Phase 1
Prinita Naidoo
ASSUMPTION CONVENT
PAT 2021
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CAT Practical Assessment Task-Phase 1
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 2
Task Definition ........................................................................................................................... 2
How will I go about conducting the investigation considering the PAT requirements? ........... 3
Who is the information for? (Target Audience) ........................................................................ 3
What format will the information be presented in? ................................................................. 3
Main Question: .......................................................................................................................... 5
Questions: .................................................................................................................................. 5
Referencing .............................................................................................................................. 12
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CAT Practical Assessment Task-Phase 1
Introduction
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)1 are becoming more prevalent in today’s society.
Enhancement in research and investment that goes into the modification of genes in order to
benefit food production, medical advancements and the reduction of pests and disease, yet
many people remain unaware in the involvement of GMOs in society. Genetically Modified
Organisms are defined as the altering of the gene that makes up the DNA strand which therefore
allows for the cells instructions on operation to change. My task aims to determine how GMOs
have impacted our lives and whether the current GMO projects researched could be improved
to result in enhanced benefits or reduced harmful affects. A solution to the public consensus is
to further educate the public on the effects of GMOs on society.
Task Definition
In my CAT Practical Assessment Task, I will be investigating the effects of GMOs on society
regarding how GMOs affect the economy, the environment, human health, and how the public
consensus perceives the involvement of GMOs in society. My research will be investigated
using internet sources, a survey to administrate and therefore determine the public’s opinion as
well as an interview which shall be conducted personally to gather additional data.
My research will be attained through investigating the following:
 The successes and failures of GMO ventures in different sectors such as the economic
sector and the health sector.
 How GMOs affect the environment in the short and long term
 The identification of why the public census is swayed in one direction.
 I chose this topic because I am interested in discovering how GMOs affect our daily
lives as biotechnology has become an important industry and am interested in
expanding the awareness of others on the impact of GMOs on society.
1
GMOs- Genetically Modified Organisms are defined as the altering of the gene that makes up the DNA strand
which therefore allows for the cells instructions on operation to change.
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CAT Practical Assessment Task-Phase 1
How will I go about conducting the investigation
considering the PAT requirements?
I will be analysing the research regarding affect on the economy, environment, and health
through online sources such as research papers and scientific journals. I will be investigating
the research of the public through a survey that will be administrated electronically in which
participants will be given ten days to complete the survey. The surveys that are most completed
shall be used in the final sample pool of twenty participants. The results of the closed ended
questions shall be used in the Microsoft Excel section whereby the data shall be converted into
a graph and collated table. An interview will be conducted via email with a nutritionist in order
to expand on the information.
Who is the information for? (Target Audience)
The target audience is for those who are interested in how biotechnology is making an impact
in our daily lives and those that wish to become aware of the effect in the modification of
organisms’ genes.
What format will the information be presented in?
The information will be presented in Microsoft Word document, Microsoft Excel spreadsheet,
and Microsoft Access database. The outcome of the PAT will be displayed in an appropriate
manner within a HTML website containing all information.
1) Phase 1:
a) Microsoft Word document shall be used to format the information such as the
introduction, task definition and the questions.
2) Phase 2:
a) The internet will be used to determine the answers to some of the questions and further
expand on certain aspects behind GMOs. This information will be screenshotted and
pasted in the word document as evidence of proof of that questions answer.
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CAT Practical Assessment Task-Phase 1
b) A survey shall be generated via Google Forms. The survey questions will be selected
from the table in Phase 1.
c) The interviewee will be emailed questions selected from the table in phase one.
3) Phase 3:
a) The data from the results of the investigation survey will be identified and analysed
through the aid of tables, graphs, and calculations.
i)
The results of the closed ended questions from the survey will be used in Excel to
formulate a collated table and bar graph.
ii) The open-ended questions will be used in the discussion section of the word
document whereby the results will be analysed.
b) A HTML website shall be created and contained within shall be displayed all the
research investigated, the data collected from the surveys, interview, and the internet
sources.
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CAT Practical Assessment Task-Phase 1
Main Question:
How has the positive and negative aspects of Genetically Modified Organisms affected
society?
My survey will be created using 12 questions with a variety of closed ended and open-ended
questions which will be taken from the table tabulated in Phase 1.
Sub-Categories
My categories can be separated into five main topics, namely the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Human Health
Environmental impact
Animal impact
Economy
Food Production
Sub-Questions:
The questions that shall be used in this research are open ended questions and close ended
questions. The questions will be categorised according to whether their answers are based
on factual scientific evidence or public opinion. The data shall come from sources such as
surveys, internet sources, journals, and an email of an interviewee.
