Assessment Details

Choosing your Topic

The assessment for Competency 7 consists of a research paper on a heredity topic of your choice that has been pre-approved by the instructor .

The topic that you pick should be something that was covered during this class. This would include topics such as:

• Inherited diseases (e.g., cystic fibrosis, muscular • PCR

dystrophy, Huntington’s disease, Marfan • Genomics
syndrome, sickle cell anemia) • Epigenetics
• Chromosomal defects (e.g., Down syndrome, • Modifying DNA
Turner syndrome, Cri du Chat syndrome) • Monitoring DNA
• Stem Cell Research/Advances • Genetic testing
• Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) • Genetic treatments
• CRISPR • DNA profiling
• Genetic engineering • Evolution
• Biotechnology
• Natural selection
• Human ancestry
Structuring the Paper

The paper should consist primarily of 7 to 10 pages of main body text that is well written (college level). Pay close attention to basics like grammar and
spelling. One reason for doing a research paper is to provide you with experience putting together a quality product. The formatting of the text (and the
literature cited) should be consistent. Also, note that a research paper is normally written in the third person. Do not use I, me, mine, you, we, etc.

Title section: The paper should have a title section. Normally this would be a separate page; however, for the sake of conserving paper, you can put it at
the top of the first page of your paper. Include the title of the paper, your full name, and the name of the class.

Introduction: Organize the paper by starting out with an introduction/background of your topic. This could include stating why the topic is important, how
long it has been studied, and other things of that nature.

Current studies: Then you should delve into the specific aspects of your topic, such as what kinds of studies are currently being done and how they affect
your topic.

Conclusion/future outlook: Finally, you should finish the main portion of the paper with your thoughts on the future of the topic. This could include
potential research, advancements in relevant technology, and how these things will likely affect the topic.

References: The reference (literature cited) section is typically organized either alphabetically by authors’ last names or numerically by the order in which
you referenced the material in your paper. It should also include things like the title, year, and journal information (issue, page range, etc.).

Information About References

In-text citations: Throughout the body of the paper, you should include scientific references when you have gathered information from an outside source.
You will need to use your critical thinking skills to identify websites and other sources that are scientifically valid versus those that are not. Put these
citations in parenthesis at the end of the sentence that references the source. An example would be:

The tests were done by a newly developed PCR method (Smith, 2020).

It is very important to give credit where it is due and to not quote word-for-word from the paper you are citing. You should not quote. You should be able
to read the information from the source, analyze it, and then put it into your own words. Doing so demonstrates that you understand what is being said.

Reference section citations: A book reference should include the publisher. If you reference a web page, include the URL that the information is pulled
from—not just the main page of a large site. Give the author’s name (if available), the URL, the title, the date accessed, and the date of the last update (if
available). Reference the web page in the text so that it is very clear to the reader which item in the reference section belongs to it. This research paper
should have at least 6 good references published within the last 5 years, with 1 of the references being a current scientific journal article (although
T of these can now be found on the web as well, which is OK).
most

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For more on citations and references, take a look at the Purdue Online Writing Lab linked below. I especially recommend the APA format information.
i
• In-Text Citations: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/02/L
s • Reference Lists: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/06/L
i
Format
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Your response should use: nk
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i •• 2.0 spacing (or 1.5 if you prefer)
12-point Times New Roman font s
t • 1-inch margins
e • APA format for the in-text citations and reference section t
Evaluation to
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Airubric for this assignment is located below the instructions.

