Assignment Guide | Biology 1408 | Professor Dian Petty
The
best library assignments are ones that use a variety of resources
including books, newspaper and journal articles, internet sites, and
even videos or audiocassettes. We encourage you to
use all of these sources for this paper. Books should provide some
excellent background on your topic. You may apply for a library card
and request materials online. We hope you will take full advantage of
the many resources our libraries offer.
(used with permission from Activity Manual to Accompany Biology: The Network
of Life,
by Michael C. Mix, Paul Farber, and Keith King, 1993 HarperCollins
College Publishers, New York.)
In Chapter 15, genetic
technologies and
some of the emerging issues related to genetic technology are discussed. Genetic technologies currently under
investigation or development include gene cloning, recombinant DNA
technology, gene therapy, and the genetic engineering of bacteria,
plants and animals. With respect to
genetic engineering, the regulatory responsibilities in the United
States are divided among several agencies. At
the present time in the U.S., policies pertaining to certain aspects of
genetic engineering are still being developed. In
a very real sense, politicians make policies about the uses of
technologies developed in science. Consequently,
educated citizens will have significant impacts on the decision-making
process involved in policy formulation in these areas. Also, several relevant laws
state that the public must be
allowed an opportunity to make their feelings known before policies are
formulated.
1. Oil-digesting bacteria
Bacteria have
been created that can break down oil, including oil spilled in the
natural environment. Assume that you live
in a community located on a
bay that has been inundated with oil spilled from a tanker. Should these bacteria be used? Should the application of the genetically engineered bacteria or
bacteria
enhanced by a recombinant DNA technology product be allowed? Why? Why not? What do you consider to be the benefits? Are there any risks or problems? Explain. Be sure to cite your web
references – you don’t want to accidentally plagiarize anything! KEYWORDS: microbial
bioremediation; oil spills, bacteria, Exxon Valdes, oil-eating bacteria.
2. Herbicide-resistant Wheat
Should wheat farmers be allowed to plant a newly developed strain of wheat in their fields that tolerates an herbicide that is widely used to control weeks? Should the use of the genetically engineered wheat products be allowed on the market? Why? Why not? What do you consider to be the benefits? Are there any risks or problems? Explain. Be sure to cite your web references – you don’t want to accidentally plagiarize anything! KEYWORDS: genetically altered foods, genetically engineered wheat; herbicide-resistant wheat; roundup
3. Bovine Growth Hormone-Enhanced Dairy Cows
Bovine (cow)
growth hormone (BGH) has been manufactured using recombinant DNA
technology. By regularly injecting dairy
cows with BGH, it is anticipated that their milk production would
increase by 10-40%. Would you allow the
use of this hormone for increasing milk production in the U.S.? Why? Why not? What do you
consider to be the benefits? Are there any risks or problems? Explain. Be
sure to cite your web references – you don’t want to accidentally
plagiarize
anything! KEYWORDS: milk production, food safety; bovine growth
hormone;
dairy industry
4. Cows
or Other Mammals That Secrete Human Proteins in Their Milk
At present, transgenic
goats, pigs, and cows are being developed that contain genes encoding
rare human proteins. If incorporated
correctly into the animal’s
genome, these genes will be expressed and the human proteins will be
secreted in their milk. Human lactotransferrin is a
protein that has roles in iron metabolism, blood cell formation, and immune
reactions. Should approval be given to market human proteins such as lactotransferrin produced by dairy cows? Why? Why not? Most of it would probably be used as a
supplement in baby formulas and as a treatment for
immune-deficient patients, such as people who have AIDS. What do you consider it benefits? Are
there any risks? Be sure to cite your web references
– you don’t want to accidentally plagiarize anything!
KEYWORDS:
transgenic
animals; lactoferrin; lactotransferrin; human proteins
Librarian Talk . . . About Getting
Started
As you begin,
narrow your topic to a size that you can manage. Consider
keywords that will help you find the information you need. These can be
names of people, events, or broader identifying terms. Use these
keywords for
locating information in the library catalog, electronic databases,
and on the internet. See above topics for some ideas for keywords.
Apply online for a library card.
Use your card to 1) Place a Hold on a book 2) Access databases
from home. The catalog
is online.
Online books are available at NetLibrary.
You will need your bar code view eBooks from off-campus. Netlibrary has many books on genetic engineering and biotechnology.
More about...Finding Books (31 sec.)
Books are a great place to find an
overview of
a subject. To find books, use general keywords such as biotechnology,
bioremediation, genetic
engineering, or cloning.
QH438.7 .B37 Just genes : the ethics of genetic technologies / Carol Isaacson Barash
SB123.57 .T494 Seeds for the future : the impact of genetically modified crops on the environment / Jennifer Thomson
TP248.23 .Y684 Biotechnology and genetic engineering / Lisa
Yount
.
TP248.215 .B56
Biotechnology / edited by Lynn Messina
TP248.65.F66 M37
Pandora's
picnic basket : the potential and hazards
of genetically modified foods / Alan McHughen
TP248.2 .B574 Biotechnology
: science, engineering, and ethical challenges for the twenty-first
century / Frederick B. Rudolph and Larry V. McIntire, editors.
Librarian Talk . . . About Finding Journal Articles!
Electronic
databases are purchased by the libraries for your research use. To find articles
in journals, letters, reference books, illustrations, photographs
and more, use your updated library card to login to the following databases.
If you find an interesting article that is not full-text, please give the
correct bibliographic information to our Reference Librarians and they
will see that you get the article. They will need full bibliographic information
- and your name and address. Send your phone number as well, so they can contact
you if they need to. There is some overlap of articles in the following databases.
However, we encourage you to use more than one. All are excellent sources
for this topic.
HINT: For a full list of article databases, go to http://Library.LoneStar.edu
and use your library card for login.
Academic Search Complete - Collection of journal, newspaper, and magazine articles.
Many scholarly
Opposing Viewpoints - Not only does this database have articles, it also
has reference materials and pro and con commentary.
Today's
Science - From Facts.com you can find science articles and science
encyclopedia essays.
INTERNET
Librarian Talk . . . About the Internet!
The Internet will be a wonderful source
of original documents. Browse the sites we have suggested below. Remember, you do want to find
reputable sites. Look at:
Accuracy - The information should be researched and
show proof that it has been.
Source - Who wrote the information? Look at the domain. .edu .gov. org .net are valid research sources.
Authority - What are the author's credentials? (Don't quote from another college freshman's paper.)
Coverage - Does the page have the information you need
for your research?
Objectivity - If a work is biased, use it - just make
sure your professor knows YOU know. And offer both sides of issues, where
applicable.
The
best library assignments are ones that use a variety of resources
including books, newspaper and journal articles, internet sites, and
even videos or audiocassettes. We encourage you to
use all of these sources for this paper. Books should provide some
excellent background on your topic. You may apply for a library card
and request materials online. We hope you will take full advantage of
the many resources our libraries offer.
Librarian Talk . . . About Getting
Started
QH438.7 .B37 Just genes : the ethics of genetic technologies / Carol Isaacson Barash
