Biology 408/409

Directed Studies in Biology

Course Handbook

University College of the Fraser Valley
Department of Biology

September 2006

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Biology 408 catalogue description 3

Biology 409 catalogue description 3

I. Course objectives 4

II. Deadlines 4

III. Evaluation profile 5

IV. Course description 5

V. Project proposal guidelines 7

VI. Writing the final project report 8

VII. Assessment criteria for final project report 10

Appendix A: Supervision Guidelines 12

Appendix B: Funding 14

Appendix C: Research Notebook 16

Appendix D: Undergraduate research Awards Criteria 19

Appendix E: Final seminar presentation mark sheet 20

Appendix F: Title page format for library copy 21

Appendix G: Outside partners 22

Information for Interested Students:

You may already have a research problem or question that you wish to investigate or you may be interested in doing a research project but don’t have a clear idea of what you would like to work on. In either case consult the Biology Department Head or an appropriate instructor. The Department Head or instructors can help you develop your own ideas or help you find a project to work on. In many cases, instructors have developed project ideas that are just waiting for students to work on them. If you have a part-time job or Co-op placement in a suitable industry you may be able to use your work as the basis for a Biology 408 or 409 project (see Outside Partners; Appendix G).

If the project you are interested in seems as if it will be short and relatively straightforward, register in Biology 408. If you are undertaking a more ambitious project that will be the equivalent of two semesters of work, register in Biology 409. In short, the workload of Biology 408 should be equivalent to a single upper levels course, and the workload of Biology 409, to two upper levels courses. If you register for Biology 408 (3 credits) and your project turns out to be more time-consuming or involved than you had anticipated, your supervisor can apply to the Department Head to have your project changed to Biology 409 (6 credits). The difference between Bio 408 and 409 is also addressed on page 3.

When you have reached an agreement with a potential supervisor, apply to the Biology Department Head (course coordinator) for permission to register.

Awards are available each year for the best undergraduate research done at UCFV.

1. Research Poster Day: There are awards for the best research posters presented at UCFV student research day (in late March).

2. Undergraduate research Awards: Each department nominates a research project for this prestigious award. (see Criteria for Undergraduate research Award; Appendix D)

3. In addition, you or your supervisor may feel that your paper is a good candidate for a Writing Centre Prize (early May only).

I. Course Objectives

1. Students will be exposed to and be able to use techniques which are novel or be able to use standard techniques in a novel way or in novel biological contexts.

2. Students will be able to apply scientific methodology to design and carry out experiments or field projects and identify the relative importance of various aspects of methodology and procedures to the design of the project (e.g., identification and use of controls).

3. Students should be able to test hypotheses, analyze scientific data, and predict the reliability of conclusions drawn from such data. Thus a factor to consider in choosing a project is whether the project is likely to result in analyzable data.

II. Deadlines

1. Proposal seminars must be held before 30 days after the start of the semester in which the project begins for Biology 408 projects and before 45 days after the start of the semester in which the project begins for Biology 409 projects. A formal written proposal is due to the supervisor(s) two weeks after the proposal seminar presentation.

2. Empirical work on the project must be started by two weeks after the proposal seminar presentation or the project will not be able to proceed.

3. If project costs are expected to exceed the course allocation budget, a proposal and budget should be submitted to the department budget committee by no later than three weeks after the start of the semester in which a project begins.

4. The final seminar presentation should be held within 7 days of the end of the exam period. An abstract of the final presentation is due one week before the seminar date (to be submitted to the department assistant).

5. The final approved copy of the project report for the library is due within one month after the final seminar presentation.

6. A final mark will not be submitted until the student’s work area has been cleaned up and checked out and the final approved copy of the project report for the library is submitted.

III. Evaluation profile

409 408

1. Project proposal;

Seminar 5% 5%

Written project proposal (includes budget) 15% 10%

2. Technical ability, organization and time management; 20% 20%

(includes research notebook, lab and field work skills)

3. Final seminar presentation* 15% 15%

4. Research poster 10% 10%

5. Final paper or project** 35% 40%

TOTAL 100% 100%

* Marked by Biology Department (see Final Presentation Mark Sheet)

** Students must hand in an acceptable final paper or project in order to pass the course.

IV. Course description

• Student are expected to spend at least as many hours on their project as on any other one (for BIO 408) or two (for BIO 409) upper level courses with a laboratory component.

