Assignments: Independent Presentation Project
This project provides an opportunity for you to demonstrate your understanding of Issues in Science and Technology, and how they relate to your interests or discipline.
All topics should be decided during the first weeks of the term. In addition to the Scientific and Technological aspects, your research must include consideration of political, cultural, economic, and religious issues. Be sure to explicitly address these aspects in your written paper. (See this link for more details.)
Scoring rubrics are used for many of the assignments.An
article in Educational Leadership (Andrade, 2000) provides an explanation
of scoring rubrics. The bulk of the assignments have been designed to
help you meet the criteria which will be used to evaluate your presentation:
"Scaffolding"/Peer Evaluation/ Technological and Information Literacy (60%)
List of Five Issues in Science & Technology (2%) Due Jan 16 Using a variety of resources, prepare a list of the five most interesting issues in Science and Technology that face us today. There are several magazines (Scientific American, Popular Science, Smithsonian, Science News, Omni, Discover, New Scientist, National Geographic) that should aid you in identifying topics to consider. Links are available from the course website.
State each of the five you select in the form of an issue. Take a stance on an issue. This stance will be your starting point of a defensible position you will attempt to disprove.
Forming a Question/ Making a Research Plan Worksheet (5%) Due Jan 23
Forming a Question WorksheetThis assignment assists you in your initial research of your independent topic. It was prepared as part of the information literacy program, and should be completed as soon as possible after the advanced library training session.
Your assignment is to attempt to falsify your hypothesis regarding an issue in science and technology. You should include as much detail and exact resources you can at this time, so that I can provide you with valuable feedback, and potentially additional resources to aid your work. You should be working closely with the reference librarians who can help you find appropriate and valuable information. You could consider this worksheet a draft of your annotated bibliography.Use the resource pages available on this website in addition to the library databases. Take this and the other deadlines seriously and you will have a final project that is interesting, informative and earns a great grade! You should strongly consider making an appointment with My Librarian soon.
Essay Distinguishing Science & Technology (5%) Due Jan 30
Rubric for EssayThis essay requires that you synthesize the information provided in the texts and any supplementary reading. It should be a minimum of 2-4 pages typewritten and double spaced, and provide complete citations as appropriate. As always, proper grammar, organization and structure will be evaluated.
In this essay, provide definitions and explanations of science and technology. Then, discuss your interpretation of the interplay between science and technology. Also, discuss non-scientific aspects that make these "issues" and how you feel our society should respond to the issues.
I am asking you to demonstrate that you know what science and technology are and to show me how you define an issue. I am asking you to expand on the definition of "issue." Why are the items we selected issues? Is it emotional? Religious? Political? Economic? What sort of "things" should play what level of role as we as a society decide how to address these issues?
Should our decisions be based strictly on politics? Economics? Etc. Why or why not?
Be sure to consult the rubric for more detail about this assignment.Mining Resources (5%) Due Feb 4
Resources RubricMine the resources pages on the course web pages to find information regarding your issue that will assist you in preparing your timeline and final project. Consult the rubric for grading details. Evaluation of Websites (4%) Due Feb 11
Evaluation WorksheetSelect what you consider to be the most valuable and the least valuable websites you have encountered while researching your topic, and complete this critical analysis using the Evaluation Worksheet. The goal is for you to demonstrate your proficiency in evaluating information, and recognizing the bias of authors. Annotated Bibliography (8%) Due Feb 18
Rubric for BibliographyWrite a short summary of how each resource relates to your project (not necessarily what the article was about!). Also provide information about the author and publisher for the resource. Use APA format.
Consult rubric!!Timeline of Independent Topic (5%) Due Feb 20 This assignment asks you to provide an historical perspective of the issue you have selected to research. It asks you to develop an "intellectual history" of the issue. Go as far back in time as you can, and provide the most pertinent events that have helped shape your topic into the issue of such a magnitude that you selected it for this course. Historical information will tend to be general to the field you have selected to explore. As you approach more recent times, the information should become more specific to your issue. Provide the names and dates of the most important historical contributors to your issue- and as usual- provide complete citations for your timeline.
This assignment asks you to compile the information you are acquiring about your issue and put it together. It does not ask you to find a timeline website about the general issue you have selected. Take this assignment seriously so that you will acquire a valuable intellectual history that helps you better understand how issues in science and technology evolve.
