Trace the Scientific Method in a Primary Scientific Article
Trace the Scientific Method in" rel="nofollow">in a Primary Scientific Article
Addresses course outcomes 1 and 4:
recognize and explain" rel="nofollow">in how the scientific method is used to solve problems
weigh evidence and make decisions based on strengths and limitations of scientific knowledge and the scientific method
Before startin" rel="nofollow">ing this assignment you might want to revisit the Scientific Method Tutorial in" rel="nofollow">in the Science Learnin" rel="nofollow">ing Center under the Content area.
Researchers recently in" rel="nofollow">investigated whether or not coffee prevented the development of high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) in" rel="nofollow">in laboratory mice. The mice used in" rel="nofollow">in this
experiment have a mutation that makes them become diabetic. Read about this research study in" rel="nofollow">in this article published on the Science Daily web-site New Evidence That
Drin" rel="nofollow">inkin" rel="nofollow">ing Coffee May Reduce the Risk of Diabetes as well as the followin" rel="nofollow">ing summary:
A group of 11 mice was given water, and another group of 10 mice was supplied with diluted black coffee (coffee:water 1:1) as drin" rel="nofollow">inkin" rel="nofollow">ing fluids for five weeks. The
composition of the diets and livin" rel="nofollow">ing conditions were similar for both groups of mice. Blood glucose was monitored weekly for all mice. After five weeks, there was no
change in" rel="nofollow">in average body weight between groups. Results in" rel="nofollow">indicated that blood glucose concentrations in" rel="nofollow">increased significantly in" rel="nofollow">in the mice that drank water compared with
those that were supplied with coffee. Fin" rel="nofollow">inally, blood glucose concentration in" rel="nofollow">in the coffee group exhibited a 30 percent decrease compared with that in" rel="nofollow">in the water group.
In the origin" rel="nofollow">inal paper, the in" rel="nofollow">investigators acknowledged that the coffee for the experiment was supplied as a gift from a corporation.
Then answer the followin" rel="nofollow">ing questions in" rel="nofollow">in your own words:
1. Identify and describe the steps of the scientific method. Which observations do you thin" rel="nofollow">ink the scientists made leadin" rel="nofollow">ing up to this research study? Given your
understandin" rel="nofollow">ing of the experimental design, formulate a specific hypothesis that is bein" rel="nofollow">ing tested in" rel="nofollow">in this experiment. Describe the experimental design in" rel="nofollow">includin" rel="nofollow">ing control
and treatment group(s), and dependent and in" rel="nofollow">independent variables. Summarize the results and the conclusion.
2. Criticize the research described. Thin" rel="nofollow">ings to consider: Were the test subjects and treatments relevant and appropriate? Was the sample size large enough? Were the
methods used appropriate? Can you thin" rel="nofollow">ink of a potential bias in" rel="nofollow">in a research study like this? What are the limitations of the conclusions made in" rel="nofollow">in this research study?
Address at least two of these questions in" rel="nofollow">in your critique of the research study.
3. Discuss the relevance of this type of research, both for the world in" rel="nofollow">in general and for you personally.
4. Write answers in" rel="nofollow">in your own words with proper grammar and spellin" rel="nofollow">ing .
5. Your work should be approximately 300 - 400 words, double-spaced. All of your references should be in" rel="nofollow">in APA format.
The origin" rel="nofollow">inal peer-reviewed research article that the above Science Daily article discusses can be found in" rel="nofollow">in the Content area. You may want to look at the peer-reviewed
scholarly article for more detail (not required).
* Yamauchi et al. (2010). Coffee and caffein" rel="nofollow">ine ameliorate hyperglycemia, fatty liver, and in" rel="nofollow">inflammatory adipocytokin" rel="nofollow">ine expression in" rel="nofollow">in spontaneously diabetic KK-Ay mice.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 58 (9), 5597-5603. May 12, PMID: 20405946, ISSN: 1520-5118.