Please read the Syllabus
with Course Objectives, Grading Rubrics, Attendance Policy, etc. before
committing to this course. Due to the special nature of this course there
are no tests nor final exams.
Who should take this course?
Students who desire to engage in a prolonged research project, who wish
to delve deeply into the scientific literature and develop critical reading
skills as well as develop the skills and confidence to make oral scientific
presentations supplemented with technology. In taking this course a student
may discover an aptitude or fascination with research and may choose to
seek a career that incorporates research (or not.) At the least, students
who complete the course and understand the research project should have
something interesting to talk about during an interview for graduate school
or employment.
General Format:
Students
will prepare presentations, each lasting about 30 minutes based on primary
scientific literature to share with the class. Presenters are encouraged
to discuss their papers and their presentation with Dr. Davis in advance
so as to be well prepared for their time in the spotlight. Members of
the class are expected to be active participants in this "journal
club" by reading each paper before it is presented, by asking questions,
making observations, and contributing to a discussion. Students will anonymously
evaluate each presenter using a standard
evaluation form and each presenter will be provided a summary of the
critiques. See Syllabus for participation grading criteria.
We will conduct experiments approximately
once each week on Wednesday afternoon with
laboratory rats. These experiments will form the basis for our research
presentation at the end of the semester.
We hope to conclude the experiments such
that we have a couple of weeks at the end of the semester to prepare a
scientific presentation of 12 minutes duration to share with the college
community during the last Friday of the spring semester.
Nature of the Experiments:
As of November 2007, the experiment to be
conducted in the spring 2008 has not been determined but it is very likely
to be an investigation of the factors that contribute to satiety and the
cessation of a meal in laboratory rats. Overeating and binge eating are
a serious problems that can be investigated using laboratory rats.
Dr. Davis designs experiments that can be
conducted without animal surgery. Dr. Hettes conducts research
with students that involves surgery, so if gaining some animal surgical
experience is important to you, then you should consider taking the Bio
250 course in the fall semester with Dr. Hettes.
To familarize yourself with the type of research
that your predecessors have conducted recently with Dr. Davis, consult
these websites:
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