BIOLOGY 501 – SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND PRESENTATION

At the end of this course YOU SHOULD: Have gotten a good, solid start on your thesis prospectus. Have the library skills necessary to research your thesis topic. Know the minimum laboratory safety skills required to prevent injury to you and your students. Be aware that knowledge of statistics is important and that you need to consult with a statistician (or someone equally knowledgeable) BEFORE you commit to a research design. Be acquainted with the scientific method and the elements of experimental design. Have an appreciation of some of the considerations of scientific writing and presentation. Understand and appreciate the range of issues regarding the responsible conduct of research. LEARNING OUTCOMES

Requirements and Grading You will be expected to complete: a draft of the literature review section of your prospectus by the last scheduled class the CITI Responsible Conduct of Research module (evidenced by copy of the certificate of completion) a Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research Proposal Grades are calculated on a 10 point scale and will be based upon completion of the CITI module (30%), a short (2-3 slide) PowerPoint presentation on your research topic (5%), participation in the paper and seminar discussions (5%), Sigma Xi GIAR proposal (20%) and the literature review portion of your prospectus (40%).

M.S. Biology and Marine Biology vs. M.S. Marine Science Biology and Marine Biology are housed and administered totally within the Department of Biology & Marine Biology. Core courses are all in biology content areas. Marine Science is administered by the Center for Marine Science. Core courses stress interdisciplinary content chosen among biological, geological, chemical and physical oceanography.

Each program has its own degree requirements, procedures, schedules, exams and forms (as outlined in the graduate handbooks for biology & marine biology and biology & marine biology marine sciencemarine science). Both programs conform to the Graduate Catalogue and employ the forms and procedures available on the Graduate School web page:

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Before the End of Semester 1: ____ Set up thesis committee, submit Committee Assignment form to office. ____ Meet with thesis committee to discuss research project and design, fill out Graduate Degree Plan and First Thesis Committee Meeting Report and submit to Graduate Coordinator (GC). ____ Discuss and sign Authorship Form with advisor, submit form to office. ____ Complete first draft (at least lit. review) of prospectus.

Residency for Tuition Purposes 1.Establish and maintain a domicile in NC for at least 12 months. 2.Be physically present in the state for that period. 3.Intend to make NC your permanent home 4.Have come to NC not merely to attend UNCW

What is your permanent address? Are you registered to vote? Where did you last vote? Where did you last obtain a driver’s license? Where is your car registered? Do you own a home/real estate? Where is your personal property listed for taxation? (if you’ve registered your car, you’ve listed property for taxation) Where did you file state income tax? Did you file as a NC resident? Where did you live before enrolling? Where do you maintain memberships in professional organizations?

The Prospectus Literature Review Introduce the subject Review the literature Show how your project relates to what’s known Hypothesis(es) Provide a clear statement of hypothesis or hypotheses to be tested Methods and Experimental Design Enumerate techniques, sample/site numbers and method(s) of analysis Courses List courses taken, in progress, and those you plan to take

Prospectus Example 1 Prospectus Example 2

The Written & Oral Comprehensive Exams Marine Science – Written and Oral Exams Written taken in 2 nd semester – after core courses Marine Science, Biology, Marine Biology – Oral Exam To be taken during summer before or in the first 2 weeks of your third semester in residence Scope Discuss at 2 nd committee meeting General biological knowledge recent course work stuff you should know Command of discipline relating to thesis research Diagnostic Possibility for remediation of deficiencies

Bibliographic Software Endnote - available on-line for free and for your personal computer ($)

UNCW Awards and Links Grants and Research Support

Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Grants-in-Aid of Research Fellowships for Graduate Student Travel Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid of Research

National Defense Science and Engineering Fellowships

NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

The National Academies Fellowships

The Crustacean Society awards four graduate student research fellowships on an annual basis. These fellowships include the Denton Belk Memorial Scholarship in Large Branchiopod Research (US$1500), and three US$1000 TCS graduate fellowships in the areas of (1) crustacean systematics, evolution and/or biogeography, (2) crustacean population genetics and/or physiology, and (3) crustacean ecology and/or behavior. Additional information and an application form can be obtained from The Crustacean Society website: and clicking on "student information" in the sidebar. Applicants and their major professor/mentor must be members of The Crustacean Society to be eligible for a fellowship.