Scroll below for In-person Labs
Read along in your lab handout/manual with the information on this webpage. Fill in and answer questions accordingly in your lab manual. Your Lab Unit handouts/lab manual will be collected and graded later.
Student will turn in all Assignments via Moodle. All assignments are due at the start of lab unless indicated otherwise.
Lab Unit handouts can be found at the top of each lab unit web page. They will be posted week by week.
Scientific Investigation and Intro to Bean Beetles
Unit 1 Labs 1 & 2: May 19, 2022 (also see Lab 2 information below for this first lab meeting)
Lab 1 Summer Handout(opens in new window)
Lab Policies(opens in new window)
Safety Guidelines(opens in new window)
Activity 1: Experimental Design – A good design is key to a successful research project. Be sure your experiments contain:
A good design is key to a successful research project. Be sure your experiments contain:
Test and Control Group(s)
Independent, Dependent and Control/Constant Variables
Replicates
Work through Activity 1 and fill in answers as indicated.
Intro to Bean Beetles
What are Bean Beetles? (This is the link mentioned in the lab handout)
In Lab each pair of students will perform the Natal Bean Beetle Experiment following directions in your lab manual. Each pair of students should then work on graphing their own data combined with the data from the other pair of students. Graphing is a very important skill in science and one you will use in most of the labs in this course. (You can find updated directions for using Excel/Appendix D on Macs on the Resources(opens in new window) page and in Understanding and Representing Data at the back of your Bean Beetle manual and on the recourses page). Your TA will also discuss key aspects of graphing.
If you do not have Excel, NCSU Student can download Microsoft Office 365 from NC State’s OIT(opens in new window) software site) for free. We will use Excel or Google Sheets for graphing. If you use other graphing programs, all key aspects of graphing need to be included in any graph that you turn in for credit.
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Activity 2: Natal Bean Discrimination by Bean Beetles (p. 2-5) – see provided data
In Lab each pair of students will perform the Natal Bean Beetle Experiment following directions in your lab manual. Each pair of students should then work on graphing their own data combined with the data from the other pair of students. Graphing is a very important skill in science and one you will use in most of the labs in this course. (You can find updated directions for using Excel/Appendix D on Macs on the Resources(opens in new window) page and in Understanding and Representing Data at the back of your Bean Beetle manual and on the recourses page). Your TA will also discuss key aspects of graphing.
If you do not have Excel, NCSU Student can download Microsoft Office 365 from NC State’s OIT(opens in new window) software site) for free. We will use Excel or Google Sheets for graphing. If you use other graphing programs, all key aspects of graphing need to be included in any graph that you turn in for credit.
ASSIGNMENT: Graphing your Bean Beetle Data – Each pair of students should graph your whole table data using Microsoft Excel. Appendix D in your lab manual (also found in the Resources section on this website) provides graphing instructions you may find helpful. Also provide a rationale for as to why this is the most appropriate type of graph for this data. This assignment is due in Moodle by each student at the end of the lab meeting May 19th.
Each students will submit the graph made in pairs of the whole Table Group data (both pairs) on Moodle AND explain your rationale in your own words for choosing this type of graph to represent your data (for a possible 5 pts).
- Be sure your graph contains the 5 key elements for graphing (also found in the end of the Excel Appendix and key for ALL BIO 181/183 graphs).
- What type of graph did you choose to make? Why is this the most appropriate type of graph for this data? If you were to repeat this experiment, what changes would you suggest to the experimental design?
- Answer all the questions relating to the Natal Bean Beetle data and other places within the lab unit.
TAKE HOME ASSIGNMENT – Experimental Design – DUE AT THE START OF NEXT LAB – May 24. This assignment is worth 10 points. You can type your answers in a document separate from the many pages of the assignment. Be sure to clearly number each answer. It is due at the start of your lab next week (May 24). Click the assignment link to view and download the assignment.
Activity 3: Introduce semester long Review Paper and Presentation Project
Groups create Google folder and start to brainstorm ideas for the group projects. See details for Summer Bacterial Project Description below. Groups will work on this further and get TA approval before leaving lab.
Summer Bacterial Project Description – Summer labs will design and carry out experiments using bacteria instead of Bean Beetles. Each group will create a Google Folder to keep and record ALL information, data and written work about your bacterial projects.
ASSIGNMENT – Final Bacterial Experimental Protocol and References are due May 26th by the start of lab. This assignment is worth 20 points. The final version is due as a Google Doc and shared with your TA by the start of your lab May 26. Click the Assignment link to download the criteria for this assignment.
Unit 1 Lab 2: May 19, 2022
Lab/Week 2 Handout(opens in new window)
Activity 1: Critiques of Experimental Design
Now that you are familiar with the basics of designing a sound experiment, we want you to critique an experiment that has been loosely designed. Review the Hypothesis and Design on page 1 and answer the questions in your lab handout/manual this week.
Activity 2: Evaluate Primary Literature
Scientific Literature – How can you tell if an article will be useful for your research project, lab assignments or lab reports?
In-Class Primary Literature Assignment – How to Choose Relevant Primary Literature:
Students will need to be able to find and use applicable Primary Literature throughout the BIO 183 labs (and your other Science courses !). This activity will help you learn how best to evaluate Abstracts and determine the best articles for many of our class assignments.
Read the short passage on Page 2 in your lab handout/lab manual – Exposure to Enriched Environments Increases Stem Cell Proliferation in the Brain. After referring to the 4 ABSTRACTS in the articles below (or the paper copies on your lab table), answer the questions 1 & 2 pertaining to these Stem Cell papers. Abstracts are wonderful resources to help you determine the relevance of a research paper.