1. Human Health
a. Are GMOs safe to consume?
b. Do you think GMOs are safe to consume?
c. What do you think of GMOs being involved in medical advancements?
d. What if a GMO product produces a mutation that causes a life-threatening
disease how would your opinion on GMOs change?
e. How do you feel that gene manipulation is being used in the COVID-19
vaccine?
f. How has GMOs impacted the medical sector?
g. How has GMOs research have improved today from where it was ten years ago?
h. How can mutations affect society?
2. Environmental impact
a. What are the negative effects of GMOs on the environment?
b. What are the positive effects of GMOs on the environment?
c. What are the effects of GMOs on climate change?
d. What are the advantages and disadvantages of genetically modified pesticides?
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CAT Practical Assessment Task-Phase 1
3. Economy
a. Should GMO research be funded by government?
b. How often do you buy products containing GMOs?
c. How has GMOs affected the economy?
d. What kind of business rely on GMO production?
4. Food Production
a. How do GMOs affect food production?
b. How are GMOs beneficial to food production?
c. What are examples of successful increases of food production due to GMOs?
d. Why is food production important to the economy?
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Question
Type of
Question
Category
of question
Classification
of question
Data
From
Search
Keywords
(If Applicable)
Analysed
Using
Additional Information
Word process
Spreadsheets
This information is important
in answering how GMOs has
affected the environment in
the short and long term.
Word Processor
Spreadsheets
It is important to know how
GMOs involvement has
improved
environmental
issues.
Word Processor
Spreadsheets
The information will be used
to substantiate if GMOs
influence climate change.
“GMOs effect on
climate change”
Word Processor
Spreadsheets
The information will be used
to show the effects of a
current
example
of
genetically
modified
product’s influence on the
environment
“Advantages and
disadvantages of
GMO pesticide”
Environmental Impact
1. What are the
negative
effects
of
GMOs on the
environment?
Close ended
Factual
Level 1
Internet
source
2. What are the
positive effects
of GMOs on
the
environment?
3.
4.
What are the
effects
of
GMOs
on
climate
change?
What are the
advantages and
disadvantages
of genetically
modified
pesticides
Close ended
Factual
Level 1
Internet
source
Close ended
Factual
Level 1
Internet
source
Open ended
Factual
Level 1
Internet
source
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“GMOs
environment
impact short term”
“GMOs affect in
long term”
“Cases
where
GMOs improved
environment”.
“Species survival”
“Crossbreeds
to
improve genetics”
CAT Practical Assessment Task-Phase 1
Type of
Question
Question
Category
of question
Classification
of question
Data
From
Analysed
Using
Additional Information
Survey
Word processor
Spreadsheets
This information is important
in identifying where the
public values funds being
allocated.
Survey
Word processor
Spreadsheets
The information will be used
to substantiate the research
behind the effect on economy
by the production of GMOs.
Search
Keywords
(If Applicable)
Impact to Economy
5. Should GMO
6.
research
be
funded
by
government?
How often do
you
buy
products
containing
GMOs?
7. How
Close ended
Close ended
Investigative
Investigative
Level 2
Level 2
has
GMOs
affected
the
economy?
Open ended
Investigative
Level 2
Open ended
Factual
Level 1
8. What kind of
business rely
on
GMO
production?
Internet
source
Internet
source
Books
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Word processor
Spreadsheets
Word processor
Spreadsheets
The information of jobs and
industries created to support
the production of GMOs is
important in understanding
how GMOs has affected the
economy
It is important to understand if
businesses are directly or
indirectly affected by GMO
production.
N/A
“GMOs
product
price” “Organic vs
GMO price”
“Jobs created in
GMO sector.”
“GMOs industries”
“Businesses
use GMOs”.
that
CAT Practical Assessment Task-Phase 1
Question
Type of
Question
Category
of question
Classification
of question
Data
From
Additional
Information
Search
Keywords
(If Applicable)
Word processor
Spreadsheets
It will be added to justify the
benefits of GMOs in creating
food security and therefore
reducing
starvation
and
whether public agrees or
disagrees
with
the
involvement.
N/A
Word processor
Spreadsheets
It is important to know real
life examples where GMOs
have created an improvement
in food security.
“Percentage
of
GMOs produced in
food”
“Food
security due to
GMOs”
Word processor
Spreadsheets
It is useful to know how a
country can benefit if there is
no shortage of food and
therefore how that affect can
improve the economy.
“Countries that are
not affected by
food shortages”.
“Food
security
creating stability in
a country”
Analysed
Using
Impact to food production
9. How
are
GMOs
beneficial to
food
production?
Close ended
Investigative
Level 2
Internet
10. What
are
examples of
successful
increases
of
food
production due
to GMOs?
11. Why is food
production
important to
the economy?