Cheating, dishonesty, and plagiarism will not be tolerated and may result in failure of the assignment and/or course. Please review these articles on plagiarism: "What is Plagiarism at Indiana University"; "How to Avoid Plagiarism"; "Avoiding Plagiarism"Here are some additional comments to assist you in preparing this assignment:
YOU NEED TO CLEARLY STATE YOUR ISSUE as an issue ASAP!
You need to consider your topic in a larger context...for example:
You'll need to be able to demonstrate you have acquired a broad historical perspective regarding the issue you have selected.
Although manipulation using genetic engineering to modify organisms is rather young- we've been selecting and hence genetic engineering since civilization began...timelines and historical perspective you learn needs to reflect that.
Although behavioral disorders and treatment may be fairly young, the same comment as above holds true- I bet the Egyptians had treatments for behavior disorders too!
The same comments hold true for virtually every technology and issue being considered!
You'll need to consider all aspects of your issue-
i.e. what is the role of politics and economics in your issue? Morals? Ethics?
Develop those historical perspectives too (specific to your issue)!
A revision of the timeline can be included as an appendix in your final paper, allowing you to focus on the most pertinent aspects within your written report.
Here is an example of an exemplary timeline submitted by a student in a former class. Although this does not fully address the social and economic issues, it does well with the scientific and technology aspects.
Annotated Bibliography (8%) Due Feb 18
Rubric for BibliographyWrite a short summary of how each resource relates to your project (not necessarily what the article was about!). Also provide information about the author and publisher for the resource. Use APA format.
Consult rubric!!Data & Information on Topic (8%) Due with Oral Presentation
Rubric for Data & ResourcesAs you research your selected issue, you should will find many resources that provide visual data and information demonstrating interpretations of various aspects of interest related to your issue.
You will provide those data, complete with references properly cited, on the day of your oral presentation. Use the data and information in your oral presentation, and turn in a copy of them to complete the assignment.
First Version/Written Presentation: Due Feb 27
Peer Review of First Version (Draft): Due Mar 4
Peer Review Worksheet
Peer Review and First Version (5%)
Second Version (5%) Due Mar 20
On the day the first version is due, provide TWO copies. One will be reviewed by the faculty member, and the other by an anonymous reviewer in the class. The peer reviewed article will be returned to me to be graded and then returned to the author.
While preparing your paper, consult the rubrics and worksheets provided on this page to gain a better understanding of what is expected, in addition to the following suggestions:
Please take the following remarks in the manner they are intended, as helpful suggestions. They are not intended to offend, and not all remarks are applicable to all papers, but they all are worth your consideration as you prepare your first version.1. Make up a title that states your stance.
2. Use page numbers & author name in the footer.
3. MAKE EXTENSIVE USE OF the resources you have found to provide DATA, RESOURCES, TABLES, CHARTS, DIAGRAMS, AND MORE DATA TO support your claims (defend your position). Then you can simply add a few of your own words to remark, introduce, clarify or restate, what the data indicates to support your stance!
4. You should have NUMEROUS sources to support your stance. (Having a single source, or that infamous author named anonymous, does not lend to your credibility! How do we know that source is not a "quack, crazy, or alone in their opinion?)
THE SOURCES SHOULD PROVIDE REAL DATA DATA DATA. NOT opinions.Your opinions about your issue MUST BE be supported by data.
Provide section markers to guide the reader and help to organize the paper.
In the introduction, tell us what's coming, tell us enough to entice the reader to continue through what may seem to be a "boring" technological and scientific" discourse, so we can understand your presentation of data surrounding the issue, tell us your stance and how you will support it.
Support your stance in the body of the report (see 3 & 4 above).
In the conclusion, restate your position, and deliver the final "knockout punch" making it so the reader should have every reason to accept your opinion (this means you've addressed the opposing views with evidence (from more than one source etc).
Summaries (8%): Due Apr 12 Each student is expected to prepare a brief written summary of each independent presentation. take notes during the presentation so that you can type up a brief (1 or two paragraph) summary of the author's stance, supporting evidence, and whether or not you agree with their position.
After you have written all the summaries, take a moment to reflect and consider the issues we have explored. Use this to provide part of the course evaluation; to demonstrate your acquisition of the outcomes defined for this course, providing specific examples.
