Snail Report (biology lab)

Review the information on pages 299-309 in your lab manual, and look over the chapter 10 PowerPoint slides on the snail experiment. Be sure to read the detailed rubric below.

Write a brief (~ 2-3 pages single spaced; 4 max) scientific report detailing your snail experiment, the methods, hypotheses, results, and the conclusions we can draw from the results. Follow the rubric below and follow the format of the Mckee et al. report in the iBook lab manual (page 302). For example, Intro → methods→ results → discussion. Be sure to properly cite any outside information/ideas you use in your paper.

You may work in groups up to four students, or you may work alone. If you work in a group, you will be submitting one group paper in which you all will collectively write, along with a break down of what everyone contributed. You may write collectively dictating each sentence as a group, or you may have different people write different sections. It does not matter as long as the paper is cohesive and articulate. Please individually submit the paper as a word document on canvas with a cover letter for what you contributed and what each group member contributed. If a group member did not participate, they will lose points as a result. Please proofread your work before submission. If you plan to work in groups, make sure to meet (virtually/online!) early and give yourselves enough time to complete the assignment effectively.
You will be graded based on the following rubric:

Snail Report Rubric, Total Points: 10 (they add up to 30 but I will divide by 3 for the grade book)

Please follow this detailed rubric when completing your snail report. You must follow the format of other verified scientific papers and reports for your assignment. Reference the snail paper on page 302 of your iBook lab manual and use google scholar and the CSUN library database to search for other scientific papers (there is an extra credit assignment on canvas that walks you through how do this). You can also read over and use papers that are referenced in the snail paper. This assignment must be at least 2 full pages, single spaced.

Title and cover page:

The title of an experimental report should indicate the factors being manipulated, the effects or responses being measured, the specific topic or organism under study, and the name of the researcher(s). Be as concise as possible. The cover page needs to include every group members’ name and explicit details on what each group member contributed to the report, including yourself. (Ex: Peter Smith helped prepare the introduction, methods and results section while contributing their ideas and time towards this report) ___/2

Introduction, hypotheses and objectives:

The introduction should provide a clear statement of the problem or questions addressed by your study. It should give references to relevant reports by other workers and should include enough background information to make your report understandable as an independent unit. You should also discuss your hypotheses and objectives with the experiment here. ___/4

Materials and Methods:

This section should (1) enable others to judge whether your techniques justify your conclusions, and (2) provide enough information to allow your work to be repeated. Make sure to describe your methods so that anyone could repeat your experiment properly through your directions. ___/4

Results:

Tables, figures and figure captions, although important, are not enough for this section. In addition to those components, you will describe your results briefly, and indicate trends in your data that will be discussed in the next section. Tables and figures should be numbered, labeled, and mentioned in the text. The dependent variables should be on the vertical axis and independent variables on the horizontal axis and the axes should be labeled properly. Include the proper custom error bars for our data analysis. DO NOT include gridlines or chart titles on graphs. ___/4

Discussion and summary:

The discussion should include an error analysis (or at least an estimate of uncertainties), any conclusions drawn from your results, and whether your data are consistent with relevant models or hypotheses. Discuss if whether or not you provided evidence to prove or disprove your initial hypothesis. Discuss the scientific implications of your results and how your findings might fit in with or provide more evidence for other ideas in biology. Also include how your experimental design could be improved and future questions or further research moving forward. ___/4

Literature Cited:

Any facts or ideas that you did not generate yourself must be attributed to the source where you found them (including other people). Indicate such references by inserting the authors’ names and the date of publication at the appropriate place in the text and by listing a complete citation under Literature Cited. All references cited MUST be mentioned in the text. Refer to online citation generators and look up examples in other papers if you do not understand. I expect at least three sources, including the snail paper. Use APA format for citations. ___/4

Scientific content:

Is the reasoning accurate? Are all possible inferences made? No illogical inferences drawn?___/4

Style, grammar, and spelling ___/4