Close ended
Open ended
Factual
Investigative
Level 1
Level 2
Internet
source
Internet
source
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CAT Practical Assessment Task-Phase 1
Question
Type of
Question
Category
of question
Classification
of question
Data
From
Analysed
Using
Additional
Information
Search
Keywords
(If Applicable)
Impact to human’s health and the medical industry
12. Do you think
GMOs are safe
to consume?
13. What do you
think of GMOs
being involved
in
medical
advancements?
14. What if a
GMO product
produces
a
mutation that
causes a lifethreatening
disease
how
would
your
opinion
on
GMOs
change?
15. How do you
feel that gene
manipulation
is being used in
the COVID-19
vaccine?
Close ended
Close ended
Open ended
Open ended
Investigative
Investigative
Change
Investigative
Interview
Survey
Word Processor
Spreadsheets
The information will be used
to explain the support or the
refutation of GMOs in public.
“GMOs
effects”
“GMO illnesses”
Survey
Word processor
Spreadsheets
The result will be used to
justify GMOs benefits in
advancing
medical
technology.
N/a
Level 4
Interview
Word processor
Spreadsheets
It is important to know how
the public would react to
situations arising due to GMO
involvement.
N/A
Level 2
Internet
source
Survey
Word processor
Spreadsheets
It is important to know how
the public responds to medical
advancement that is known to
have
gene
modification
implemented in them
“response
COVID-19
vaccine”
Level 2
Level 2
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to
CAT Practical Assessment Task-Phase 1
Question
16. How
has
GMOs
impacted the
medical
sector?
17. How
has
GMOs
research have
improved
today
from
where it was
ten years ago?
18. How
can
mutations
affect society?
Type of
Question
Category
of question
Classification
of question
Data
From
Analysed
Using
Word processor
Spreadsheets
Open ended
Factual
Level 1
Internet
source
Scientific
Journals
Open ended
Comparison
Level 3
Internet
source
Books
Word processor
Spreadsheets
Level 1
Internet
source
Scientific
Journals
Word Processor
Spreadsheets
Open ended
Factual
Additional Information
The real-life examples where
GMOs
has
improved
medicine is important in
validating the success or
failures of GMOs in society.
The information on any
breakthroughs in the research
will validate how the success
or failure has impacted the
society. It is also useful to
know if any research errors of
the past are corrected today.
It is important to know how
mutations affect society.
Understanding that mutations
may cause disease or cripple a
country’s food production
Search
Keywords
(If Applicable)
“GMOs
sideeffects”
“GMO illnesses”
“GMOs
in
medicine
“GMO research 10
years ago”
“GMOs in 2010”
“Mutation impact
on society”
Miscellaneous Opinion based questions
19. What are the
ethical issues
with GMOs
Open ended
Factual
Level 1
Internet
source
Interview
Open ended
Investigative
Level 2
Survey
Internet
source
20. Why do you
think people
are opposed to
using GMOs?
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Word processor
Spreadsheets
Word processor
Spreadsheets
It is important to see how a
person’s morals influences
their decision to support or
refute GMO involvement.
The information can highlight
why GMO interference is
feared or why there is a
concern against GMOs.
“GMOs ethics”
“GMO opposition”
“Why is GMOs
feared”
Referencing
Google.com. 2021. GMOS - Google Search. [online] Available at:
<https://www.google.com/search?q=GMOS&rlz=1C1JZAP_engbZA866ZA867&sxsrf=ALeKk01SfYBW-pL8CuL8MYAXQWxBcWwPQ:1611758912454&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjJusLrr
bzuAhWrURUIHRTLBGEQ_AUoAXoECBcQAw&biw=1536&bih=722#imgrc=IqHvnMfogv6JKM
> [Accessed 24 January 2021].
Ag.purdue.edu. 2021. What are GMOs? [online] Available at:
<https://ag.purdue.edu/GMOs/Pages/WhatareGMOs.aspx> [Accessed 27 January 2021].
Nature.com. 2021. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) | Learn Science at Scitable. [online]
Available at: <https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetically-modified-organisms-gmostransgenic-crops-and-732/> [Accessed 22 January 2021].
Blogs.umass.edu. 2021. Environmental Impact of GMOs – Debating Science. [online] Available at:
<https://blogs.umass.edu/natsci397a-eross/environmental-impact-of-gmos/> [Accessed 25 January
2021].
Google.com. 2021. [online] Available at:
<https://www.google.com/search?q=GMOS&rlz=1C1JZAP_engbZA866ZA867&sxsrf=ALeKk01SfYBW-pL8CuL8MYAXQWxBcWwPQ:1611758912454&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjJusLrrbzu
AhWrURUIHRTLBGEQ_AUoAXoECBcQAw&biw=1536&bih=722#imgrc=zdAfprws1M67lM>
[Accessed 26 January 2021].
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CAT Practical Assessment Task-Phase 1
Insert of spell check.
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