Building Scientific Literacy in GBIO103

Spring 2007

Team Members

• Jon Kastendiek

• Elizabeth Doyle

• Kim Bolyard

• Mike Renfroe

• Wendy Stapleton

• Carol Hurney

• Library Liaison: Meris Mandernach

Team Goals

• Take an existing assignment and put it in a template format so topics can be easily changed– Created an ongoing project with four

modules

• Develop a rubric that makes grading for a large class manageable

Format for the Project

• The project will be done in modules throughout the semester

• The modules will guide students through the steps needed for information literacy

• The project will culminate in a “plagiarism-resistant” final project

Let’s step through the four modules of the assignment

Module A – Asking critical questions, or knowing what you need

• Objective: Students will be able to read a popular press article and articulate the main theme, prepare a list of unanswered questions raised by the article’s content, and identify the source of the reported information

Module A - Assignment

• Objective: Students will be able to read a popular press article….

• Assignment: Read the assigned article and…– In your own words, state the main theme in one to two

sentences– Identify the original source of the reported information

(location of resource, journal of publication) as stated in the article

– Prepare a list of two questions in each of two the following categories

• What do you want to know to help you understand this article?• What questions does this article raise in your mind?

– e.g. - future research, ethics, societal impacts, funding source

Module A – Grading RubricLearning Objective Evaluation Criteria Points

Summarized Theme Succinctly and well articulated 2

  Theme identified and not well articulated 1

  Theme not identified or incorrectly identified

0

 Identify the source of information from article

Source identified by correctly according to article, including all information

2

Source partially identified 1

Source not identified, or incorrectly identified

0

Background information questions

Provided two questions 2

Provided one question 1

Provided no questions or inappropriate questions

1

New questions raised Provided two questions 2

Provided one question 1

Provided no questions or inappropriate questions

0

An example initial article for module A

Post-assignment review:Relevant questions

• What scientific data supports the use of marijuana for symptomatic relief?

• For which health problems has marijuana been shown to be effective in symptomatic relief?

• The Bush administration claims there has been no evidence supporting that marijuana alleviates symptoms– Where did they get this information?

• The article states that “20,000 people die each year because of drug abuse”. – Is this due to marijuana use?

– What are the side effects?

Module B – Reliable resources, or how do I know if it’s good?

• Objective 1: Students will be able to differentiate between the types of resources as described in the tutorial.

• Objective 2: Students will be evaluate the credibility of a resource based on source, author, timeliness, additional references, and peer-review.

• Objective 3: Students will be able to distinguish scientific facts from opinions or invalid claims.

Module B – Reliable ResourcesAssignment

• Read the “Reliable Resources Guide”– http://

csm.jmu.edu/biology/hurneyca/reliableresources/

• Complete the medical marijuana tutorial

• Complete the associated questions– Complete revised questions

Module C – Finding reliable information or searching for the answers

• Objective: Students will search appropriate databases with relevant keywords in order to identify reliable sources

Module C – Finding reliable information

• Objective: Students will search appropriate databases…

• Assignment: In the provided table, record three types of sources found during a search for information on the topic provided. A list of database choices will be given to the students.

• Resources: A list of databases will be provided to direct the students in their searches

Type of source Database usedKeyword(s)

usedCitation

Book

U.S. government document

Peer-reviewed journal

One additional source (your choice)

Type:________

Module C: Searching for information - output

Module C – Grading Rubric

• Fourteen point assignment– One point for each box of the table– Two points for correctly identifying the

format of the fourth resource

Module D - Application of research skills, or now you’re on your own

• Objective: Students will be able to analyzing sources of information, draw conclusions, and apply information in a new context

Module D - Application of research skills, or now you’re on your own

• Objective: Students will be able to analyze sources of information, draw conclusions, and apply information in a new context

• Assignment: – Choose a topic from the list provided and search databases

to find at least four reliable sources of information

– Create a resource (e.g. – brochure, poster) summarizing the results of your research

• What experiments or studies have been done to prove the effectiveness of the products or technology?

– Provide a research log to document your search strategy

– Provide a correctly formatted reference list

• Resources: Databases provided as required, including Opposing Viewpoints Database