Chapter 1: Introduction

Genetic engineering is the process of manually adding new DNA to an organism. The goal is
to add one or more new traits that are not already found in that organism (Golick, 2005). It
has brings one of the most controversial ideas of all time. Genetic engineering is a division of
biotechnology. It is something that one encounters in their everyday life, but at the same time
it's hard to understand what a genetically engineered product is, and what effects it could
have on your life. In the 21st century, genetic engineering is a powerful and potentially very
dangerous tool. To alter the sequence of nucleotides of the DNA that code for the structure of
a complex living organism, can have extremely ill effects although the potential benefits can
be huge. Genetic engineering, or genetic modification, is a faster way to produce new
varieties than selective breeding. It involves the artificial transfer of selected genes from one
living organism to another living organism, which need not be of the same species.
Transferring genes in this way can produce genetically modified organisms with different
characteristics.In a genetic engineering programme, certain features of a plant or animal will
be selected. For example, genes allowing resistance to herbicides, frost damage or disease
may be transferred to crop plants. 

The advantage of genetic engineering is it can protect us against a lot of diseases. We will
soon be able to solve sterility and help lots of people. There are more and more sterile men
and women who hope that sterility will be treated. We can already practise in vitro
multiplications but it would be better if people didn’t need them. In addition, genetic
engineering can remove hereditary diseases by replacing diseased genes with normal ones,
which would save a lot of lives. It also helps improve the animal and vegetable world too.
Indeed, we will be able to provide food for the world population by making edible plants
more effectively and by increasing the production of milk for instance. Endangered species
are likely to be saved from extinction thanks to cloning. Thanks to the use of DNA, we will
be able to solve criminal cases of rape and such like. (Aurélie Colas, 2001)

1.1 Problem statement

Genetic engineering has become most controversial issues nowadays. Therefore, it is
very important for everyone to have knowledge about genetic engineering in order for
them to develop attitude about the application of genetic engineering. In this 21 st century,
people knowledge on genetic engineering is still limited. Based on the theory of decision
 making, it is very important to access people’s knowledge or awareness on biotechnology
(Kelly, 1995). From the research by Bal S., Samanci N.K. and Bozkurt O. (2007), the
finding show that the students still do not have sufficient knowledge about genetic
engineering. Meanwhile, the study on genetic engineering should be dealt more depth
especially related to ethical issues of biotechnology applications. According to the
researchers also, by gaining a comprehensive view of the field namely being aware of its
advantages and limitation will enable students to make an informed decision on those
issues (Tamby Subahan et al, 2012). Besides, the finding of a study by conducted in
Klang also shown that the knowledge and awareness on modern biotechnology in that
region were still moderate (Latifah et al, 2011). According to these researches, it shows
that the increasing level of knowledge about genetic engineering, their risk and perception
and suspicion about this need to be focus on. Therefore, students who will individually
take responsibility about social decisions in the future need to be trained to have sufficient
knowledge about genetic engineering not only for school level but also in the social level
(Moses, 2003).
From the past study shows that students still do not have sufficient knowledge about
genetic engineering which leads to their attitude towards this. Meaning that genetic
education still does not focus enough on genetic engineering and its implication. Besides,
students also have less information and do no really about this issue. Therefore, this study
will be conducted to investigate students’ knowledge and attitude toward genetic
engineering and also to find out the dimensions of students’ attitude on this issue.

1.2 Research objectives

The objectives of this study are:
- To identify students’ knowledge of understanding on genetic engineering. (interview)
- To identify students’ attitude on genetic engineering. (interview & questionnaire)
- To find out the dimension of students’ attitude on genetic engineering. (questionnaire)

1.3 Research questions

The questions that will be drawn for this research are:
- What is the students’ knowledge on genetic engineering?
- What are the students’ attitudes on genetic engineering?
- What are the dimensions of students’ attitude on genetic engineering?
1.4 Research significant
The research is conduct to investigate university students’ knowledge and attitude
about genetic engineering. According to my literature review, I found that the research
about this in our country is only a few. Since this research will gain a whole view of
genetic engineering focusing on it advantages and disadvantages, the finding could enable
the students to make an informed decision on issues related to genetic engineering.
Besides, it also could help to change students’ attitude on genetic engineering since this
genetic engineering is very a big issue in our society nowadays. This research also would
create awareness to all science lecturers on the importance of this topic. Therefore, to
make the teaching of genetic engineering more meaningful and more effective, lecturer
should concern about teaching method and strategies. Based on the finding of the research
also hopes that the Ministry of Education to make more focus of genetic engineering with
regard to how importance of this topic in the science subject to our students by restructure
the curriculum to containing more application and implications in variety field of genetic
engineering. Lastly, the parents also will take serious about genetic engineering in
ensuring their child aware about the issues.