• Primary responsibility for project supervision and marking lies with the supervising instructor. A second designated faculty member or outside partner will assist with marking of project components. The Biology Department will be involved in the marking of the final seminar presentation.

The student experience consists of several stages:

1. Selection of a Suitable Research Area

The student may already have a specific area of research in mind or a specific instructor with whom he or she would like to interact. In this case, the student and instructor will strike an agreement depending on (i) available equipment and space, (ii) budget for consumables and (iii) availability of appropriate faculty and staff. Otherwise, an instructor may suggest a project to a suitable student. In all cases, it will be the supervising instructor's responsibility to make sure that the proposed project is appropriate for an upper level student to accomplish in the proposed time. It is also the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure that equipment and space are available for the project. In some cases, students may benefit from expert advice and input in addition to that of the supervising instructor (for example, see Outside Partners). However, it is always the responsibility of the instructor to ensure that the project conforms to appropriate academic standards.

Biology 408 and 409 are intended to involve empirical research. In exceptional circumstances, a non-empirical project may be approved if it has sufficient biological and academic merit.

2. Design of the Research Project

The student, under the guidance of the supervising instructor, will assess the literature in a particular field. The student will be expected to access original research literature. Literature surveys can be conducted at UCFV, UBC and SFU libraries and using electronic database searches. Students are expected to use the literature to formulate a testable hypothesis, and design an appropriate experimental approach or field study.

The student will address questions such: novelty of the approach, statistical analysis to be carried out (consultation with the Mathematics Department’s Statistics centre is advised), use of controls, use of replicates, logistics of carrying out the project, etc. The student will develop a budget for the project with the aid of the instructor. Students will need to consult with departmental lab technicians on the use of materials and equipment.

Because of the nature of biological science, not all projects will fit neatly into one semester. The student and instructor have the option of extending a 408 course into a second semester, although the credit value of the course will remain 3 credits. In the case of a more major undertaking spanning two semesters, the student and instructor may elect to choose the Biology 409 option for 6 credits. In exceptional circumstances a BIO 408 project, which turns out to be more time-consuming or involved than anticipated, can be changed to a Biology 409 project.

The student will present the project proposal to the Biology Department for feedback and approval. The proposal seminar will be marked by the supervising instructor(s). A formal written proposal will be due two weeks after the proposal seminar. See Project Proposal Guidelines below.

3. Carrying out the Research

The instructor will aid the student in mastering the techniques necessary to carry out the research. The student will be responsible for scheduling time for the various stages of the project, making sure equipment is available at the time s/he needs to use it, reporting to the instructor and outside sponsor where appropriate. Regular meetings of student and instructor are required for all projects (see Supervision Appendix A).

Early in the research project, all students will be required to consult with their supervisor to go over their research notebook.

4. Finishing and Writing Up

Departmental Seminar

At the end of the project a final seminar, at least 30 minutes in length, will be given by the student at a Biology Department seminar. An abstract of the final presentation is due one week before the seminar date. This seminar will be marked by the Biology Department members using the criteria outlined in the Final Presentation Mark Sheet (see Appendix B).

Production of Research Paper, Thesis or Project

With the help of the supervising instructor, the student will be expected to produce a scholarly research paper or project. The paper is expected to be clear, succinct and written in the style of a major journal (see VI “Writing the Final Project Report” below). The instructor will aid the student in producing a high quality project report. Students should be prepared to make several revisions of their paper or project before they have an acceptable final copy. A clean copy of the final accepted project report will be held in the UCFV library. The project report will also be posted on the Biology Department’s website. The final report or project will be delivered to a committee consisting of the supervisor and the second designated instructor, and the outside partner if one exists. This committee will be responsible for marking the final paper and assigning the final grade. After final marking, students may be expected to revise their paper in order to produce an acceptable final copy for the library.

