A. The student will be able to use prewriting and revising techniques to produce a polished piece of
writing that meets the standards of the discipline.
 

B. The student will be able to use writing to make personal connections with course materials, develop
critical thinking skills, and enrich the learning process.

 

C. The student will be able to write Standard American English.
 

D. The student will be able to communicate effectively in response to the demands of a specific audience.
 

E. The student will be able to use various forms of writing within the discipline.

A. Students will master, through drafts and revisions, the method of writing used in published papers in their discipline, including both reports of scientific research and review papers.

B. Students will clearly articulate the problem at hand or objective of a study, and then analyze and discuss the available data, drawing conclusions warranted by the evidence.
 

C. Students will display command of Standard American English in their work.
 

D. Students will understand the highly structured format of scientific writing used in most peer-reviewed articles, and master this form of communication.

E. Students should be competent in scientific writing and oral communication. Students should understand and be able to apply the scientific method (i.e., to understand procedural knowledge and skills so that one can carry out a scientific study as well as critically analyze the work of others -- part of structural biological literacy).  This includes the ability to develop hypotheses and make predictions; design experiments to test hypotheses; and critically evaluate results and draw conclusions.

Go To Biology Writing Skills Matrix 1

Go To Lab Writing Assignment

Go To "The Art of Writing A Technical Paper"

Go To "Analyzing A Scientific Paper" Assignment

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A. The student will be able to develop a clear, relevant research question, hypothesis, or topic that will
guide the research process.

B. The student will be able to compile information relevant to the research question.

C. The student will be able to analyze the information and apply it to the original question.
 

D. The student will be able to communicate the research process and her or his conclusions. 

E. The student will be able to understand and practice legal, moral, and ethical standards regarding the research and use of electronically available information and electronic written expression.  

A. Students will learn to develop hypotheses from observations of nature, both at a macro- and micro-scale, taking into account current knowledge and understandings as reflected in scientific literature.
 

B. Students will collect data, using either field work, lab work, or research of published studies.

C. Students will design experiments and master measurement and observational techniques. Students will master basic statistics and the philosophical rationale for statistical approaches to hypothesis testing.

D. Students will distinguish between rigorous peer-reviewed information and incorrect or biased information. Students will effectively communicate their research and knowledge of the subject through presentations and writing in the format of a peer-reviewed article.

E. Students will understand the societal framework holding us legally and ethically accountable for the practices employed in the pursuit and creation of knowledge. Students will credit those whose creativity and effort have furthered our knowledge.

Go To Biology Program Research Objectives Description

Go To Research Skills Matrix

Go To Sample Lab Research Project Assignments

Go To Research Paper Assignment for Bio 172 General Botany

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Technology Skills Objectives

 A. The student will be able to identify appropriate uses
of technologies associated with their field of study.

B. The student will be able to use the Internet and other technologies for information, research, and communication.

C. The student will be able to use hardware and software commonly found in his or her field of study.
         

Technology Skills Outcomes

A. Students will understand the various technological tools used in biological research. (See Performance Indicator )

B. Students will use laboratory, field, and computer technologies to gather information, analyze, and communicate findings. (See Performance Indicator )

C. Students will be familiar with processes, protocols, and proper operation of instrumentation and software that provide them with information and analyses on biological phenomena. (See Performance Indicator )

Go To Technology Skills Matrix

Go To Lab Writing Assignment

Go To Guidelines for Using Statistics

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A. The student will be be able to use multi-media tools to enhance her or his presentations.
 

B. The student will be able to write, organize, and deliver presentations in a coherent, persuasive, and
articulate manner.

C. The student will be able to critique and assess the presentations of others, including both fellow students and professionals.

D. When designing presentations, the student will be able to take into account the characteristics, knowledge, and interests of her or his audience.

A. Students will use multi-media aids to visually present information, mastering the use of tools for capturing and developing images, such as computer graphing software, digital cameras, scanners, and image manipulation software. (See Performance Indicator )

B. Students will give formal talks in front of a seated audience, as well as develop interactive poster presentations. (See Performance Indicator )

C. Students will effectively communicate highly structured and data-intensive presentations in a manner that is clear, compelling, and persuasive. (See Performance Indicator )

D. Students will demonstrate skill at engaging audience questions in a thorough and constructive manner. (See Performance Indicator )

E. Student presentations will include an interplay between presenter and audience in order to develop the ability to follow the structure and content of presentations, formulate constructive criticism, and offer opinions clearly. (See Performance Indicator )

F. Students will adjust their presentations in order to effectively communicate knowledge to various audiences, including professional scientists, research collaborators, and non-scientists. (See Performance Indicator )

Go To Public Presentation Skills Matrix

Go To Assignment Guidelines for Public Presentations

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