INTRODUCTION:

What’s going on in our world?

Hello my lovely scientists! The world we live in is always changing. New things are always
being discovered and created, and keeping up with these things is just as important as any other
form of news. You must up with the world around you!

THE TASK:
This assignment will be based upon finding current (within the last 10 years) articles related to
biology and coming up with a research question you would like to explore on the topic.

THE PROCESS:
The format should be a 1-2 paragraph (about 5 sentences each) summary IN YOUR OWN
WORDS of the article, then a research question based upon the article, and finally a brief plan of
how you would test this question.
1. This is a group project of 5 students each.
2. Each student will select one article that they like during the first class in the computer
lab. This will be done through credible sources. Try these websites!
https://www.sciencenews.org/
http://time.com/section/science/
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/latest-news
https://www.insidescience.org/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhpm7nK6B2gIVEK_ICh0ZKQnHEAAY
AiAAEgJGAfD_BwE
http://www.spacescoop.org/en/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhpm7nK6B2gIVEK_ICh0ZKQnHEAAY
BCAAEgIBQPD_BwE
3. The individual student will come up with a brief argument of WHY their article is
relevant (and awesome). Make sure one of these reasons why is WHERE your article was
collected from.
4. For individual homework write a summary of your article.
5. During the second class (return to the classroom) students will sit with their group and
discuss their articles
6. Vote on an article to work on (30 minutes)
7. And finally come up with a research question and steps to exploration of this question.
What are you turning in? ALL 5 summaries (identify which was chosen), one question and
explanation of research (per group), a works cited for all 5 sources.

EVALUATION
GRADING WILL BE INDIVIDUALLY

Begining Developing Accomplished Exemplary Score

1 2 3 4

The 1 selected
The 1 selected
The 1 selected article and the article
Credibility article was relevant
article was chosen by the
of Selected to the course and
relevant to the individual was
Article was from a credible
course relevant and
source
credible.
The summary
The summary
accurately
Summary included less than 3
reflected the The summary
grammatical/spelling
article, was included less than 8
errors and was
the correct grammatical/spelling
completely from a
length, and in errors.
3rd person point of
the student’s
view.
own words.
The question was
The question was
relevant to the
relevant to the
The question article and testable,
article and testable,
was relevant and was in a if/then,
Research and was in an
to the article cause/result, or
Question if/then, cause/result,
and testable before/after format
or before/after
and has never been
format
tested before
Describes how the
Includes an question will be
Explanation independent Identifies and has a answered (ex.
of Research variable, high test population Using a test) and
dependent size that is randomly does not use the
variable, and selected. word prove when
control. discussing the
results
 Citations are in
Citations are alphabetical order,
Works Citations have less
included for in MLA format, and
Cited than 3 errors
every source are indented
properly

EXAMPLE:
Tongue Eating Parasites
By: Myia Bradford
Summary:
This article is about how the host-specific parasite Cymothoa borbonica has been
affecting wild Trachinotus botla populations in the Sodwana Bay. This parasite is a
hermaphroditic tongue replacement isopod that enters the hosts gills and spends most of its life
in the host’s buccal cavity. It intercepts portions of its hosts food as it is ingested, thus altering
the hosts growth and development. In this study 369 Trachinotus botla were captured and
analyzed over one year. It was found that 45% of the fish were infected with Cymothoa
borbonica but there was no significant difference found between the infection rate of the male
and female fish (v2 = 0.30, df = 1, p >0.05). There was a significant difference in the female
(14.1-32.5 mm) and male (8.5-19.4 mm) parasite length (t test, t = 27.32; df = 234, p<0.01). It
was also found that parasite prevalence was higher amongst younger fish with smaller length (t
test, t = 0.31, df = 323, p = 0.76). The growth rates of the fish over one year of age infected were
found to be significantly lower than the fish that were not infected (ANCOVA, t = 2.88, df =
165, p<0.01). This was determined by significant differences in mass and length between the
two. The infected fish’s diet consisted largely of copepods while the uninfected consumed larger
crustaceans. This parasite allows the young host to proficiently feed while Cymothoa borbonica
develops and reproduces. Then the parasite exists the body once the fish is too large and
consumes too large and hard prey for the parasite to ingest.
Research Question:
Once the parasite Cymothoa borbonica develops, reproduces, and exits the buccal cavity
of Trachinotus botla does their development rate increase? The article summarized above found
that the growth rates of the fish over one year of age infected were found to be significantly
lower than the fish that were not infected. This was determined while the parasite was still
present in the buccal cavity of the fish. I am interested in analyzing the growth rate of the
infected fish after the parasite has exited their bodies. This would be done by examining infected
and uninfected fish in a controlled environment. I am suggesting to collect many (~500)
Trachinotus botla from the Sodwana Bay that are infected with the parasite and many (~500)
that are not, also include a group that naturally includes both. Feed these fish the same diets and
keep them in water with the same properties (temperature, salinity, light concentration, etc.).
Measure their growth in mass and length every week until they desiccate. Note at what point the
parasite leaves the body of the infected fish. Compare the data after the parasite exits to their
growth data while the parasite was present. Then compare this data to the weekly measurements
of the uninfected fish. Perform an ANCOVA test with the data to determine if there is a
significant difference in their growth rates.

Reference:
Parker, D., & Booth, A. J. (2013). The tongue-replacing isopod cymothoa borbonica reduces the growth
of largespot pompano trachinotus botla. Marine Biology, 160(11), 2943-2950.
http://search.proquest.com.mutex.gmu.edu/biologicalscience/docview/1444497164/fulltextPDF/EB7EF
CAD1694ADAPQ/1?accountid=14541

Cool video to watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBMK7C_HwI4

CONCLUSION:
BIO.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of
science by planning and conducting
investigations in which
b) hypotheses are formulated based on direct observations and information from scientific literature;
c)variables are defined and investigations are designed to test hypotheses;
f)sources of error inherent in experimental design are identified and discussed;
g) validity of data is determined;
i) appropriate technology including computers, graphing calculators, and probeware, is used for gathering
and analyzing data,
communicating results, modeling concepts, and simulating experimental conditions;
j) research utilizes scientific literature
Think about how this can be applied to other
subjects? Can you connect anything from the articles
researched to something you have learned in another
class?