IndependentResearchinScience

InstructionalPolicy2015/2016
ColinQuinton

CourseOverview
MeetingPeriodC(perschedule)/Homer226
Availability:OfficeHoursandbyappointment
Textbook:Notextbookisrequiredforthiscourse

CourseContent
CourseDescription:Thiscourseisdesignedtoappealtothestudentthatwishestolearnaboutand
exploretheprocessofscienceexperimentation.Studentswillbecoachedonhowtodesign,
implementandreportonanexperiment.Eachstudentwillbeexpectedtocompleteanoriginal
projectoftheirchoosing.Possiblesubjectareasincludebiology,chemistry,physics,environmental
science,biochemistryandengineering.Theexperimentmaybeconductedoncampusormay
includeapartnershipwithoffcampusfacilities,suchaslocaluniversitylabsandprivateindustry
facilities.Thefinalproductofthecourseisaprojecttobesharedwiththecommunity.
CourseObjectives
Bytheendofthecoursethestudentswillbeableto
engageinscientificliteratureresearch,accessingappropriatetoolstoresearchthe
backgroundinformationofatopic
reporttheresultsofliteraturesearchesusingappropriatecitationmethods
designacontrolledexperimentthatcanbeconductedovertheperiodoftwomonths
useascientificnotebooktoproperlydocumenttheprogressoftheexperiment
collectdatainanobjectivemannerthatfacilitatestheansweringoftheexperimental
purpose
usegraphicalandnumericalmethodstoproperlyanalyzetheresultsoftheexperiment
determinethestatisticalsignificanceofscientificdata
writeaformalpaperputtingtogetherallofthepartsoftheexperimentalprocess
writeanabstractthatsummarizestheoutcomesoftheexperiment
publishtheresultsofanexperimentforabroadaudience

CourseOutline

Meeting

Date

Topic

AssignmentDue

Tue08/25

Introduction&Overview

Wed08/26

ControlledExperiments

Mon08/31

ProjectTopicIdentification

AssignedReadingNotes

Thu09/03

BackgroundResearch

TopicIdentification

Wed09/09

BackgroundResearch

Thu09/10

BackgroundResearch

Fri09/18

ExperimentalDesign

BackgroundResearch

Mon09/21

ExperimentalDesign

Thu09/24

ExperimentalDesign

10

Tue09/29

DataCollection

ExperimentalDesign

11

Wed09/30

DataCollection

12

Mon10/05

DataCollection

13

Thu10/08

DataCollection

14

Fri10/09

DataCollection

15

Mon10/19

DataCollection

16

Tue10/20

DataCollection

17

Thu10/22

DataAnalysis

FullDataSet

18

Fri10/23

DataAnalysis

19

Wed10/28

DataAnalysis

20

Thu10/29

DataAnalysis

21

Tue11/03

DataAnalysis

DataAnalysis

22

Fri11/06

FinalPaper

23

Mon11/09

FinalPaper

24

Wed11/11

FinalPaper

25

Tue11/17

FinalPaper

FinalPaper

26

Fri11/20

Abstract

27

Mon11/23

Abstract

Abstract

28

Tue12/01

Poster

29

Wed12/02

Poster

FinalPoster

30

Mon12/07

FinalPresentation

InstructionalMethodsand/orStrategies
Thecoursewillincludeacombinationofcoachingandstandardclassroompractices.
Studentswillbetaughtinastandardclassroomsettingaboutthetheoryandstepsbehind
experimentaldesignandexecutionoftheproject.
Studentswillhavetimeduringclasstoconductresearchandwillworkindependentlyunder
thesupervisionoftheinstructor.
Studentswillcollectdataandworkduringclasstocompletethepartsoftheproject.

TeachingApproach
ClassInformation:Themajorsourceforcourseinformationisthewebsitecreatedforthisclass
(http://soxteacher.com).Isuggestthateachstudentbecomefamiliarwithitsresources,asIwill
updatethisinformationbeforeanyotherlocation.Inaddition,allhomeworkassignmentsand
gradesandtestingwillbepostedontheSchoologywebsite.

