Google Scholar - make sure the articles cited are from academic journals, exclude patents and case law when searching
- Harvard Health Publishing
- Mayo Clinic Patient Care and Health Information
- Pubmed
- Science Based Medicine
- Science Daily - make sure the article is a press release from the institution that conducted the research
- Scientific American
Resource for Reading Published Scientific Work
Resource for Reading Published Scientific Work
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