PATHOLOGY 438 - Directed Studies Research Course
What is it?
The objective of Pathology 438 is to provide BMLSc students in their graduating year with experience in research. Research projects are carried out in the laboratory of a faculty member of the Department of Pathology who acts as a supervisor. The student is expected to participate in the design of the project as well as perform experimental manipulations and data analysis. So far as is possible the project should be small enough to be complete in its self. The choice of topics is left to the discretion of the supervisor in agreement with the student. More technical topics such as method development and evaluation are entirely appropriate. Pathology 438 may consist of library research.
On completion, the student presents his/her results in the form of a written research paper (format to follow a journal appropriate to the field). Course grade is based upon the results of an oral presentation (10%) graded by two members of the faculty (other than the supervisor) knowledgeable in the field of study; the contents of the written paper (45%) and an evaluation of the student by the supervisor (45%). The supervisor is expected to exercise an editorial and analytical function in the preparation of the research paper.
An Oral Presentations Day will be held Friday, March 22, 2013, 1pm at UBC during which all Pathology 438 students will present a 15 minute seminar on their research project, followed by a 5 minute question period. Supervisors are encouraged to attend. This presentation counts for 10% of the course grade. A/V aids available for presentations include 35mm slide projector, overhead projector, multimedia (LCD) projector.
Written reports are to be submitted to Dr. Devine (or through the BMLSc Program Assistant) by 3:00 pm, Thursday, April 11, 2013. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS DEADLINE. Examples of Pathology 438 papers may be obtained from Joanne Wouterse (822-7108) (jwouterse@pathology.ubc.ca).
This course has variable credits: 2, 3, 4, or 6. We recommend that students register for 6 credits, as more than the formal 72 hours required for a 6 credit course is usually spent on this course.
"I Have to Write a What?"
In order to satisfy the requirements for PATHOLOGY 438, you must write a project report. Two faculty members (one of who is your 438 supervisor) read this report. Approximately three weeks prior to submitting the project report, the student will participate in a PATH 438 research day at which he/she will give a 15 minute presentation of the research project followed by a 5 minute question period (45%).
The final mark is based on three elements: the quality of the written report, the quality of the oral presentation (10%) and the evaluation of the student by the supervisor (45%). Ask your supervisor to read your report before you give it to the examining committee. He or she should be able to ensure that you have understood how to properly prepare the written report.
The Written Report:
This report should be put together using the same elements that appear in a journal article or in a thesis. There is no page minimum or maximum for the written report, but they are usually between 15 and 40 pages in length including figures and references. The elements to include are as follows:
Title Page: This should include the title of the research project, the student's name, the month and year and the name of the research supervisor.
Introduction: In this section, you set the stage for your research question. Sufficient information should be provided so that anyone who is interested (faculty, staff or students) could read your introduction and understand what is known to date on the subject of your research and why your question is interesting/important. This section should be properly referenced. There are no rules concerning the format of references, but once you choose a format, stick with it! For sample reference formats look in scientific journals in the library.
Materials and Methods: This section should provide enough experimental detail that someone who is knowledgeable in the field could reproduce your experiments without guessing what pH your buffers were, how hard you spun your centrifuge, how long you incubated your reaction mixture, what concentration your antibodies were, etc.
Results: Your results should be displayed as figures or tables. Don't forget to label things accurately in your figures and tables. Also, if possible, apply statistical analysis to your data (the examiners always ask for stats!). The results section should provide a clear description of what you found in your studies.
Discussion: This is the section in which you discuss the meaning of your results. You should put your work in context with the studies of others. This section is also usually well referenced.
References: A reference list consists of those works cited in the body of the written report. Pick one reference style and use it throughout your reference list.
If you have other questions that have not been addressed, please ask
Dr. Devine. ddevine@pathology.ubc.ca