1.5 Limitation
There are some limitations need to be face in carry out this research. Firstly, the
limitations face is the time management in completing this research whereas the less time
will lead to the chosen sample size is smaller. Besides, the lack of time also lead to the
development instrument of the research with lack of quality. Thus, it will affect the
research finding. The last limitation is the finance constraints that need to be face in
developing instrument of this research. Besides, the budget constraint also faced in
reaching the participants to collect data of this research. This limitation may also affect
the finding.

1.6 Definition of Term

1.6.1 Students

According to Merriam-Webster (2015) students is a person who attends a school, college,

or university. In the context of this study the students is referred to university students from
Faculty of Education in UiTM Shah Alam Selangor.
 1.6.2 Genetic Engineering

Genetic engineering is the process of manually adding new DNA to an organism. The
goal is to add one or more new traits that are not already found in that organism (Magalhães,
2012). In this context of research, genetic engineering will be covered about the knowledge
and attitude of the students.

1.6.3 Knowledge

According to Merriam-Webster (2007) knowledge is define by the person have

information or being aware of about something. Meanwhile the knowledge is this context of
research is referred to the students’ have information or being familiar with genetic
engineering in term of the application, effect and basic understanding about the genetic
engineering.

1.6.4 Attitude

– a feeling or opinion about something or someone, or a way of behaving that is

caused by this

– Students’ feeling or opinion about the application, implication and ethical

issue of genetic engineering.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

2.1 Introduction
This literature approach will expose several previous study and article on genetic
engineering and biotechnology. According to the finding of the studies, it shows that
knowledge and attitude about genetic engineering is still not sufficient.
2.2 Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering is the process of manually adding new DNA to an organism. The goal is
to add one or more new traits that are not already found in that organism (Golick, 2005). It has
brings one of the most controversial ideas of all time. Genetic engineering is a division of
biotechnology. It is something that one encounters in their everyday life, but at the same time
it's hard to understand what a genetically engineered product is, and what effects it could have
on your life. In the 21st century, genetic engineering is a powerful and potentially very
 dangerous tool. To alter the sequence of nucleotides of the DNA that code for the structure of a
complex living organism, can have extremely ill effects although the potential benefits can be
huge. Genetic engineering, or genetic modification, is a faster way to produce new varieties than
selective breeding. It involves the artificial transfer of selected genes from one living organism to
another living organism, which need not be of the same species. Transferring genes in this way
can produce genetically modified organisms with different characteristics. In a genetic
engineering programme, certain features of a plant or animal will be selected.

2.2.1 Application
The application of genetic engineering has been wider throughout the year. It
has been used variety of field which are medicine, agriculture, industrial,
animal husbandry et cetera (Elissa, 2015).
2.2.2 Pro and cons
 Genetic engineering certainly has some risks that have been raising eyebrows
of critics around the world. This genetic engineering has brings both
advantages and disadvantages of its application. The potential to
simultaneously do great help and great harm has made biotechnology and
genetic engineering as one of the most important science policy issues of our
time (Simon, 2000). In order to better understand the effects of genetic
engineering in all types of organisms you have to examine both the good and
bad things that it offers.

2.2.3 Knowledge and attitude towards genetic engineering

Chapter 3: Research Methodology

3.0 Introduction
This chapter will be explaining further about the research design, methods and
instruments used and how the data of this research will analysed.

3.1 Research design

This research will use a non-experimental research which is the survey research. This
type of research methodology used will collect the data directly from a group of sample.
 Therefore, I will only use one group of subject in collecting the data needed. The reason
why I choose survey research is because it suitable according to my objectives for this
research. Survey research is used to answer numerous types of research questions
regarding issues from variety perspectives (Piaw, 2012). Therefore, it very suitable to use
for my research since my main objective of this research is to gather the opinions and
views of students on genetic engineering issues.

3.2 Instrument
The instrument that will be used in this research are questionnaire, interview and paper
and pencil test. The survey questionnaire consists of 43 itmes
3.3 Population and sampling
The population of this research are students from Faculty of Education in University
Technology MARA (UiTM) in Shah Alam. The population choose is due to my
observation that most of the students still do not really have enough information about
genetic engineering issues. Therefore, they had been chosen in my research in other to
identify whether my prediction through my observation is correct or not.
3.3.1 Sampling
The sample size will be chosen by using Krejcie and Morgan technique of
sampling. The method of sampling used in this research is the probability
sampling which is the stratified sampling procedure. The stratified sampling
procedure can be used if the subjects are not homogenous where they are
from different race, gender and other (Piaw, 2012). This is why I choose
stratified sampling in my research since my subjects are heterogeneous
according to their different gender. Besides, this type of sampling also used
because
3.3.2