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STUDENT WRITING
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The following is a sample assignment that is addressed to students and that uses a scaffolding technique.
Your GSIs have prepared a list of potential projects for this course (see below). Some projects are fairly narrowly defined while others allow you the freedom to ask a broad range of questions about plant ecophysiology. They are all designed to give you exposure to asking questions about ecophysiology and to the methods that are commonly used in this field. You will carry out these projects in groups of two to four students.
During our first lab, we will ask you to choose a project topic that is most interesting to you. In the second week of lab, we will set up those experiments together so that you will be ready to make your measurements on established plants later in the semester. By week 6, you will need to turn in refined questions for your project. Two weeks later (week 8), you will turn in a research proposal (100 points) that outlines the research you plan to carry out for your project. The proposal must include five parts:
(1) a statement of the research objective(s) and goal(s)
(2) a description of the methods to be used, including what you will measure, how you will measure it, what your experimental design is, and the equipment you will need to carry out your project
(3) a short discussion of the predicted results for your experiment
(4) a list of references (five to fifteen) on the research topic that clearly indicate you are aware of the relevant literature
(5) a list of references in which the authors employ the methods you plan to use
After your proposal has been approved, there will be a sign-up sheet for equipment that you MUST put your name on if you hope to have access to any of it.
You will begin your research during the ninth or tenth week of the semester and will be able to collect data for approximately four weeks. This should allow sufficient time to collect enough data so that you can draw some firm conclusions. We will be available for consultation throughout the semester.
After you complete your project, you will have TWO things to accomplish: A written report to be handed in on May 6 and a fifteen minute oral presentation of your study, its results, and implications. You should be prepared to give it at the bi-annual UCB Plant Physiological Ecology Symposium on May 12.
If you are not thoroughly aware of how to use the library for tracking down references, following up specific reference citations, and on how to use the various abstracts, please see one of the instructors — we have handouts to help you.
If you are not thoroughly familiar with how to write a scientific paper, expected for the research project, please see one of the instructors — we have handouts to help you.
