Student performance in a cooperative learning class and traditional lecture-based biochemistry classes

GRADUATE CREDIT

If you are registered for graduate credit, you MUST submit a term paper on an approved topic. Approval must be received before the mid-semester break. The term paper will receive a maximum of 100 points. The grade received on the paper will be added to the exam scores, quizzes and tutorial scores (for a total of 700 points max) to arrive at a final score for graduate students. The objective of this assignment is to provide you with the opportunity to design experiments on a topic in which you are interested and practice writing graduate level papers. For this exercise to be optimally effective you should communicate with the course instructors at all steps in your writing process and give them early drafts of your paper for editing. The guidelines for the paper describe the expectations and the assignment in detail.

GUIDELINES FOR GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH PAPER

PURPOSE OF RESEARCH PAPER

The term paper is meant to foster critical thinking and insightful analysis of experimental data and methodology, as well as allowing students to learn about the present state of knowledge in a particular area of biochemical research. In addition, the term paper will help to strengthen writing skills. Another important aspect of the term paper is that it will allow students to demonstrate their abilities in hypothesis generation, in experimental design, and in the formulation of new studies.

GENERAL COMMENTS

* The term paper is not meant to review a broad area of biochemistry, e.g. effects of alcohol on metabolism. Rather, the paper should address a specific aspect of the topic, e.g. current knowledge of effects of alcohol on gluconeogenesis.

* After submitting three possible term paper topics, the student will meet with the instructor to decide which topic is most suitable.

* The student should then meet with your instructor for one hour every second week of the semester to discuss how the writing is progressing.

* The paper will be due on Monday during the last week of class.

* The paper will be worth a maximum of 100 points. Any paper turned late but within 24 hours of the above deadline will be worth a maximum of only 80 points. Papers will not be accepted after the 24 hour late period.

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES

1. The term paper should not exceed 10 double-spaced pages.

2. The first 4 to 5 pages of the paper should summarize the current state of knowledge in the field. Several tables and figures from the literature can be included in the text.

3. The last 5 to 6 pages of the text should begin with a sharply focused hypothesis generated by the student and which addresses where additional work is needed.

4. The hypothesis should be followed by a description of three or so distinct kinds of experiments that will test the validity of the student’s hypothesis. The rationale of each experiment should be clearly specified.

5. Finally, the student should indicate the experimental results that are to be expected and how these will be interpreted.

6. The bibliography should not be longer than one page and should conform to the format of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.