Internal Assessment Background Research

Estimated completion time: 2 hours. Do not rush this task. You will need to include thoughtful, detailed and
accurate contextual information in your Internal Assessment. If you rush this task, you will be wasting your
time and need to complete it again anyway. Do a thorough, good job in the first place.

Before completing this task:

Be sure your project has been approved and is noted on this list. If you do not have an approved project, you
must first complete the problem question selection task.

You must do some background research from reliable, scientific resources. You are expected to include
scholarly research resources; writing based on original research or experimentation. Scholarly research is
usually published in research journals and is highly respected because the writing had to be peer-reviewed by
experts in the same field before publication. Some possible free, open access resources are:

● Directory of Open Access Journals ● Public Library of Science

● Google Scholar ● Science Direct
● Infotopia ● Wiley Online Library
● Medline ● OAIster
● National Science Digital Library ● WorldCat

You will need to provide citations for your background research, inclusive of in text citations and a works cited
list. This page provides a thorough overview of how to use MLA to cite your sources, including those from
articles, webpages and social media. You can also use tools such as the EasyBib citation generator.

Regarding Use of Generative AI Tools:

● Use AI to enhance, not supplant, your learning and your voice

● Cite uses of AI to preserve academic integrity. Click here to see how to cite generative AI tools.
● Take responsibility to ensure AI-assisted products are accurate, factual and aligned to the intended use
● Use critical thinking to examine the appropriate uses of AI

To complete your background research, create a document in which you address the following eight tasks.
The more thorough and detailed you are in your answers during this step, the easier the compilation of your
final paper will be!

1. Write your approved problem question.

For example: "how does distance from a space heater affect the rate of oxygen production during
photosynthesis as measured in Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) leaf discs?"

2. Personal Connection:
 ● Why did you pick this topic? *** Avoid saying things like, "I've always loved to garden..." It
comes across as inauthentic and artificial.
● What makes it interesting or relevant to you?
● How does the topic relate to "everyday life"
● The key here is to communicate how you are involved in the investigation, meaning you are
learning something or doing something that makes this investigation your own.

3. Biological Process(es) or Phenomena Being Investigated:

For example: photosynthesis
● What is the process being investigated in the investigation?
● Summarize the process being investigated. Consider including:
○ Where do the phenomena occur in nature?
○ When does it occur?
○ Why does it occur?
○ How does it occur?
○ How has the process been studied by biologists?

4. About the organism or biologically relevant molecule being studied:

(in order to "count" as a biology IA, there must be some biologically relevant structure or molecule!)
For example: Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
● What is the name of the biological organism or molecule you are investigating?
● What is the scientific name (Genus species) of the organism you are studying or from which
the molecule was isolated?
● Why is this organism/molecule good for investigating the biological process described above?

5. Manipulated Variable (or correlation variable #1):

For example: heat
● What variable is being manipulated in the investigation?
● What role does the variable play in the biological process being investigated?
● How can the variable be observed and recorded? (not looking for a procedure here, just
general info about ways to measures this variable)
● How has this variable been studied by biologists and in the past?

6. Responding Variable (or correlation variable #2):

For example: oxygen production
● What is being measured in the investigation?
● What role does the variable play in the biological process being investigated?
● How can the variable be observed and recorded? (not looking for a procedure here, just
general info about ways to measures this variable)
 ● How has this variable been studied by biologists and in the past?

7. Expectations:
For example: heat denatures enzymes involved in photosynthesis, so I'd expect increased heat to
reduce oxygen production.
● What is already known about the relationship between the variables?
● Why would these variables have a relationship?
● What have other similar investigations found?
● Given the research you have done, what is your hypothesis and/or prediction?

Works Cited List: create a MLA formatted works cited list with at least 5 reliable, scientific sources
included.

Please set the share settings of your document to “anyone with the link can edit.” This will allow Ms. von
Bargen to view and comment on your work.

What’s Next?
The next task, as we baby-step our way through the Internal Assessment, will be to propose your methods and
techniques, acquiring materials and beginning data collection.