Question Description
Assignment 1: Biotechnology Article
Due Week 3 and worth 80 points
Assignment 1 is the first phase of a project that you will complete, in stages, during the term. You will
begin by selecting a specific biotechnology that you would like to cover through the entire project. It can
be an established technology, such as genetically-modified crops, or an emerging technology, such as
CRISPR. The choice of biotechnology is up to you, but consider selecting something that relates to your
major, career, or personal interests.
CRJ students might consider an established or an emerging biotechnology for crime scene investigation.
BUS students might consider a technology that will provide an opportunity to explore bringing new biotech
products and services to market or the ethical considerations around marketing biotech to consumers.
Choose one magazine or newspaper article that covers the specific technology that you will use
throughout the project. It must be a recent article (no more than four years old). For instance, if you
choose genetically-modified crops as your biotechnology, then you would need to select one recent
article about genetically-modified crops for this assignment.
Some biotechnologies that you may want to consider include:
? Genetically modified crop plants
? Genetically modified microorganisms (such as yeasts and bacteria for industry)
? Genetically modified animals
? Personal genomics for humans (also called personalized medicine or precision medicine)
? Gene therapy
? CRISPR
? Emerging forensic uses of DNA (such as facial prediction)
? Databases for DNA fingerprinting
Write a one to two (12) page paper in which you:
1. Summarize the article in one (1) or more paragraphs, using your own words. Be sure to identify
the article using an in-text citation in the body of the paper, as well as a reference in the reference
section.
2. Identify which biological concepts from the course and / or text are relevant to the topic covered in
the article. Citing the course text, discuss the ways in which this course does (or doesnt) provide
background information to help you understand the article and the larger issues surrounding it.
3. Explain why the article caught your attention. Relate the article to your life and to issues that are
important to you. Discuss how or if the scientific knowledge about the topic covered in the
article affects you directly or indirectly.
4. Discuss your opinion on how research on this topic should be funded. State whether you think
taxpayer monies should support research on this topic or whether such research in this area
should be funded by the private sector. Rate the importance of research on this topic, relative to
other areas of research.
In addition to the target article, you should use at least one (1) additional resource, such as your
textbook or another article. Remember: an edited version of this assignment is going to be part of the
larger paper that you write at the completion of the project.
You must have a reference section which contains an SWS reference to your chosen article and all other
sources, if any. Additionally, you must provide in-text citations (in SWS format) to your references at
appropriate places in the body of the text. Integrate all sources into your paper using proper techniques of
quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing, along with your in-text citations. Double-space your paper. Use
standard margins and fonts. Also, follow any additional formatting instructions provided by your instructor.
A large portion of the grading of this assignment is based upon the coherence, depth, and accuracy of
your writing.
Objectives evaluated by this assessment:
1. Categorize a wide range of organisms, from single-celled to multi-celled organisms.
2. Describe how organisms acquire and utilize both energy and material.
3. Describe the cell cycle, cell reproduction, and control.
4. Investigate DNA and gene expression as well as technologies based on our understanding of
them.
5. Discuss interactions between organisms in ecosystems.