Research Poster Day

Students enrolled in Biology 408 and 409 are required to prepare a poster session on their research for the Student Research Day held on the UCFV campus or at another university. This usually takes place near the end of March. There are many examples of fine student research posters in the halls outside the Biology labs. Posters will be judged and considered for awards at the Poster Day.

V. Project Proposal Guidelines

The following should be considered when developing a project proposal for presentation to the Biology Department and in writing the formal project proposal:

1. Working Title: should briefly describe the work being proposed. If possible, it should reveal the organism to be studied, the particular aspect or system to be examined, and the variable(s) to be manipulated.

2. Introduction: presents the question being asked and places it in the context of what is already known about the topic. You are trying to show how, by examining a specific biological setting, you are studying a case of a larger phenomenon. Background information, which suggests why the topic is of interest and related findings by other scientists, is presented here.

a. Describe the need for the research, which could include the following:

- describe what is known about the topic (make reference to recent research literature) and the existing gaps in knowledge or data potentially addressed by your project

- is there any applied potential to your project (technology, conservation, etc.)?

b. Give a brief description of life cycle and biology of the organism and details of its biology as they are relevant to your project.

c. Describe the theories that are relevant to the problem you are addressing.

d. Research question and hypotheses: summarize your general research question and state your Research (and Null) Hypotheses. Hypotheses are stated as possible explanations for observed phenomena not predictions of what you expect to happen. Your hypotheses form the basis for the predictions (stated as if ... then) that you will be testing. Describe the biological assumptions that underlie your hypotheses (i.e., what led you to expect that the dependent variables you intend to measure will be different or change under the conditions you plan to observe or set up).

3. Project Design.

You should be able to show that your project design is the result of a series of decisions you made about your study subject (i.e. the groups of molecules, organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organisms or ecosystems that you are investigating). Your knowledge about your topic will be gained by talking to subject experts and reading relevant literature. The empirical part of your project will usually consist of gathering data through observation or surveys or by doing controlled experiments. You are trying to find out what factors affect the phenomena you observe. Justification for your design decisions should flow from your research hypotheses.

Describe the experimental setup or field study sites you will be using. Diagrams of the experimental apparatus, set up, or study area would be helpful.

You will need to answer and justify the following:

• What site differences or experimental treatments do you plan to use?

• What is the sample size for each experiment or site?

• What independent variables do you plan to manipulate or what crucial relevant differences exist between your study groups?

• What dependent variables do you plan to measure?

• What control variables will not vary between groups or between sites? How will you ensure or measure this?

• How many replicate experiments or sites will you employ?

• Are there any unavoidable weaknesses in design, sample size, instrumentation, techniques, or selection of field sites? What implications do they have for interpretation of your results?

• What statistical tests do you propose to use? (Consult with the Mathematics statistical consultant.)

4. Proposed work schedule.

Propose a schedule of preparation and experiments.

a. Describe how you will become competent to carry out this research. What course work have you taken, what practical experience do you have, what techniques do you need to learn before you are able to proceed, and how will you acquire the needed expertise?

b. Outline your schedule for setting up and carrying out your experiments or field observations.

VI. Writing the Final Project Report*

* Formats for non-empirical projects will be approved by the project supervisor.

The format of the research project report should be that of an undergraduate thesis or journal article.

The purpose of a scientific paper or thesis is to present in a clear, logical orderly format the reconstructed logic of your work: what your question was, how you planned to answer it, what your results were, and what you concluded. Papers and theses follow a relatively fixed format which will be described below. Examples of Biology 408 and 409 project reports can be seen in the Library and on the Biology department web page.

Title: should tell the reader what kind of work is being reported. If possible, the title should reveal the organism studied, the particular aspect or system examined, and the variable(s) manipulated. For example, "Observations on Seeds Incubated in Various Media" doesn't give the reader as much information as "Hydration of Phaseolus Seeds: the Role of Water Potential of the Hydrating Medium". As for journal articles, the title is followed by the name of the author(s) and the institutional affiliation.

• Write your title after you have written the report.

Abstract: is a condensation of the entire report giving the main features and results of the work. This will be posted separately on the Biology website and should give enough information to help the reader decide whether your paper is of interest to them.

• Although it comes first in the body of the paper it is usually written last.

