Course Schedule:

Fall, 2011 Demers section

Below is a week-by-week schedule for the course. Reading assignments are available on the course website, ANGEL or are provided in class. Be sure to note the due dates for each reading as there is a corresponding on-line ANGEL quiz for each reading that is to be completed before class. Print your quiz answers and bring them to the class during which the paper is scheduled to be discussed.

Proposal Assignments and Draft Sections: All proposal assignments are due no later than the start of class time on the date noted in the schedule below. Please bring two hardcopies of each assignment to class. A peer will review one, which you will take with you after class to revise, and the instructors will take the other copy. You will then place a revised copy of the assignment into the appropriate drop-box in ANGEL. Failure to turn in assignments on time will result in no credit for that assignment.

The Schedule below is flexible. We will make changes throughout the semester as we tailor the course to your and our interests. However, due dates will not change.

Week# and Date	Topics		Readings		Helpful Links	Assignment
Week #1	Introduction - Introduction & Course Overview Research Plan - What is a research proposal? - Create scientific questions. Scientific Literature* - Finding and retrieving articles - Literature types Faculty Resources at FGCU		Meers, M.B., Demers, N.E. and Savarese, M. (2003/2004). Presenting the Scientific Process: Introducing Philosophy, Theory, Methods and Ethics of Science. Journal of College Science Teaching 33:3:34-39 Available with permission from the publisher Science versus Non-science - Sagan, C.  1996.  The most precious thing.  Chapter 1 in The Demon Haunted World. - Park, R.  2000.  The Belief Gene: In which science offers a strategy for sorting out the truth.  Chapter 2 in Voodoo Science		- Are there different types of literature? - Retrieving journal articles - Sample proposal questions/titles	- Opening Questionnaire (bring to class on second day) - Faculty Resources at FGCU - see the 'science faculty' button in the header for science fauclty interests-consult the experts to help refine your question- Take the Science attitudes survey on ANGEL Discussion points about Sagan and Parks readings
Week #2	Science - What is science? - Science vs. non-science Critically Evaluate Scientific Paper – focus on research questions and bibliographies Peer-Review Process Begins - Peer review Bibliography		Evaluating Scientific Papers - Janick-Buckner, D. 1997. Getting undergraduates to critically read and discuss primary literature *avail. on www from the author's webpage Evaluate Scientific Paper		- Retrieving journal articles - Critical Evaluation Guidelines - Leading a Discussion (For Paper Critique Leaders) -Resource guide for Scientific Process - Example proposal questions/titles- this where you want to go!	- Take ANGEL Quiz on Janick Buckner reading Submit a piece of primary literature to ANGEL drop box for consideration of in-class critical review IRB representative to class IACUC representative to class
Week #3	Peer Review Process - Peer Review Annotated Bibliography Critically Evaluate Scientific Paper – outline an introduction	Evaluate Scientific Paper INSTRUCTOR and/or STUDENT CHOICE(S)		- Retrieving journal articles - Critical Evaluation Guidelines - Proposal Description - Sample Introductions - Sample Introduction Outlines		- Bibliography due Thursday with 5 annotations
Week #4	Peer Review Introduction Outline Developing Introduction Critically Evaluate Scientific Paper – focus on Introduction & Methods	Evaluate Scientific Paper INSTRUCTOR and/or STUDENT CHOICE(S)		- Critical Evaluation Guidelines - Proposal Description - Sample Introduction Outlines		- Annotated Bibliography due Introduction Outline due week 5 day 1 bring a copy to class
Week #5	Peer Review Methods Outline Developing Methodology Critically Evaluate Scientific Paper (Methods, Results & Discussion)	Evaluate Scientific Paper		- Critical Evaluation Guidelines - Proposal Description - Leading a Discussion (For Paper Critique Leaders) Example of Methods		Introduction due week 5 day 2
Week #6	Peer Review Introduction Research Objectives	Evaluate Scientific Paper		- Critical Evaluation Guidelines - Proposal Description - Leading a Discussion -(For Paper Critique Leaders) - Introduction Peer Review Guidelines
Week #7	Peer Review Research Objectives, Methods and CV Abstract Table of Contents	Evaluate Scientific Paper INSTRUCTOR and/or STUDENT CHOICE(S)		- Proposal Description Experimental design/data analysis powerpoint Experimental design/data analysis handout - Data Analysis PowerPoint Peer Review of Methods Statistics Flow chart Data Analysis worksheet - Sample CV CV Template - Research Objective & CV Peer Review Guidelines.		Methods due BRING A COPY TO CLASS CV and Research objectives and peer review of same
Week #8	Types of Science - Types of Science - Falsification vs Historical Science - Basic and Applied Science - Broader Implication	Types of Science - Cleland, C. E.  2001.  Historical science, experimental science and the scientific method. *avail. on www - Chalmers, A. F.  1982.  Ch. 4: Introducing Falsificationism.		Proposal checklist - Cover sheet (include this coversheet as the first page of your submission) -peer review first submission		- On-Line Angel Quizzes    (Cleland & Chalmers)
Week #9						-- 1st full Submission for peer review—-BRING copy to class Peer-Review 1st Submission
Week #10	Scientific Presentation	Chalmers,1976 Theories as structures: Kuhn's Paradigms (read this one first) Kuhn, 1962 The Structure of Scientific Revolutions		Bring typed answers to the following to class: What does Kuhn mean by a scientific revolution? (1 paragraph) Does science progress?  What do you think? (1 paragraph)
Week #11	Funding panel review and assignment Funding Panel begins	- Funding Panel				Funding Panel papers for review
		Last Day to Drop Classes---
Week #12	Scientific Assumptions Scientific Ethics	Scientific Ethics - Fuchs and Macrina 2005.  Ethics and the Scientist déjà vu plagiarism paper - Couzin-Frankel & Grom 2009. Plagiarism Sleuths				- On-Line Angel Quizzes (Fuchs)
Week #13	Student Evaluations Student presentation review Final exam review	Desjardins, 1993. Ethics, Science and the Environment Kempner, Perlis and Merz 2005. Forbidden Knowledge		- Presentation Guidelines Poster Blank Saving to the student share Guidelines for successful posters (powerpoint)
Week #14				Poster Do's and Don'ts - Complete Proposal Description		Bring your computers to class this week to work on your posters- Posters due no later than Monday at 8 AM- remember that you must be connected to the FGCU servers to save to the share drive.
Week #15	Student Presentations	(10% of your overall grade!)		Final Submission guidelines		Meet at the second floor or Whitaker Hall- bring treats to share-fruit, drinks, snacks.
Week #16	Student Presentations			Final Exam potential questions		2nd Submission
T -- 10:30am - 01:15pm -- Griffin Hall 109	-- FINAL EXAM

Readings must be completed by the beginning of class. Assignments are due at the beginning of class.

© Meers, Savarese, Demers, Barreto, Kakareka, Volety, Everham, Cruz-Alvarez, Loh, Goebel, Fugate, Bovard, Hartley, Mujtaba, Gunnels & Green 2010.

This is an official FGCU web page. Florida Gulf Coast University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.

For changes, dead-links, or mistakes, contact: ndemers@fgcu.edu

Dr Demers HOME

© Demers &  Meers (2006). All rights reserved.
Do not reproduce without permission.

Last updated August 30, 2011