Research Methods
BIO 3825: Research Methods
Instructor Dr GAQUERE-PARKER (Lecture only)
Office 2-119 TLC, Phone 678-839-6026 email: agaquere@westga.edu
Class time
Office Hours
Independent study
M, T, W: 8-9.00 am, M, W: 10.30 am-12.30 pm, T: Noon- 3 pm
Course Description
Research Methods is a one-semester, three-hour course in the required UTeach sequence. It is one of several content courses specially designed to meet the needs of future teachers (others include
Perspectives on Science and Mathematics and Functions and Modeling). The course is cross-listed in
Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
The goals of the course are:


 to provide UTeach students with the tools that scientists use to solve scientific problems; to give students the opportunity to use these tools in a laboratory setting; to make students aware of how scientists communicate with each other through peer-reviewed scientific literature; and
 to enable students to understand how scientists develop new knowledge and insights, the most important of which are eventually presented in textbooks and taught in conventional science classes.
Students design and carry out four independent inquiries, which they write up and present in the manner that is common in the scientific community.
Learning outcomes
Students will know how to:
design experiments to reduce systematic and random errors and use statistics to interpret the results.
create their own experiments to answer scientific questions.
apply safe laboratory procedures.
use probes and computers to gather and analyze data when adequate.
treat human subjects in an ethical fashion.
find and read articles in the scientific literature.
give oral presentation of scientific work.
Page 1 of 2

Laboratory reports
Homework Assignments
Oral Presentation
Final Write-up
Activities
Research Methods
TOTAL
Points
25
25
25
25
100
No bonus points allowed
Grading Scale: 90 – 100 = A, 80 – 89 = B, 75 – 79 = C, 70 – 74 = D, Below 70 = F
Late Work Policy: If you turn assignments late without approval, you will lose 10% of the value of the assignment for each day it is late.
Policy on Scholastic Dishonesty: Students who violate university rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course or dismissal from the
University. Since such dishonesty harms the individual, all students, and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.
Page 2 of 2