Introduction: presents the question being asked and places it in the context of what is already known about the topic. As a writer, imagine that you are preparing a paper for a grumpy reader who asks, Why should I care? Background information which suggests why the topic is of interest and related findings by other scientists are presented here. Recent primary research literature on your topic should be reviewed here.

For this research paper write an Extended Introduction that includes the above but also discusses the life cycle and biology of the species you worked with and describes the relevant aspects of biology that establish the biological context for your investigation. If there is little information available on your organism or problem describe research on related or similar organisms and biological contexts. Provide diagrams or pictures to illustrate your introduction. Acknowledge the source of all your diagrams and pictures (journals, books, internet, friends, etc.).

The scientific name of your species should be italicized.(e.g., Archidoris montereyensis). It is correct to refer to an organism by using only its generic name (e.g. "Archidoris is always found...") but not by using only its specific name (e.g. Montereyensis is always found ..."). You can abbreviate the name as A. montereyensis, but when used at the beginning of a sentence the full name must be spelled out.

Conclude your Introduction with a statement of your Research and Null Hypotheses. Describe the biological assumptions that underlie your hypotheses (i.e. what led you to expect that the dependent variables you measured would change under the conditions you set up or studied).

Here are some suggestions from Pechenik (see citation below):

1. Back all statements of fact with a reference to textbooks, books, or research articles.

2. Define specialized terminology.

3. Never set out to prove, verify or demonstrate the truth of something. Rather, set out to test, document or describe.

4. Be brief.

5. Write an introduction to the study that you actually ended up doing rather than the study you had hoped to do.

• Like the abstract it is generally best to write the Introduction last.

Materials and Methods: should present the materials and procedures used in the investigation. The experimental methods should be presented in the past tense. Describe the set up and purpose of your controls as part of this section. Use the metric system.

A well documented research notebook will be invaluable for writing this section.

Use the active voice as much as possible in all sections. You did the work, it didn't happen by itself. Say, "I constructed a divided chamber ..." rather than "A divided chamber was constructed ..." Rather than saying “It was discovered that the crabs always moved north at 5 o’clock,” make the sentence active by writing “The crabs always moved north at 5 o’clock.” The active voice uses fewer words and is more interesting to read. Scientific journal articles are starting to emphasize the active voice.

Diagrams of the experimental apparatus or study area are helpful.

Results: of each experiment or set of observations should be presented clearly without comment or interpretation. Observations alone or individual data points are not suitable for including in Results, but should be summarized and analyzed to reveal trends and patterns. Describe your results as text using figures and tables to illustrate the text. Graphs, tables of data, and diagrams are useful to present clear summaries of data but may not substitute for a verbal summary of the findings and do not stand alone without discussion. Statistical tests applied to your data are reported in this section but conclusions are saved for the discussion section.

Discussion: Most good science writers give their papers a kind of symmetry. They bring up questions and issues in the Introduction, and they address them in the Discussion. This is one reason why it is best to write the Introduction last - because by then you will know where you want to direct your reader’s attention.

In this section you evaluate and interpret the meaning of your results in terms of the original question or hypothesis and point out their biological significance. What did you expect to find, and why? If the results are unexpected or contradictory, you should attempt to explain why. Describe any sources of error. The discussion should point out the significance of your experiments or observations in terms of other work carried out on your topic. Pertinent, related literature and theories should be cited for purposes of comparison. Other interpretations found in similar or related research should be critiqued and evaluated for relevance to your research findings. You may wish to conclude by pointing out possible avenues of further research. How might you test your potential explanations for the phenomena you observed?

Back up your assertions with fact. Cite references properly. If you have a logical and reasonable suggestion to put forward, make sure that the reader understands that this is a suggestion and not an assertion.

Literature Cited: lists all the published work mentioned in your paper. List your citations in alphabetical (and temporal) order of last names. In the case of two or more authors, you may use an et al. in the text of the paper, but you must list all the authors in this section. Journals may be abbreviated according to standard practices. See the Council of Biology Editors Style Manual for citation examples. For citing internet references see your supervisor for appropriate formats.

In this section you also acknowledge verbal comments from experts that you have included in your paper (e.g. Josephine Bloggs, 2006. Personal communication.).

