Biology Research Project: 1. Define Your Project

Define Your Project

Narrow Your Topic

1. On the Biology Research Project page, browse the list of topics for your class to find an interesting rather than familiar larger topic
   • Do not reuse or update past projects you have done; self-plagiarism is plagiarism.
2. Search that keyword in OneSearch
3. Use the left-hand filters to limit the Publication Date to the last 5 years. Click Refine.
4. Limit the Content Type to Articles
5. Click on Remember All Filters on the left
6. Browse the titles to find an aspect of that topic
   • ex. Parthenogenesis> Human Parthenogenesis
7. Add that smaller topic to the search
8. If you still get over 15,000 results (number is above the results), find a smaller topic within those results

Create a Research Question

1. When the search is under 15,000 results, click on the title of some relevant articles to see the record
2. Scroll down to the description, and read the summary of the articles
3. Create a research question that those articles would answer
   • ex. Human parthenogenesis> Is parthenogenesis possible in humans?
4. Keep this search window open; you will need it in a moment.

Choose Your Sources

Credible sources are written by an expert (i.e. has at least a master’s degree) in the field that pertains to the topic (see the title). Scholarly sources are credible sources, written for other experts (ex. Many citations, academic format like APA, institution and degree listed). Both books and articles can be credible or scholarly.

• Service Learning Option: two scholarly sources AND at least 12 hours of service that pertain to your topic
• Additional Sources Option: two scholarly sources AND three credible or scholarly sources

If you choose Service Learning, you must register with Service Corps and find an appropriate nonprofit organization (link below).

Find Sources

1. Return to your search
2. Look at the titles and description to find relevant articles
3. To find scholarly articles, on the left, limit Availability to Scholarly/Peer-Reviewed
   • In the next assignment, you will confirm that they are
4. To find books, limit Resource Type to books
   • You may need to remove the Journal Article limiter on the left
   • Do NOT limit Availability to Scholarly/Peer-Reviewed
5. After clicking on the title, use the email button to send yourself this record, so you can find it for the next assignment
6. Send yourself at least double the sources you will need

Choose Your Project Type

Browse the Project Types page to find a project type. If you are not sure which you want to choose now, you may propose up to three.

Submit Worksheet to Brightspace

Submit your completed worksheet to Brightspace.