Science writers convey complex scientific ideas to the public. They must be knowledgeable in the sciences as well as proficient in techniques of journalism. Good science writing is thoroughly researched and communicates the key ideas of scientific research and topics in a comprehensible and straightforward manner. Science writers are also always on the lookout for new and interesting discoveries and studies in science. For this project, you are the science reporter for your local newspaper. You have just received an assignment from your editor. She asks you to write an article on a major topic within the field of microbiology. She stipulates that in this article you must:
Generate a historical timeline of the major scientific discoveries leading to our current understanding of the topic.
Include a summary of our current understanding of the topic.
Project where the next major advance or breakthrough in your topic will come from.
Description
For Part A of this project you explore possible topics and do background research.
Specifically, you choose a suitable topic, identify appropriate resources, and generate a brief outline of the article you will write. Your topic must fall under the following subheadings:
Microbiology and human health
Microbiology and the environment
Microbiology and agriculture or industry
Procedure
Consult your textbook to choose a topic under one of the subheadings listed above. For example, from the area microbiology and industry, you might examine the use of organisms by the alcoholic beverage industry. More specifically, are you interested in wine and the grapes that produce it? You could investigate the actions of a fungus called “noble rot” or the cultures involved in the fermentation of the grapes. [Need help choosing a topic?]
Email your topic to your instructor for approval.
Once your receive instructor approval, do some background research on your topic to get more familiar with it. Using the Credo Reference and/or Britannica Online: Academic Edition databases, find 1-2 articles/encyclopedia entries on your topic that will help you complete your Project 2 article. You can access these databases from the Library’s Background Information page.
Now that you have a basic understanding of your topic, find 5-6 peer-reviewed research articles that will help you complete your article using the Library’s OneSearch tool. OneSearch is found on the Library’s homepage. Watch the OneSearch Tips video for assistance getting started. [Note: In OneSearch you can limit your results to peer-reviewed journals.]
You should now have a total of at least 7 sources to use for your article.
After reading the sources, think of the main points that you will cover and develop an outline for your article. [Need help writing an outline?]
In a single Word document, submit your outline and list of at least 7 sources (references) in APA format and place it in the appropriate assignment dropbox. [Need help with APA format?]