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Bioethics Project

As part of the AP Biology curriculum at University High School, all AP Biology students are required to complete a research project on a current bioethical issue. Upon completion of this paper, your understanding of a biologically based topic and the problems/ concerns it presents human populations will be broadened. Also you will gain increasing knowledge of how to research and write an effective paper. Furthermore, this paper is a chance to show me how much you learned this year and how affectively you can integrate the eight themes of biology.

Requirements:

  1. Choose a topic from the list given. Only one student/group may choose a specific topic in each class. Reserve your topic as instructed.
  1. Complete a working bibliography
    1. Once you have picked a topic, begin to find information.
    1. A working bibliography a list of sources you are using to write your paper. By no means is this a final bibliography. As you progress you may find additional sources or end up not using a source in your paper.
    1. Look at section 4f for a guide as to what sources are acceptable and how many you need. Again you may have more sources on your working bibliography than you end up using and that’s okay.
    1. Use MLA format for creating your bibliography. See http://www.calstatela.edu/library/guides/3mla.pdf  for MLA guidelines.
  1. Develop a question and research your topic so that you can prepare an outline that contains all of the information needed to write a paper.
    1. Your outline should contain three major sections, as listed below in 4g.
    1. Use abbreviated outline form, but do not use single words. Use phrases. If you prefer to sentence form, that’s fine.
    1. Make sure to use MLA format for internal citations throughout your outline.

The Paper:

  1. Write a paper that contains the following.
    1. A cover page with the title, your name, class period, and date submitted.
    1. About 900 to 1250 words to cover the topic. This works out to be about 3-5 pages using a word processor’s (i.e. Microsoft Word, iWorks Pages) default, 12-point font, double-spaced with 1-inch margins on all sides.
    1. Keep quotations to a minimum. More is not necessarily better. Although your paper should contain some appropriately placed quotes, it should not consist entirely of someone else’s ideas or opinions.
    1. Internal citations for quotes and paraphrasing throughout the paper, documented according to MLA format. See http://www.calstatela.edu/library/guides/3mla.pdf for information on MLA format
    1. A “Works Cited” (reference) page with references documented according to the MLA format. All “Works Cited” references must have an internal citation in the body of the paper referring back to them. See http://www.calstatela.edu/library/guides/3mla.pdf for information on MLA format.
    1. A minimum of 6 reference sources.
      1. None may be from a general encyclopedia, or Wikipedia.org.
      2. One must be from a printed source other than your textbook,
      3. One from the digital library resources (See www.uhlibrary.net)
      4. One from an open access Scientific Journal (See http://www.doaj.org/ for a listing of appropriate journals),
      5. The others may be from any of the above, or an appropriate internet site. You may have more than 6 references. Be careful about the sources you choose to use, some of them are not carefully edited or contain false information.
    1. Your paper should include the following information:
      1. A section introducing the bioethical question and containing scientific background information and a historical perspective. The biological basis of the topic must be addressed and explained in this section. Be specific, and discuss how the biotechnology works.
      2. The viewpoints about the bioethical issues with a substantive section explaining the various perspectives. Discuss each viewpoint and describe the arguments supporting that viewpoint. Do not argue for any one perspective, yet. (Make sure the citations are complete and correct).
      3. Take an ethical stand, and argue the ethical viewpoint constructively. Back your argument with ethics supporting your viewpoint of the ethical use of this technology. Your argument should be scholarly, not based on an emotional response. Cite any sources you use and base your response in ethics. Use third person. The word ”I” should never appear in your paper.

The Presentation:

  •  In addition to the paper, you and your group will present your research to the class in a creative fashion.
  • Your presentation can be a skit, movie, children's book, etc. (the point is it should be creative and not boring)
  • Your presentation should be between 8-10 minutes in length and include all of the appropriate sections as defined below:
    • A section introducing the bioethical question and containing scientific background information and a historical perspective. The biological basis of the topic must be addressed and explained in this section. Be specific, and discuss how the biotechnology works.
      1. The viewpoints about the bioethical issues with a substantive section explaining the various perspectives. Discuss each viewpoint and describe the arguments supporting that viewpoint. Do not argue for any one perspective, yet.
        1. Take an ethical stand, and argue the ethical viewpoint constructively. Back your argument with ethics supporting your viewpoint of the ethical use of this technology. Your argument should be scholarly, not based on an emotional response. Cite any sources you use and base your response in ethics. Use third person. The word ”I” should never appear in your presentation.
        2. Any media that is not created by you should be public domain, or licensed for reuse (creative commons). 
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