Critical Evaluation of Literature in Biology

Catalog description

Weekly readings and critiques of recent papers from primary literature are used to teach independent thinking and effective scientific communication. BIOL 592BIOL 592 Critical Evaluation of Literature in Biology (1)This course teaches beginning graduate students how to evaluate new findings reported in primary literature in the biological sciences. Each week, a recently published paper is evaluated according to 8 basic criteria as follows:1. Does the author adequately establish a context for the issues addressed in the paper? Are the issues addressed in the paper important in the field? Why or why not? 2. What is the hypothesis? Is it clearly stated? Is it operational (i.e. "falsifiable")? 3. Are the methods adequate to test the hypothesis? Why or why not? What are the controls? Are they adequate? 4. Are the data clearly presented? Are the results properly analyzed? Are statistical inferences stated appropriately? Do the data meet the assumptions of the statistical tests? 5. What conclusions are drawn from the results? Do the conclusions follow from the data? Have some conclusions been overlooked? Are there reasonable alternative interpretations of the data? Did the authors consider alternative hypotheses? 6. What could be done to improve the paper? Consider written format as well as the overall experimental design. For example, is the title appropriate? Does the abstract accurately summarize the results and conclusions? Does the paper use recent and appropriate references? 7. What is your overall opinion of the size of contribution that the paper makes to the body of knowledge in its field? Is this work creative? Does it provide new insights or a framework to understand previously disparate data? Defend your position. 8. What would be the next set of tests of the hypothesis or the next hypotheses to test? How should these hypotheses be examined experimentally? To what extent do you think this paper will stimulate further studies?The goal of the course is to provide students with opportunities to sharpen their thinking in regard to what constitutes meaningful scientific experimentation, interpretation of results, and effective presentation of information in text, figures, and tables. Near the end of the course each student prepares a written critique of a paper, and meets individually with the faculty to discuss their critique. The course follows a format very similar to the Ph.D. candidacy exam for Biology, thus providing formal preparation for that exam.Faculty: James Marden