GE1713

Culminating Activity: Synthesis Paper with Presentation

I. Introduction
This task will require each group to research, present, and make a stand on science and
technology issues that affect the Philippine society. The students will be assigned the following
topics to work on:
• Climate Change and the Energy Crisis
• Alternative Energy Resources
• Nanotechnology in the Philippines
• Genetically Modified Organisms and Food Supply in the Philippines
• Gene Therapy (Stem Cells)

II. Tasks
A. Synthesis Paper
A synthesis paper is similar to, but not as extensive as, a literature review in a full research
paper. It is a written discussion that integrates varied sources and relies on the student's
ability to infer relationships among sources. In an academic synthesis, relationships
inferred among separate reliable sources are made explicit (Dowell, n.d.). Since this paper
is based on two (2) or more sources, the group must be selective in choosing information
from each. Remember that the use of sources is to support the group's ideas and claims,
not the other way around.

In conducting and writing the research, the ability to synthesize past research and studies
demonstrates that the group have read the appropriate background information of the
chosen topic, and have used such information to generate ideas and hypotheses to be
tested.

The paper must have the following parts:

1. Title
The title must be designed to attract and pique the reader's interest in the paper.
Knowing the main idea of the paper can help generate a few words that would sum
up the main point as the title.

2. Abstract
This is a brief statement describing what the problem is about, the group's
approach, and a one-paragraph conclusion.

3. Approach
This section describes how the group went about in solving the problem or topic
assigned to them and answering the questions associated with the problem. Be
specific in assumptions made, supporting information, and the sources of
information. Lay out explicitly all calculations whenever they are used.

4. Conclusion/s
This section describes what the paper can and cannot do to answer the problem.
It identifies possible approaches to parts of the problem which cannot be
addressed by the paper. DO NOT summarize the paper (e.g., write a second
Abstract) in this section.

Sources must be properly documented using the APA format.

B. Presentation
The group must present the paper for their chosen issue in no more than 15 minutes during
the first session of Week 18. The presentation must be short but comprehensive.

09 Task Performance 1 * Property of STI

Page 1 of 2
 GE1713

Rubric for Group Presentation

Excellent Proficient Progressing Beginning
Criteria Score
(4) (3) (2) (1)
Speaker holds Speaker Speaker displayed Speaker was not able
the attention of consistently minimal eye to maintain eye
the audience uses direct eye contact and read contact as entire
and the panel contact, but still mostly from notes presentation was read
Eye contact
by maintaining returns to notes or the PowerPoint from notes or the /8
X2
eye contact; at times or the presentation itself. PowerPoint
seldom looks at PowerPoint presentation itself.
notes. presentation
itself.
Body Body movement There is little body No movement or
movement and gestures movement or gestures seen from
seems natural enhance descriptive the speaker or the
and fluid, and articulation of gestures. speaker moves too
does not the speaker. Speaker displays much, distracting the
Body distract the Speaker mild tension and audience from the
language audience. displays little or has trouble content of the
/8
and poise Speaker seems no tension; recovering from presentation.
(x 2) relaxed and makes minor mistakes.
makes no mistakes but Speaker has trouble
mistakes in the quickly recovers recovering from
discussion. from them. mistakes; tension and
nervousness are
obvious.
Speaker Speaker shows Speaker shows Speaker does not
demonstrates a occasional some negativity seem interested with
strong positive positive feelings toward the the topic being
Enthusiasm feeling about about the presentation. presented.
/12
(x 3) the research presentation.
during the
entire
presentation.
Speaker Speaker speaks Speaker's voice is Speaker is almost
speaks clearly clearly and most low and incorrectly inaudible and
and uses words were pronounces terms. mispronounces terms
Elocution correct and pronounced Audience have often.
/16
(x 4) precise correctly. Most difficulty hearing
pronunciation of the audience the speaker
of terms all the can hear the discuss.
time. speaker discuss.
Speaker Speaker can Speaker is Speaker does not
demonstrates a answer uncomfortable in show understanding
full questions of the addressing of the conducted
understanding audience with questions of the research and cannot
Subject of the research ease but without audience, and can answer questions
Knowledge by answering elaboration. only provide from the audience. /16
(x 4) questions with rudimentary
sufficient answers.
explanation
and
elaboration.

09 Task Performance 1 * Property of STI

Page 2 of 2
 GE1713

Speaker Speaker Speaker jumps Audience cannot

presents presents from one topic to understand the
information in a information in a another. presentation because
Organizatio
logical and logical manner there is no logical
n /16
interesting which the sequence of
(x 4)
manner which audience can information.
the audience follow.
can follow.
Speaker is Speaker seems Speaker is Speaker does not
completely pretty prepared somewhat seem prepared for the
Preparednes prepared and for the prepared but is presentation.
s has obviously presentation but clear that rehearsal /12
(x 3) rehearsed for might need a was lacking.
the couple of more
presentation. rehearsals.
Speaker stays Speaker stays Speaker stays on It is difficult to tell what
Stays on on topic all the on topic most topic with a small the point of the
Topic time. (90%-99%) of portion of the time presentation is. /12
(x 3) the time. of the presentation.

