Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Instructors:
Dr. Renate Snider
Office: 22 Natural Science
E-mail: sniderr@msu.edu
Office hours: by appointment
Amy Michael: TA for section 001
E-mail: michae76@msu.edu
Office hours: by appointment
Josh Burbank: TA for section 002
E-mail: burbankj@msu.edu
Office hours: by appointment
Shannon Niceley: TA for section 003
E-mail: niceleys@msu.edu
Office hours: by appointment
Course objective: The main objectives are to give you an understanding of the principles and specifics
of research in the health sciences and the conventions of formal scientific writing. You will be asked to
write three review papers, in which you will discuss published scientific research. The TOPICS of your
papers are chosen by YOU.
Expectations:
Outline for Review 1: The main purpose of an outline is to organize your thoughts and place the facts
and ideas you want to discuss in logical order, keeping in mind what an interested and educated
audience might expect.
Review 1: Four pages minimum, based on at least three primary publications, about any topic that
inspires you. Include printouts of the primary papers you discussed in your text. Keep your instructorannotated copy of Review 1! It will be one of the components of your final portfolio.
Review 2: Six pages minimum, incorporating at least five primary publications, about a topic that differs
from that of Review 1. Again, printouts of the primary publications discussed in your text must be
submitted together with your Review 2. Keep your instructor-annotated copy of Review 2! It will be one
of the components of your final portfolio.
Review 3: Eight pages minimum, based on at least eight primary publications, about yet another topic of
your choice. The final Review should be presented in a Final Portfolio that contains: Reviews 1 and 2
with instructors annotations (do not include the primaries used for Reviews 1 and 2); Review 3; and
printouts of the primary publications you discussed in Review 3.
Presentation: In the second half of the semester, you will give a Powerpoint presentation to the class,
either about one of the topics you wrote about, or about something new that you find interesting. Use
visuals wisely. Tell a good, in-depth story!
Penalties for late submission of assignments: per day, 10% of points that can be earned.
Week 2
Jan 19, 21
Week 3
Jan 26, 28
Week 4
Feb 2, 4
Week 5
Feb 9, 11
Week 6
Feb 16, 18
Feb 9 and 11: Some principles and details of good scientific writing.
Feb 16: Powerpoint presentations: what to do and what not to do (a
Powerpoint presentation by Shannon Niceley).
Feb 18: Deadline for Review 1: Bring it to class. Remember to
include full printouts of the primary articles you discussed in your
text.
Feb 18: Deadline for bonus critiques of the texts distributed Feb 2
(bring your critiques [printed!] to class).
More about good writing.
Discussion of the bonus papers.
Week 7
Feb 23, 25
Week 8
Mar 1, 3
Week 9
Mar 8, 10
Week 10
Mar 15, 17
Week 11
Mar 22, 24
Week 12
Mar 29, 31
Week 13
Apr 5, 7
Week 14
Apr 12, 14
Week 15
Apr 19, 21
Week 16
Apr 26, 28
Week 17
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR FINALS!
EXAMPLES of topics you may want to read, think, and write about:
Environmental issues, as long as you relate them clearly to human health concerns
Tourette syndrome
Tay-Sachs disease
Parasitic diseases (lots of good stuff, from swimmers itch to malaria)
Depression, panic disorder, schizophrenia, other mental disorders
Autoimmune diseases
Rheumatoid arthritis
Cancer (choose a specific type!)
Gingivitis, other oral health issues
Cochlear implants
Infertility, abortion, menopause, hormonal treatments
Vascular and heart diseases
Acute childhood leukemia
Bodybuilding and steroid supplementation
Common sports injuries
Temporomandibular joint ankylosis
Acupuncture
Alternative medicine
Myasthenia gravis
Umbilical cord blood and stem cell transplants
Marijuana, heroin, cocaine
Ebola/Marburg hemorrhagic fever
Glaucoma, other diseases of the eye
High Altitude Pulmonary Edema
Autism, diabetes, obesity, Alzheimers, Parkinsons,....... alcohol hangovers,........
AVOID philosophical, or purely historical accounts (such as Ancient Greek Medicine or Principles of
Ayurvedic Medicine), or theological discussions (such as The Origin of Life as evidenced by the
Bible).
Choosing a topic is very important if you want to produce a good review. Your topic should be:
1. Interesting to you.
2. Not too broad (you are not writing a book on ALL aspects of the topic).
3. Not too narrow (may make it difficult to find enough recent research on the topic).
4. Within your level of knowledge, i.e., you should be reasonably comfortable with it (if you cannot
understand it, you will have trouble writing about it intelligently and making the reader understand it).