Assignment 3: Protocol (first submission)

You will use the following template for your protocol:

BIOL205_Lab03_Assignment3.Rmd (3 KB)

You will need to submit 2 files for this assignment:

  • Updated Protocol as .Rmd
  • Updated Protocol as .pdf

See Canvas for assignment due dates.

For this assignment you will submit a protocol with an established a priori hypothesis, experimental design, and plan for presenting and analyzing your data. This will be marked before the experiment implementation phase and TA feedback incorporated into the project as needed. Creating a detailed, thorough plan for your research often takes as much time as running the experiment and collecting and analyzing your data. The more you plan, including anticipating potential problems, the easier the implementation!

Your protocol will be comprised of the following sections:

  • Abstract
  • Data availability
  • Introduction
  • Methods
  • References

Protocols don’t often have an abstract. But being able to write a concise synopsis of what’s to come is a critical skill in academic writing. So we’re going to take advantage of the opportunity to practice by requiring one for this assignment!

Your data availability statement should be a proposed statement. Something like ‘Data will be made available…’.

You will receive your marked protocol one week from the time it is submitted. If you have any questions regarding your mark and / or the comments from your TA please ensure you take the opportunity to chat with your TA to go over these. This will ensure that you are in the best position to attain the highest marks possible for this assignment.

Tips for Preparing a Protocol

  • Read a lot! It is important that you have a thorough understanding of the topic. At the very least you should have at least 3 primary source papers you are referring too throughout your report.
  • Discuss your ideas with other students (not just your partner). Get a feel for what everyone else is doing and the depth they are working in.
  • Start writing early! Students often make the mistake of starting the night before the report is due. This more than not results in poor submissions and thus lower grades. You should expect that you will have at least 3 rounds of revisions before you submit.
  • Someone reading your report should be able to tell what question(s) you will address, why the topic is interesting and/or important, how you will approach the problem, the types of data you will collect, and how your research will advance the field.