Full Journal Articles:
How to Find Primary (and Secondary) Literature for your Project – Resources(opens in new window)
Library Information – Review the Library Tutorial from BIO 181 if you need a refresher. These will be very important skills in BIO 183 and in your future BIO courses.
- Background for Primary and Secondary Literature
- Search Strategies
- Search Tools
- Citations
- D. H. Hill Library(opens in new window) (main campus Brickyard) and Hunt Library(opens in new window) (Centennial Campus)
BIO 183 Lab Website Resources(opens in new window) to help you with Search for Primary Literature
Activity 3: Group Bacterial Project Discussion – Summer see information above
Unit 1 Lab 3: Summer –> May 24, 2022. Also see modified Cells Lab Webpage.
This Lab you will set up your semester long experiments AND work through the Cells and Microscope lab modified for summer.
Presenting Initial Review Paper Proposals with 1 Reference each
- We will spend a little time in lab sharing our ideas, and providing feedback to one another May 24.
- Each group will present their project topic with the group and explain why they chose this/these bacteria and treatment(s).
- In addition, each student should briefly present the primary journal article they found, title, author(s), how it related to the pathogen and discuss how they may use it in the project.
- As a group you should assess the feedback and incorporate appropriate comments/ideas into your Final Proposal.
- The Final Proposal for your Project is due by the start of the following lab period May 26th – see the yellow callout box below for a timeline for all Project related due dates).
- Your Final Proposal should include a complete list of all needed materials, supplies and bacteria to be used ASAP otherwise materials may not be in lab when you set up your experiments the following lab/week.
- The group should turn in 1 copy in Moodle including the names of all group members who contributed. Only 1 assignment per group can be turned in.
Everyone in the group needs to work on the project record data each time you come to lab and work in the google folder writing between labs throughout the semester. As you set up your experiments, you may find that you need to amend your Protocol. This is fine. Be sure to record all changes and additions in your Project Google folder.
Bacterial Project Due Dates: (these dates can also be found under the Summer Schedule 2022 webpage main heading)
- Introduce Project and Initial Idea Brainstorming – May 19th (Thu)
- Present/Critique Projects – May 24th (Tue)
- Turn in Written Project Proposal and References – May 26 (Thu)
- Written Project Paper Outline fleshed out with text – June 7 (Tue)
- First Whole Draft of Project Paper – June 14 (Tue)
- Final Paper and Presentation due in class – June 21 (Tue)
Helpful Resources – also refer to links on the Resources(opens in new window) main page
Library Tutorial (from BIO 181 Labs) Explains different types of Literature and how to Search for Primary and Secondary Literature and links to NCSU Library search tools.
Designing experiments – from Labwrite
See the Resources page for help with using and writing CBE/CSE in-text citations and writing References.
- Note the different between (in-text) Citations and References.
- Library Tutorial (from BIO 181 Labs) Explains different types of Literature and how to Search for Primary and Secondary Literature and links to NCSU Library search tools.
- Designing experiments – from Labwrite
- See the Resources page for help with using and writing CBE/CSE in-text citations and writing References.
- Note the different between (in-text) Citations and References.
Links for graphing help: (also on the Resources page)
- Lab Manual Appendix D – Using Excel (the same as in the back of your Bean Beetle lab manual)
- Lab Manual Appendix E – Understanding and Representing Data
Links for graphing help: (also on the Resources page)
- Lab Manual Appendix D – Using Excel (the same as in the back of your Bean Beetle lab manual)
- Lab Manual Appendix E – Understanding and Representing Data
- Note the different between (in-text) Citations and References.
This Lab you will set up your semester long experiments AND work through the Cells and Microscope lab modified for summer.
Ignore below for summer:
Ignore for summer –> Pertains to Spring 2022 semester — Due to the uncertainty of the pandemic during the Spring 2022 semester, students will work on and write a Group Review Paper (“library” research project) exploring a topic approved by your TA instead of working with Bean Beetles. Each group will need to set up a group Google Drive folder and share this with your TA. All group members should use the shared google drive folder to work on and record ALL information about your project throughout the semester.
During lab this week, each group should brainstorm ideas for the Group Review Paper and record all ideas on a Google doc before leaving lab. Each person in the group should write their own name and ideas indicating their participation in this group discussion. Your TA will meet with each group at least once helping you develop ideas before leaving lab.
*Tips for Writing a Review Paper*(opens in new window) – scroll down to see Choosing a Topic, What to Consider, and Structure of Your Review Paper.
Review Paper Structure/Format and Rubric (opens in new window)for your group paper. This is to help you get started with your proposal with an eye to the Final Paper.
[callout bodyfontface=”universroman” heading=”Assignment Details: Group Review Paper Proposal and References due Feb. 7-11.” headingicon=”noicon” textalign=”textcenter” url=”https://wordpress-projects.wolfware.ncsu.edu/bio-183-lab-yhnn8gz/wp-content/uploads/sites/74/2022/01/BIO-183-Final-Project-proposal_Sp22.pdf” target=”true” type=”basic” bgcolor=”huntyellow” margin=”normal”]The final version of your Group Proposal is due in your Google Folder and submitted in Moodle at the start of Lab May 26th. Click this box to download the components for this assignment.[/callout]
[callout bodyfontface=”universroman” heading=”Overview and Description of the Group Review Paper Semester Project” headingicon=”noicon” textalign=”textcenter” url=”https://wordpress-projects.wolfware.ncsu.edu/bio-183-lab-yhnn8gz/wp-content/uploads/sites/74/2022/01/BIO183L-ReviewPaperDescription_Sp22.pdf” target=”true” type=”basic” bgcolor=”pyromanflame” margin=”normal”]Project description and 5 Important Due dates for group work: see details in attached document and what is due next week below.[/callout]