MbShea@PWP@English@UMCP

REVISED THESIS OR PROBLEM STATEMENT: A lab practical is an extremely effective method for assessing student’s physical abilities to preform certain laboratory protocols within given subjects such as anatomy, physiology, and botany and ANSC214: Applied Animal Physiology Laboratory has now incorporated a lab practical into the curriculum. But this is the first year that a lab practical is being administered to students enrolled within this class. Therefore, an introductory study guide will hopefully serve the students and help them prepare for this practical examination.

VOICE: I will be using 3rd person for all of the objective sections that contain facts and information. I will be using 1st/2nd person for the FAQ and the testimonial section.

CITATION: I will be using APA style citations throughout the entire document.

Abstract: ANSC214 Applied Animal Physiology Laboratory is an integral course within the Animal Science curriculum at the University of Maryland. In 2017, members of the Animal Science department decided to implement a lab practical at the end of the semester as a means of assessing the physical laboratory skills and the knowledge that the students should have acquired after performing each laboratory protocol throughout the subsequent weeks. The purpose of this document is to prepare the students for this novel assessment with an introductory study guide containing important information from each lab protocol, a glossary, curated sources advocating the importance of practicals within a laboratory setting, and testimonials from students and teachers for how best to prepare for this type of assessment. Doctors Ian Abrahams and Robin Millar, prominent professors in the field of science education reason that practicals are a necessary portion of a laboratory course because they help students make necessary connections between observed data and known scientific hypotheses (Abrahams & Millar, 2008). Unfortunately, a stigma within the realm of education exists among practicals because students are never fully confident when preparing for such an assessment. The content of this document will be a preparatory resource, supporting future students as they prepare for this important animal science lab practical.

WC: 210

Reader's Profile:I imagine a hostile reader, upset at the idea that his/her class is in essence an experimental group because a lab practical has never been administered in this course.

Reader's Response: I hate the fact that we are the first class that has to take a practical. This is not fair at all! No student in ANSC214 throughout the previous years has had to take this practical and it is worth 10% of our grade! There are far too many labs to review and not enough time to study everything. This study guide is helpful in the sense that it is a convenient document which contains all of the information that could potentially be on the exam however, it is incredibly long and I am having a very difficult time figuring out what information is the most important. If I only have a limited amount of time to review, I want to know what information is most pertinent so that I can focus more on those concepts rather than concepts that may not even show up on the examination. If only the author had bolded or starred the most essential information…

A -- so much pathos in education, really, especially when students are fearful and nervous about exams. :(

Might you consult briefly with A. in class about her mindfulness document? Could a few paragraphs be helpful to anxious students?

Can you use bolds or other design elements to help students read the material more effectively?

Good plan!