CAP Project#2
Analysis of writing genres in the field of molecular biology and bioengineering (MBBE).
MBBE graduate students are required to write three types of documents; laboratory reports, graduate
research manual and a thesis document. The frequency of submission and the length of each
document varies significantly but the content and style stays the same.
Lab reports are written records of the laboratory experiments conducted by the student as part of
his/her laboratory courses. Laboratory reports are due on a weekly basis. CAP Project#1 submission
contains more information and detail on a typical MBBE laboratory report. A laboratory report or
lab report for short consists of experiment introduction, equipment description, research methods and
materials used, data collection and analysis, results and discussion. Lab reports are graded by the
instructor.
Graduate research manual is used to keep records of laboratory research work. This document is
constantly updated with the latest results and relevant discussion of those results. Graduate research
manual is maintained for the entire duration of the laboratory experiment and typically for a
semester. A graduate research manual consists of the experiment introduction, equipment
description, research methods and materials used, data collection and analysis, results and
discussion. Research insights are also noted in the graduate research manual. The structure and
content of the graduate research manual is similar to that of the lab report.
All MBBE graduate students opting for Plan A must submit and defend a thesis to a committee. A
thesis is the written by the graduate student to document his/her solution to a previously unsolved
problem in the field. Thesis is considered technical writing and is corrected by the thesis committee
before final submission to the University of Hawaii at Manoa. A thesis consists of the following
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CAP Project#2
parts: abstract, introduction, research statement, research objectives, research hypothesis, research
justification, literature review, methodology, data analysis, results, discussion, limitations, future
work and conclusions.
An abstract is a short 150-200 word description of the thesis. Its purpose is to summarize the whole
document. Introduction is used to provide the necessary background information of the chosen
research area. Research statement defines the previously unsolved research problem and states it
clearly to avoid any misunderstandings of the research problem. Research objectives outline the
various goals, objectives, benefits and contributions to the subject area by the student’s research.
Research hypothesis lists the experimental hypothesis. Research justification argues that the present
research is original and that it has not been done before and the solution is both original and
beneficial to the research field. Literature review is conducted to survey the previous research done
in the field and to provide theoretical and experimental foundations to the students experiment.
Methodology describes the experimental design, research methods and materials employed and data
collection techniques and tools. Data analysis presents the various statistical methods used to analyze
the data and the results are presented under the results section of the thesis. The validity of each
hypothesis tested will be reported under the results section. Discussion section of the thesis includes
a detailed analysis of the experimental hypothesis and the observed results and other measured
values. Limitations of the research list the various experimental and non-experimental limitations to
the study and their implications. Future work section of the thesis outlines a timeline for further
research. Conclusions present a summary of the experimental hypothesis and their validity.
Thesis is generally written over the last two semesters of graduate study. The graduate student’s
advisor corrects thesis drafts. After the advisor’s approval the thesis is submitted to the thesis
committee for their approval. The thesis is submitted to the university graduate school with the thesis
committee’s approval.
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