Goal 3.1 is the ability for students to write effectively in multiple contexts within the discipline. During my time at Longwood University, I have learned to write in multiple styles within the discipline. I chose three artifacts that show that I have learned how to write in different styles for various biology classes. I chose papers from my senior capstone class, modern genetics, and conservation biology. Each of these classes had major lab reports all written in different styles.
The first artifact is a research proposal looking into a possible cause for an autoimmune thyroid disease. I learned how to make valid arguments about a subject I am passionate about and thought about the potential pitfalls and conclusions that could arise from this research proposal. This assignment was helpful because I may be given the opportunity one day to propose a research grant in my future career.
The second artifact on this page is a whole genome sequencing primer. A primer is tool that instructs a person on how to complete a task step by step. This was probably one of the hardest assignments I have had in awhile since this format was so new to me. It was not my best work, but I am still proud of it. It shows that I have knowledge in a variety of data analysis programs performed on the computer that most biology students are not exposed to until graduate school. It also shows that I have the ability to write more than just a standard lab report.
Lastly, I included my third artifact from conservation biology because it shows that I can write effectively in ecological and evolutionary side of biology. It was a “manuscript” instead of a basic lab report. This was a challenge since it was not interested in the topic and I have never written a “manuscript” before. It was basically the same format and style as a literature review. This most likely will not help me in my future career since I am interested in working in a laboratory setting but it shows diversity in what I have learned as a biology student here at Longwood University.