For a Biology 408 project, 10 - 30 references represents a reasonable literature survey.

For a Biology 409 project, 20 - 50 references represents a reasonable literature survey.

And finally

Acknowledgments: recognizes the significant contributions of others to your work. This may be for technical or statistical assistance, help with field work, or for general supervision and cooperation.

VII. General Assessment Criteria for Final Project Report

A papers. Work of exceptional quality.

The content, organization and style are all at a high level and move the discussion well beyond what is presented in classes or in textbooks. The written work demonstrates excellent comprehension of the subject and is written in a clear, scholarly fashion. The organization is logical and develops a strong thesis or argument step by step without irrelevant material. The paper successfully integrates existing research and literature (print and electronic media) and offers a critical or original perspective on the literature as part of the paper’s arguments. Some of the research papers used may have been critically evaluated. The paper finishes with a strong conclusion based on sound scientific reasoning, use of appropriate theory, critical thinking, and original interpretations or ideas.

B papers. Work of good quality with no major weaknesses.

All of the required elements of the project have been fulfilled. The writing is clear and explicit and clearly presents a thesis or argument. The paper is generally well written. The coverage and demonstrated comprehension of the topic is more than adequate although there may be minor problems in organization of the paper. There is good use of existing knowledge (original and summarized) on the subject but this material may be presented with inadequate interpretation. A reasonable degree of scientific reasoning, critical thinking, and original thought is shown. The paper presents a sound conclusion that uses appropriate theory and there is some evidence of original interpretations or ideas.

C papers. Adequate work.

All or most of the required elements have been included, although some inadequacies of conception or coverage are evident. A fair comprehension of the subject is demonstrated, but some weaknesses in content, style, organization, and critical awareness are evident. There are minor errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Use of literature is apparent but may rely heavily on textbooks or summaries rather than original works. While understanding of the topic is adequate, there is little originality. The conclusion is short and atheoretical.

P papers. Acceptable work.

Some of the required elements are missing. Inadequacies of conception and coverage are evident. Although parts of the topic appear to be understood, overall comprehension of the topic has not been well demonstrated. There may be unresolved contradictions in the material presented and there is little demonstration of critical awareness. Weaknesses in content, style, organization, grammar and punctuation are common. Limited literature sources, usually textbooks or summaries, are used without interpretation. A satisfactory conclusion is usually lacking.

NC. Unsatisfactory work.

Many of the required elements are missing. The paper is unacceptable in both coverage and comprehension of topic, and in presentation.

Unacceptable papers.

Papers which display clear evidence of cheating will be given a zero grade. In general, cheating includes plagiarism from published or electronic sources (failing to acknowledge the use of someone else's language, information or ideas), copying another student's work, and falsifying or manufacturing data.

Papers with an empirical component

In addition to the above general criteria, papers with an empirical component will be evaluated as excellent (A), good (B), adequate (C), marginal (P), and unacceptable (NC) in the following categories:

• need for research explained well • sound experimental or study design

• clear data presentation • clear analysis of data

• good statistical analysis • logical and creative analysis of data

• novelty of interpretations in relation to previous findings

Appendix A

Supervision Guidelines

Preamble:

Initiation of a project requires a significant input of effort on the part of both student and supervisor. During the execution of the project, after problems have been sorted out, you will have the major responsibility for carrying out the work (although regular feedback is useful at all times). At the end of the project, for data analysis and interpretation and during writing up, you will find that your supervisor’s experience and input is invaluable.

You can expect:

1. Regularly scheduled meetings to discuss:

- setting up research project and budget

- requirements for project proposal and proposal seminar

- debriefing proposal seminar and finalize research protocols

- setting up budget, list of materials and equipment needed for research “kit”

- required training for sterile techniques, SOPs and WHMIS

- troubleshooting experimental procedures

- reviewing data and data analysis and relevant literature

- reviewing the research notebook

- the writing process – thesis outline, statistics, graphical representation and draft revisions

- guidelines for the poster presentation

- requirements for final seminar

- inspection of research area to ensure that it has been tidied and cleaned, equipment returned and wastes properly disposed of before mark is submitted

2. Supervision of materials management and research:

Supervisors will:

- approve list of materials and equipment needed for student “kit”

- sign off on budget

- finalize availability and lead time needed with lab technicians

- encourage students to plan ahead for weekend and evening work

- oversee required training for sterile techniques, SOPs and WHMIS

- troubleshoot experimental procedures

- review data and data analysis and interpretation

3. Feedback on final paper:

The purpose of the feedback is to facilitate improvement and guide revision.