Total /100

Rubric for PowerPoint Presentation

Excellent Proficient Progressing Beginning
Criteria Score
(4) (3) (2) (1)
Presentation is Presentation is Text is sometimes Text is difficult to
visually appealing, visually attractive, hard to read, color read and layout is
text is easy to text is easy to and graphics disorderly and
read, has a clean read, colors sometimes confusing.
Visual
and simple layout, enhance distract reader
Design /8
and graphics readability, and from
(x 2)
enhance the graphics do not understanding the
meaning of the distract text.
text. understanding of
the text.
Presentation has Presentation has Presentation has Presentation has
no grammatical or 1-2 spelling and/or 3-4 spelling and/or more than 5
Mechanics
spelling errors. grammatical grammatical spelling and/or /8
(x 2)
errors. errors. grammatical
errors.

09 Task Performance 1 * Property of STI

Page 3 of 2
 GE1713

Rubric for Peer Evaluation

Peer Peer Evaluation Score = Student's Evaluation Score + Instructor's Evaluation

Evaluation Score /16
(Varied)
Please see sample computation below.
Total /120

To compute the Peer Evaluation Score of each student:

1. Get the Student's Evaluation Score by using the formula below:
𝐓𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞
𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 ′ 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞 = ( )×𝟒
𝐓𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞
where the Total Given Score is equal to the sum of all the evaluation score a student receives
from his/her peers, and
𝐓𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞 = (number of group members) × 35.
Ex.
In a group of four (4) students, a student receives the scores 20, 32, and 18
from his/her groupmates, while the student him/herself has a self-evaluated
score of 35.
Total Given Score
Students ′ Evaluation Score = ( )×4
Total Score
20 + 32 + 18 + 35
=( )×4
35 × 4
20 + 32 + 18 + 35
=( )×4
35 × 4
105
=( )×4
140
= (0.75) × 4
= 3.
Note: The Total given score must include the student's self-evaluation score. If the
computed score ends with a decimal, round it off to the nearest whole number. The
student's evaluation sheet is seen below:

Students' Evaluation

Write the name of each of your group members in each column below. For each person, indicate the extent
of your group mate's individual performance using the scale given (5 = strongly agree; 4 = mostly agree; 3 =
agree; 2 = mostly disagree; 1 = strongly disagree).
Group Group Group Group Group Group
Member: Member: Member: Member: Member: Member:
Evaluation Criteria
Yourself

Attends group
meetings
regularly
Punctuality
Always on time
during
meetings

09 Task Performance 1 * Property of STI

Page 4 of 2
 GE1713

Completes
assigned work
on time
Contributes
meaningfully
during group
Enthusiasm discussion
Prepares high-
quality work
Demonstrates
cooperation
and a
supportive
attitude
Teamwork
Readily gives
assistance to a
group mate in
need of
assistance
SUBTOTAL /35 /35 /35 /35 /35 /35

TOTAL SCORE

2. Compute for the Instructor's Evaluation Score for each student by using the rubric below:

Excellent Proficient Progressing Beginning

Criteria Score
(10-12) (7-9) (4-6) (1-3)
Student Student Student Student had
consistently displayed the displayed rarely difficulty
displayed the following most the following: displaying the
following: of the time: • taking mentioned
• taking • taking initiatives criteria.
initiatives initiatives and showing
and showing and showing reliability in
reliability in reliability in taking
taking taking responsibility Ex. 10
responsibility responsibility in group
in group in group work;
Participation
work; work; • showing on-
• showing on- • showing on- task
task task behavior;
behavior; behavior; and
and and • helping
• helping • helping maintain
maintain maintain group
group group cohesivenes
cohesivenes cohesivenes s all the
s all the s all the time.
time. time.

3. Compute the final Peer Evaluation Score using the formula below:

𝐏𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞 = 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 ′ 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 + 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 ′ 𝐬 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Ex.
Peer Evaluation Score = 3 + 10
Peer Evaluation Score = 13

09 Task Performance 1 * Property of STI

Page 5 of 2
 GE1713

References
Dowell, J. A. (n.d.). Introduction to syntheses. Retrieved from Michigan State University:
https://msu.edu/~jdowell/135/Synthesis.html
Gastaldo, R. A. (n.d.). Synthesis paper guidelines. Retrieved from Colby College:
https://www.colby.edu/academics_cs/courses/GE127/upload/GE127-Synthesis-Paper-
Guidelines.pdf

09 Task Performance 1 * Property of STI

Page 6 of 2