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Submission
a
an
n are encouraged to submit assessments as you complete them. Feedback provided by your instructor is often helpful as you complete future
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n time, you may experience a delay in grading turnaround time.
assessments. Please know, if you choose to submit multiple assessments at the same

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comp07-Research Paper
R xt
comp07-Researcht e Paper
ul er Ratin
i Criteria Pts
rn gs
bnStructure na
k
10 to >8.0 pts al
reCompletely Meets 8 to >2.0 pts l
d Partially Meets Expectations 2 to >0 pts
Expectations s
Format is partially followed Does Not Meet 10 p
iFormat is completely followed s i
according to the directions Expectations ts
taccording to the directions
i
provided including sections,
t Fails to follow
coprovided including sections, t e and not
number of pages, font, directions.
number of pages, font, and not
quoting. e.
aquoting.
.
Introduction/Background
L 2 to >0 pts
10 to >8.0 pts 8 to >2.0 pts
eCompletely Meets Does Not Meet
Partially Meets
aExpectations Expectations
Expectations
Does not effectively 10 p
rClearly introduces the topic. Clearly introduces the
introduce the topic and/or ts
nEffectively ties the topic to topic. Loosely ties the tie the topic to the
the
i competency The history topic to the competency competency Does not
of the issue is robustly and The history of the issue is
n adequately address the
accurately described. decently described.
g history of the topic.

O
u
t
c
o
m
e
T Ratin
Criteria Pts
gs
h
iImportance of Topic
10
s to >8.0 pts 8 to >2.0 pts 2 to >0 pts
Completely Meets Partially Meets Does Not Meet
Expectations Expectations Expectations 10 p
cClearly and correctly Generally describes the Does not clearly and ts
rdescribes the importance of importance of the topic to correctly describe the
ithe topic to the overall field the overall field of importance of the topic to the
tof heredity. heredity. overall field of heredity.
eCurrent Studies
r 8 to >2.0 pts
10 to >8.0 pts
i Partially Meets 2 to >0 pts
Completely Meets
oExpectations Expectations Does Not Meet
nStudies selected are not more Most of the studies selected Expectations
are not more than 5 years old Mostly uses old
than 5 years old Thoroughly 10 p
Generally describes why the references Does not
idescribes why the studies are ts
studies are important and adequately describe the
important
s and relevant to the
relevant to the topic The studies or relate them to
topic It is clear the individual
individual is mostly the topic Does not
is synthesizing the literature
l synthesizing the literature provide additional ideas
and adding their own
ithoughts and ideas. and adding their own about the studies.
n thoughts and ideas.
kFuture Outlook
10
e to >8.0 pts 8 to >2.0 pts
Completely
d Meets Partially Meets Expectations 2 to >0 pts
Expectations Provides adequate ideas about Does Not Meet
Provides important ideas possible future scientific Expectations
t
about possible future information that will affect the Limited ideas 10 p
oscientific information that will topic and what can be concerning what can ts
affect the topic and what can accomplished with further happen in this field in
abe accomplished with further studies on the topic. the future. Fails to
studies on the topic. Clearly Somewhat addresses how identify future
explains how society benefits society benefits from further importance of topic
L
from
e further research. research.
aWriting Level
r10 to >8.0 pts 8 to >2.0 pts 2 to >0 pts
Completely
n Meets Partially Meets Does Not Meet
Expectations Expectations Expectations
i 10 p
Complete sentences. Few Generally uses complete Does not use complete
nerrors in grammar, ts
sentences. Some limited sentences. Many errors in
gspelling, and punctuation. errors in grammar, spelling, grammar, spelling, and
Literature cited is and punctuation. Literature punctuation. Literature cited
consistent.
O cited is mostly consistent. is not consistent.
uSources 10 p
t10 to >8.0 pts 8 to >2.0 pts 2 to >0 pts ts
c
o
m
e
 Ratin
Criteria Pts
gs
Partially Meets
Completely Meets Does Not Meet
Expectations
Expectations Expectations
Paper draws on less than 8
Paper draws on 8-14 Does not provide valid
academic resources that are
academic resources that are scientific sources.
mostly appropriate and
appropriate and relevant to Sources are not relevant
somewhat relevant to the
the topic selected, with at to the topic. Does not
topic selected, with at least 4
least 6 of them published provide enough current
of them published within the
within the last 5 years. sources.
last 5 years.
Total Points: 70