It is in the act of revising that that one learns most deeply both what one wants to say and what readers need.

You can expect that early on your supervisor will act as coach; later as a judge.

Students will be asked:

- Have you consulted finished projects in the library or on-line?

- Describe what constitutes an A-worthy paper?

- What are typical problems found in weaker papers?

- Have you consulted a style manual or punctuation guide?

- Does the draft follow the suggested guidelines?

- Does the draft have a thesis or state the research problem and hypotheses?

- What is the quality of the arguments?

- Is appropriate literature cited and analyzed?

Feedback will likely consist of suggestions for the major changes for the next revision. There will be a focus on higher order concerns of ideas, organization, development and clarity. Style and punctuation are expected to be in college-level English. Go to the Writing Centre early for assistance, if you need it.

Appendix B

RESEARCH FUNDING

Guidelines:

1. Course fees for Biology 408 and Biology 409 are paid into Biology Department Account (PDS)

2. Once a student has registered for 408 or 409 they can get access to these funds to support their research.

3. Funding is to be used for materials and cleanup and disposal costs (not mileage).

4. Regular funding cap of course fees for individual projects (Bi 408 = $330; Bi 409 = $650). Higher funding requests require departmental Grants Committee approval. Double the course fees is the funding maximum.

5. Supervisors with existing research programs may be able to get money from PD funds (if not used for conference travel) before coming to the student scholarly support fund.

6. Fund will pay for costs of producing posters for poster day.

7. Students should determine the cost of their project, with assistance from supervisor, lab technicians, or collaborating organization.

8. Extra costs (over and above course fees) involved in 408/409 projects will also be billed to this fund after applying to the Grants Committee.

Comments:

If the funding is not used after being approved, it can be re-applied for at a later date.

When reviewing additional funding applications, if a member of the Grants Committee is also the requestor, they are not to be involved in the review of their application.

APPLICATION FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING

A Introduction:

The purpose of these guidelines is to outline the procedure to be taken in applying for additional funding for projects above and beyond the funding regularly available. These guidelines clarify the format of the application, deadlines for submission of applications, and the details required to provide the greatest chance of success in obtaining additional funds.

B Format of the Application:

Full Application:

The full application should present the (1) objectives and scientific or educational significance of the proposed work; (2) suitability of the methods to be employed; (3) amount of funding required. It should present the merits of the proposed project clearly.

Budget:

Each proposal must contain a budget for the entire project, as well as for the work that support is requested. Completion of the budget does not eliminate the need to document and justify the amounts requested. A budget justification of up to one page is required to provide the necessary justification and documentation specified.

When to Submit Proposals:

Applicants should allow adequate time for review and processing of applications. The following due dates should be followed:

· Deadline date: dates after which proposals will not be accepted for review by the committee. The deadline dates will be waived only in extenuating circumstances. Deadline dates are 3 weeks after the start of the semester in which a project begins.

Unless otherwise stated, applications must be received by the specified date. If the deadline date falls on a weekend, it will be extended to the following Monday; if the date falls on a holiday, it will be extended to the following business day. Proposals must be received by 5 p.m. on the established deadline date.

Who May Submit Applications:

Only supervisors of 408 and 409 students may submit a funding application.

Submission Instructions:

The same work cannot be funded twice, so an application should be submitted only once to the committee.

Proposed work should be appropriate for funding for a 408/409 topic, and is not a duplicate of, or substantially similar to, an application already under consideration or funded by the Grants Committee from the same supervisor.

