Biology 105 is a prerequisite required for my intended field of study, physical therapy. In this class, we had to compose two lab reports. The first was over the process of osmosis and diffusion, and the second covered the topic of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). These reports demanded lots of time, specificity in writing, and thorough knowledge about the lab that was performed. Both reports contain the following sections: introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, and references. Outside research was necessary to clarify any confusion about the overarching themes of the lab along with a scholarly source related to the specific topic being investigated. Performing an experiment and writing a lab report was a new experience for me. Even though it took an intense amount of work, I am proud to say that I feel more confident in my research and lab skills. To view these lab reports, please see the links attached below.
I believe this experience of performing a lab experiment and writing an accompanying lab report helped me to meet Level 3 and 4 of Information Synthesis. Level 3 of Information Synthesis is “exhibits ability to draw upon multiple sources to present a coherent and integrated thesis statement or hypothesis.” Because these are scientific papers that involved an experiment and observations that led to results and discovery, I had to have a concise, well-written hypothesis for each lab write-up. For example, my hypothesis for the osmosis lab report was the following: "Water moves from hypotonic solutions to hypertonic solutions when solute particles are not able to move due to the selectively permeable plasma membrane." This hypothesis was created by examining the work of other scientists through biology textbooks and scholarly articles. In this particular case, I used my required textbook and lab manual for the class and an article by Melchels et al. to reach my educated guess. This is a hypothesis that has repeatedly been shown to be true over time through the work of intelligent, skilled researchers. Nonetheless, I was performing a unique study on the topic for my class and used outside resources to formulate a well-reasoned and hopefully accurate hypothesis.
Level 4 of Information Synthesis states “demonstrates ability to reflect upon how the paper/project led to new knowledge and understanding about the research process.” I believe these experiments and lab reports were truly testing whether I could properly apply the scientific method in a laboratory setting and precisely follow distinct procedures. I learned through this research experience that hypotheses and predictions may not always be correct the first time around, and it is important to admit this and be okay with performing experiments multiple times or altering the original hypothesis with accord to what one is discovering with the results. When it comes down to it, being honest and moral in the laboratory while performing tests along with being truthful and accurate in the notes and report are likely the most essential components of research. Without this integrity, no one could be trusted and the meaning of true research would be lost. Even though it can be frustrating at times to not have procedures or results go one's way, it is not always the results that matter most, but how one gets there in the process. I have learned that research is so much more than just doing tests to lead to discoveries that may help others or even change the world, but it is really about precision, honesty, perseverance, and a positive, flexible attitude. It is also essential to remember the purpose of research and enjoy having the opportunity to be a part of something so great. These particular research experiments did not add any new information to the topics being studied, rather confirmed what has already been established, which is still an integral component of science and research.