GradingPolicies
Thegradingforthiscoursewillconsistofevaluatingcheckpointsalongthewaytoproject
completion.Ateachcheckpointtheworkwillbesubmittedinthestudentslabjournalnotebook.
Inaddition,twomajorpaperswillbeassignedandsubmittedasseparatetypedpapers.Afinal
projectposterwillbecreatedafterthecompletionoftheproject.
DistinctionBetweenMajorandMinorAssignments:Allassignmentsinthiscourseareconsidered
tobeminorwiththeexceptionofthefinalprojectpresentationandpaper.
DeterminingtheGrade:ThiscoursewillusethestandardSHPGradeScaleforallassignments.
Thegradewillbedeterminedbycalculatingthepercentageoftotalpointsearned.

Assignment

PercentofFinalGrade

BackgroundResearch

10

LabNotebook

10

ProjectAbstract

10

ProjectPaper

50

Presentation

10

ProjectPoster

10

ClassroomPolicies
Attendance:Itisexpectedthatstudentsmakeupallmissedworkinatimelymannerafter
returning.
StudentClassMaterials:Studentsareexpectedtobepreparedeachdayinclass,withappropriate
writingmaterialsandaniPadforuseduringtheclass.StudentHelpPeriods:Iamalwaysavailable
duringOfficeHoursandbyappointment.Ifyouwishtomeetwithmeduringlunchorafterschool
pleasecontactmetomakesureIamavailable.Iencouragestudentstocometoworkwithmefor
anyquestionstheyhaveaboutthecourse.
AccommodationsforStudentswithDisabilities:Ifyouhavebeenverifiedaseligibleforan
accommodationbytheDirectoroftheCenterforStudentSuccess,youneedtomeetmeoutsideof
classtimetodiscusshowtheaccommodation(s)willbeputintoplaceinthisclass.Studentswith
accommodationsthatdictatetakingtestsorwritingessaysintheCSSmust:
Confirm/setatestingdateandtimewithteacherviatestingemail
Takethetestattheagreeddateandtime
HavethetesttimestampedbytheCSSproctor
Testcompletedoutsideoftheagreedupontimeornottimestampedwillnotbeaccepted
Note:ifyouwishtodoso,Iwillproctoranyquizorexaminthecourseclassroom.Please
seemeabouthowthiscanbeaccomplished.
OnlinePostingofAssignments:Thecourseinstructionalpolicyandsyllabuswillbepostedin
Schoologybytheendofthefirstweekofclass.Allassignmentsanddailyentriesforthisclasswill
bepostedonlineinSchoologyinatimelymanner.Inaddition,allmajorassignmentswillbeposted
ontheRjendaMajorAssignmentCalendar.

AcademicHonesty
Statement:AsadepartmentofSacredHeartPreparatory,wevaluelearningasacollaborativeprocess,one
thatischaracterizedbystudentsandteachersworkingtogethertowardcommongoals.Wealsounderstand
thepressuresthatdrivestudentstobetemptedtoturninworkthatisnottheirownandtotakeshortcuts
thatprovideunfairadvantages.Tohelpdefinewhatisacceptableweofferthefollowingguidelines:

Anypassingofinformation(byoral,writtenorelectronicmeans)aboutexams,quizzesorother
testsbetweenstudents,eitherinsideoroutsideoftheclassroom,willberegardedascheating.
Individuallaborprojectworkthatincludesinformationfromanyoutsidesourcethatisnot
properlydocumentedisnotallowed.Remember,eitherparaphraseorcitethesource!
Weencouragecollaborationanddiscussionofregularhomework,asdescribedbytheinstructor.
Whiledirectcopyingofanothershomeworkisneverallowed,workingtogethertosolveproblems
wherethefinalanswersrepresentthethinkingofmorethanonestudentisagreatwaytolearn
(althoughitisagoodpolicytocitethecolleaguesinyourstudygroupintheworkthatyousubmit
foragrade).
Weconsidercheatingaseriousviolationandwillenforcetheconsequencesofviolatingthispolicy

asexplainedinthestudenthandbook.Pleasemakesurethatyouhavereadandunderstoodthe
conceptsandproceduresoutlinedinthatdocument.