C Application Contents:

1. Title of proposal

2. Other funding held by the Supervisor which are being used for the same project, e.g., NSERC funding

3. Project Summary (2 page limitation)

4. Proposal Budget (Breakdown of Costs)

Materials and supplies, Other

5. Total cost of project

6. Total amount requested for project (above and beyond the funding cap (see points 4 and 5 - Appendix A))

7. Budget Justification (1 page limitation)

8. Research activity schedule

Appendix C

Research Notebook

A careful record of everything one does in the laboratory or field, in such detail that a stranger could read it some years hence and reproduce exactly what was done, is a routine part of research in science. Your research notebook should be a clear and accurate record of your experiments, data collection and calculations as they happen. Thus, when you are done with an experiment or study and all of the chemicals used have been washed away, all the apparatuses taken down, or your field stations dismantled, the notebook will serve as an infallible "memory" of what happened and how. This is especially true for thesis work where some time may elapse before results are written up for the thesis or publication. You will be grateful that you have been so painstaking when you write up your thesis or later when you write a paper for publication.

Industrial standards for keeping lab notebook are rigorous due to patent and other legal concerns, so that all entries typically need to be witnessed, dated and signed (e.g., all pages are signed and dated by the principal investigator as well as a witness who does not have a specific interest in the research being conducted). You will not need to meet such exacting standards for your project!

The following guidelines are to be followed:

1. Use only research notebook with bound pages.

2. Always record data in permanent ink (blue or black). Never use pencil.

3. Do not record any data on scrap paper. Record all data directly into your notebook with the date. Quantities and initial observations, including the raw measurements, should be included. Photographs or chart recordings should be pasted on the appropriate pages.

4. Cross through mistakes in such a manner so that they may still be read. Never use white-out.

5. Include your name and contact information on the front page.

6. Number all pages in ink if this is not already done (this MUST be done at the beginning of the project).

7. Include an updated table of contents at the beginning of the notebook. Blank space may be left at the beginning of the book for this purpose.

8. Leave no blank pages after the table of contents in your notebook. If you initially leave too many blank pages for the table of contents, draw a line diagonally across each page and initial and date on the line).

9. The usual rules regarding significant figures should be observed. Never report more significant figures than are warranted by the data.

10. Make it clear what sampling design, apparatus or equipment was used. Whenever an unusual piece of equipment is first used, a sketch or photograph of it should be included. Make a sketch or map of all field sites and data collection protocols (e.g., orientation of transects or randomized block design, etc.).

Your notebook should contain for each experiment or data collection event:

1. Date. Be sure to date all entries in your notebook.

2. Title. The title should be as brief and as informative as possible. Titles should also be included for all drawings, charts, maps, or graphs.

3. Introduction. The introduction should include the purpose of the experiment or data collection, descriptions of any chemical or physical processes or behavioral events expected to occur. Assume you are explaining the experiment or study to someone else. This should only be 3-4 sentences at most.

4. Procedure. Explain your data collection procedure. Reference the source of the experimental procedure or study method you are following. Explicitly note any alterations you make in the procedure, and any differences in the outcome.

5. When a graph, printout of a gel, waterproof notepaper, photograph, etc., is attached to the research notebook, sign across the insert onto the permanent notebook page.

6. Observations. Include all numerical data obtained during the experiment. Label all numerical data clearly. Also include detailed descriptions of all pertinent physical, chemical or behavioral processes that you observe. Were there any unexpected occurrences and effects?

7. Results. Label all numerical results clearly. Include, when appropriate, any final values obtained, standard deviations of measurements, and percent errors, when a theoretical result is available. Include any preliminary data analysis.

8. Conclusion. Did the experiment work? Were your expectations realized? List possible sources of error, and explain whether they would lower or raise numerical results, if possible. If you have suggestions for improving the experimental procedure, you should include them as well. This should be no more than 7-8 sentences.

Research notebook evaluation:

1. At the end of each experiment or data collection event you should have steps 1-6 written. That is you should have written down date, title, introduction, procedures, and observations. In addition, you should have included any results received that do not require any further calculations (step 7).

2. Your supervisor will review your research notebook on a regular basis and meet with you to go over your notebook. If collected, the notebook will be read and returned to you for discussion. Please carefully read any comments that are made.

3. After you complete a specific experiment or study and all results are in, you should write a conclusion. Note that all major research projects contain many smaller studies; the results of each minor study should be written up in your journal before proceeding on the next one. Analysis of your data and discussing it with your supervisor will help you to design the next study or set of experiments.

