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BIO 497: Senior Seminar in Biology: Research Proposal Writing

Deliverables

Writing the research proposal is more difficult than an average college level paper, but hey, you have had lots of practice by now, so you can do this! The trick is to not procrastinate, to spend some time in the library doing the literature review and locating the right sources, to ask for help when you feel stuck, and to keep moving forward, each and every week. If you procrastinate or turn in less than acceptable work, falling off the horse (so to speak) and missing deadlines can sink your proposal at the starting gate!

Proposal Guidelines: See your syllabus for more information.You will need a minimum of ten (10) citations, eight (8) of which must be primary sources, and two (2) of which can be secondary sources. No textbooks allowed

You will prepare a poster that serves as an overview of your research proposal. You will present this poster to the class during final exam week. Your poster will be evaluated on visual presentation (20%), content and organization (60%), and your oral presentation with Q&A from the audience. Your poster will be  created and presented in electronic format.

Guidelines for Posters:

  • Eye Catching
  • Readable from ~4 feet
    • Use a simple font of appropriate size and line spacing
    • Make use of white space
  • Include ESSENTIAL facts and features or research proposal
  • Use Flow Charts where possible, especially in Methods and Techniques
  • Judicious use of Diagrams, Tables, Figures, all labeled correctly
  • Use bulleted (short and clear) points of information -- wordiness should be avoided
  • References as appropriate, (no more than 10)