BIOL 1011 Preliminary Research Proposal Assignment
Overview:
The purpose of this assignment is to get you started on organizing your ideas and narrowing
down what you want to study. At this point, you will need to begin reading scientific journal
articles that used fruit flies for research. This will give you the necessary background
information to develop your ideas, determine your methods, and start making a list of materials
you will need.
In two weeks, you will need to turn in a document that includes the following:
1. Research Question/Hypothesis. You need to clearly state the specific question you have
about Drosophila melanogaster. You should then restate this question as a hypothesis.
Look back at your Research Questions and Hypothesis Statements Journal Assignments. Is one
of your research questions particularly interesting to you? Your instructor will discuss this
question with you in lab to help you flesh out your idea, but you must come up with a question
to begin with!
2. Research Question Background. Write 1-2 paragraphs explaining how you decided on your
research question. You should think about things like: what have we read so far about fruit flies
that has caught your eye? Why did you choose one topic over another? Why do you think your
research question needs to be answered? What have other researchers already discovered on
this topic? Thinking about why you chose a particular research topic will be critical for writing
your Final Lab Report at the end of the semester. You should also state your expected results.
What do you think will happen in your experiment?
3. Methods Outline. Write 1-2 paragraphs outlining how you think you will carry out your
experiment (i.e., your research methods). You should consider and include your sample size,
number of replications, dependent, independent, and standardized variables, and any other
important details of how you will conduct your experiment(s). You should also consider your
project timeline. You will have ~4 weeks to complete your experiment(s). What will you need to
do each week to complete your project?
4. Materials List. Make a preliminary list of materials you will need for your project. This is a key
component, as it allows your instructor to help you determine if your methods are feasible.
Remember that you will need to consider supplies for keeping the flies alive, as well as any
supplies for conducting your experiment.
5. Relevant Journal Article(s). Include at least one reference from the primary scientific
literature that you think will be useful for your specific research project and explain why. In
other words, you must read the paper and write one paragraph that explains what the
researchers discovered and how it relates to what you want to study. You must download a pdf
copy of the journal article and submit it on Blackboard along with this assignment.
Rubric for Preliminary Research Proposal Assignment:
This rubric lists the criteria used to determine your grade for this assignment. Total points
possible = 20. Check to make sure that you are not missing any necessary items in your
assignment before you submit it!
Criteria
Proficient
Competent
Poor
Research
Question &
Hypothesis
3 to 4 points
Research question and
hypothesis clearly
stated.
1 to 2.9 points
Missing research
question or hypothesis
or research question
and hypothesis
present but not clearly
written.
0 to 0 points
No research question
and no hypothesis
stated.
Research
Question
Background
3 to 4 points
Includes a clear
explanation of why the
research question was
selected, along with
sufficient, relevant
biological information.
Includes a clear
statement of the
expected results (i.e.,
what you think will
happen in the
experiment).
1 to 2.9 points
Explanation of why
the research question
was selected is
unclear. Sufficient,
relevant biological
information is unclear.
Expected results (i.e.,
what you think will
happen in the
experiment) present
but unclear.
0 to 0 points
Does not explain why
the research question
was selected and/or
does not include
relevant biological
information. Does not
include a statement of
the expected results
(i.e., what you think
will happen in the
experiment).
Methods
Outline
3 to 4 points
Experimental design
clearly explained and
will answer the
research question.
Clear independent,
dependent, and
standardized variables.
Timeline present and
adequate.
1 to 2.9 points
Experimental design
not clearly explained
and/or will not answer
the research question.
Independent,
dependent, and
standardized variables
unclear. Timeline
inadequate or unclear.
0 to 0 points
Experimental design
not included.
Independent,
dependent, and
standardized variables
are not included.
Timeline not present.
Materials
List
3 to 4 points
Materials list is detailed
and uses the correct
names for supplies and
equipment. Materials
list accounts for all fruit
fly rearing conditions.
1 to 2.9 points
Materials list is not
detailed and/or does
not use the correct
names for supplies
and equipment.
Materials list does not
account for all fruit fly
rearing conditions.
0 to 0 points
Materials list is not
included.
Relevant
Journal
Article
3 to 4 points
Paragraph clearly
explains what the
journal article is about
and why it is relevant
to the research
question. Journal
article is attached to
the assignment.
1 to 2.9 points
Journal article is
attached to the
assignment but does
not appear relevant
and/or its relevance is
not clearly explained.
0 to 0 points
No journal article
included.

Purchase answer to see full
attachment