4. After you have completed your empirical work, your notebook will serve as an invaluable guide for writing your thesis.

5. Hand in your research notebook with your final paper for marking.

Appendix D

Undergraduate Research Awards Criteria

Students must have completed or be registered in Biology 408 or 409 between the summer semester and the winter semester.

Students or their supervisors may initiate the nomination process.

Supervisors will submit a letter of nomination indicating why the student is deserving of the award. (Deadline – prior to student deadline so that the committee has some indication of the number of applications to be judged)

Students will submit a two page executive summary of their project. The summary will be written in lay language and indicate the rationale for the project, key findings that were made during their project (and expected outcomes of work in progress for students who haven’t completed their project).

Key references will be required.

Students may submit up to 2 additional pages of figures and/or table of data.

Deadline for student submissions will be announced yearly and should be as late as reasonably possible.

Student award winners will be required to produce a poster for UCFV undergraduate research day.

Student award winners will be required to produce a PowerPoint slide for inclusion into the awards ceremony slide show. PowerPoint slide will include project title, course and supervisor, and a relevant figure or table.

Student award winners should be available to attend the awards ceremony banquet

Biology awards committee should not include supervisors who intend to nominate their students.

Appendix E

Final Seminar Presentation Mark Sheet

BIO 408/409: Final Presentation Mark Sheet

1. INTRODUCTION - Is question introduced clearly ? Are the problems described ?

Comments:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. BODY OF PRESENTATION - Is research described in a logical manner ? Does the information flow easily ? Are figures clear and easy to understand ? Are relevant research papers incorporated into the discussion ?

Comments:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. CONCLUSIONS - Is the material summed up well ? Satisfactory conclusion ? Any suggested future direction for research ?

Comments:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. PRESENTATION STYLE - Are the overheads clear and visually stimulating ? How much effort has been put into making overheads ? Use of other visual aids, pointer, gestures, chalkboard ? Clarity of speech, projection of voice, emphasis (monotone ?).

Comments:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. QUESTIONS - Are questions answered clearly ?

Comments:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. OVERALL IMPRESSION - Does everything work together ? Have you gained insight into the topic from the presentation ?

Comments:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Appendix F

Sample title page for library copy of thesis

Maintenance of stable pack hierarchy in captive

African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus)

Andrea Gielens

A report in partial fulfillment of the requirements

for Biology 409 (Directed Studies in Biology)

Department of Biology

University College of the Fraser Valley

May 2003

Research Advisor: Dr. Barbara Moon

Appendix G

Outside Partners

An industrial or commercial partner may, if desired, be involved in this project in several ways. In these cases, expenses and/or a salary may be underwritten by an outside sponsor. The student may also be employed by or involved in a research program at another university. The supervising UCFV instructor remains the judge of the academic quality of the work.

1) The Biology 408 or 409 project may be accomplished through a part-time job. A student who expects to gain relevant science experience through a part-time job may wish to use the project as the basis for a project report. A guidance/evaluation committee will be struck, consisting of the principal instructor and the industrial or academic sponsor, plus at least one additional instructor. The student must have prior approval before registering in Bio 408 or 409.

2) The Biology 408 or 409 project may arise out of summer work or work undertaken in a semester that the student is away from the college. Such an arrangement must be set up in advance of the work period. Coop education placements may qualify under certain circumstances. The student must obtain approval from a supervising instructor before a project undertaken in a semester away from campus can be considered for Bio 408 or 409. In this case, the student, instructor and employer must remain in contact for the duration of the project.

3) The federal and provincial governments often sponsor internship programs. Under these programs, a student who is attending school full time, but who is gaining relevant work experience as an intern on a part-time basis is eligible for support. If the project carried out under this program is acceptable to the instructor and committee, it may form the basis of the Bio 408 or 409 report. Contact the UCFV International Internship Program office for more information. The student, instructor and employer must remain in contact for the duration of the project.

The expenses incurred in a Biology 408 or 409 project may be supported by an outside sponsor.

In all cases, the report produced by the student remains the property of the University College of the Fraser Valley.