1. BIOL 411 Lab

2. About the course BIOL 411 newly redesigned as an Inquiry course – Meets new Discovery Program requirements Attributes of Inquiry course – Compose open-ended questions that lead to further investigation into increasingly focused problems and issues – Develop understanding and perspective taking. – Clarify standards of thinking through identifying, comparing, and evaluating different interpretations (hypotheses, explanations) of a given phenomenon. – Create effective communicators: present in clearly organized written and oral form the results of the investigation into questions or problems they have posed.

3. Lab grade is 25% of entire BIOL 411 grade 40% for four lab reports 20% for weekly participation in small group activities and for attendance 10% for one oral presentation given during lab sessions 15% for quizzes administered in lab session. 15% for “My Proposed Experiment” forms No make-ups for missed labs

4. Schedule for the semester Four learning modules/units – Week 1: explore topic, develop lab skills, formulate experiment – Week 2: conduct experiment, record data, preliminary analysis – Week 3: discuss results, develop conclusions, oral & written communication of work ***Module 4 will have four weeks to complete, discuss, and present Biology 411 Laboratory Schedule, Spring 2013 UnitLab Module # Week of…ActivityNotes First Week of Classes 21-Jan No labs in session Molec. Found. of Biology 128-JanDesigning scientific experiments 4-Feb 11-Feb Cellular Biology218-FebCell Structure and Function 25-Feb 4-Mar Spring Break 11-Mar No labs in session Cell physiol. & communication 318-MarEnergetics and Photosynthesis 25-Mar 1-Apr Genetics and Molec. Biol. 48-AprDNA isolation and analysis 15-Apr 22-Apr 29-Apr

5. Unit 1: Designing Experiments Textbooks and scientific papers do not reflect the actual practice of science Scientific knowledge is constantly being refined, re-considered, and sometimes accepted “truths” are overturned

6. The scientific method is cyclical Observe Create hypothesis Design experiment Analyze results If hypothesis supported… If hypothesis rejected…

7. Observations Looking for systematic patterns in a biological phenomenon How to make observations (i.e., collect data is crucial (more later…)

8. Testable hypothesis Hypothesis is a potential explanation for a phenomenon Testable hypothesis makes predictions that can be tested Testable hypotheses result in one of two outcomes: – Disproven – Supported (but never proven!)

9. Components of experimental design Proper design of experiments is critical Control group: – Positive control – Negative control Experimental group – Set up to test your hypothesis Two types of variable in an experiment – Independent variable (what is being manipulated) – Dependent variable (what is being measured)

10. Collecting data Summarizing raw data – Table records the initial observations – Visual presentation helps to identify trends Random versus reproducible – Replication of experimental and control conditions is essential

11. Goals for today Studying movement of termites to determine whether they follow trails and under what conditions Exercise 1: becoming familiar with the behavior of termites through observation and some initial tests Exercise 2: Generate testable hypotheses based on initial observations. Before leaving today: fill out “My Proposed Experiment” and turn in to instructors Next Week: perform your experiment, collect data and analyze results

12. Assignment for next lab session Meet as a group (electronically or in person) to define the testable hypothesis and the experimental design for your experiment. This hypothesis and plan should be a consensus of all group members. You may write collectively a single statement that defines the hypothesis and the experimental plan which each of you can submit.