Difference between revisions of "20.109(S22):Homework"

Homework Submission Guidelines

• When submitting assignments online, make sure that your name is in the file name and the document itself. e.g. 'ImaStudent_M1D1' Renaming the file in Stellar itself is not sufficient, as this does not actually affect the file name.
• For group assignments, submit one copy of the homework and also include your section and team color. e.g. 'TR_Blue_DataSummary'
• Note: Some assignments may indicate a more specific naming scheme than this one. Follow that instead when applicable

Module 1: Drug discovery

Due M1D1

• Review the Orientation and laboratory tour exercises to prepare for the Orientation quiz that you and your partner will complete together during at the start of the laboratory session.
• Complete the following online training courses offered through Environmental Health and Safety (EHS):

☐ Emergency Preparedness (access at this this link)
☐ General Chemical Hygiene (access at this link)
☐ General Biosafety (access at this link)
☐ If you have completed EHS training in a UROP or in another laboratory class, you do not need to repeat the training. Instead submit the certificates of completion or your training record which can be found at "My Training Needs" on Atlas. To access, go to atlas.mit.edu then click the Learning Center tab on the left side of the screen.

• Prepare for the first day of Module 1 by reading the M1 Project overview and the M1D1 Introduction.

Due M1D2

• The major writing assignment in Mod1 is the Data summary. As part of this assignment you will provide details concerning the relevant background information important for understanding your project. In addition, you will use this information to motivate your specific research question.

To get you started, answer the questions below:
☐ What is your research question?
☐ What important problem is addressed by your research question?
☐ What topics / concepts should be explained to ensure a reader understands why your research question is important?
☐ What experiments / techniques will you use to answer your research question?
☐ Hint: review the information provided on the M1 Project overview for help!

• The BE Communication Lab is a great resource to keep in mind as you complete your assignments for 20.109. To familiarize you with this resource, you will receive homework points for meeting with a Fellow to discuss an assignment by M1D5. To schedule your appointment online at the BE Communication Lab homepage. Click "Make an appointment" at the top right corner of the screen. Please review the document linked here to help your prepare for your meeting.

Due M1D3

• The BE Communication Lab is a great resource to keep in mind as you complete your assignments for 20.109. To familiarize you with this resource, you will receive homework points for meeting with a Fellow to discuss an assignment by M1D5. To schedule your appointment online at the BE Communication Lab homepage. Click "Make an appointment" at the top right corner of the screen. Please review the document linked here to help your prepare for your meeting.

Due M1D4

• The BE Communication Lab is a great resource to keep in mind as you complete your assignments for 20.109. To familiarize you with this resource, you will receive homework points for meeting with a Fellow to discuss an assignment by M1D5. To schedule your appointment online at the BE Communication Lab homepage. Click "Make an appointment" at the top right corner of the screen. Please review the document linked here to help your prepare for your meeting.

Due M1D5

• In scientific communication, data are represented as both figures and in text. For this homework you will craft a data figure from the protein purity and concentration results.

Use the checklist below to assist you as you complete this assignment:
☐ Did you format your microscopy images? (i.e. more than just copying some microscopy images into your slide)
☐ Does your figure include a take-home title below the image?
☐ Does your figure include a caption with necessary details to interpret the figure?
☐ Does your figure caption begin with a topic sentence?
☐ Does your caption include any unnecessary information (such as methods or interpretation)?
☐ Did you represent the data shown in your figure graphically (if appropriate)?
☐ Is all text in the figure legible (especially axes)?
☐ Is your figure correctly sized (legible, but no more than 1/3 of a 8.5x11" slide)?
☐ Hint: you can find the information provided during the Comm Lab workshop on the Communication page for help!

• Submit a short summary (1-2 paragraphs) concerning your meeting with a Fellow from the BE Communication Lab. Including your thoughts on the utility of your meeting and what you learned from the discussion. To schedule your appointment online at the BE Communication Lab homepage. Click "Make an appointment" at the top right corner of the screen. Please review the document linked here to help your prepare for your meeting.

Due M1D6

• Remember that for the Data summary you are presenting your results in an outline format to practice clear and concise writing. In addition, the Data summary is organized such that it is apparent what figures correspond to what text. Specifically, each data slide contains one figure and the bullets that explain the figure. The in-class exercise on M1D5 detailed how to present your results in your Data summary. For this homework, complete the data slide for your protein purity and concentration results.

Use the checklist below to assist you as you complete this assignment:
☐ Did you include an appropriately sized and labeled data figure?
☐ Do you have a concise conclusive title (one with a take-home message)?
☐ Does your figure caption begin with a topic sentence and have the information necessary to interpret the figure?
☐ Does the results section begin with a conclusive title? (This title should be different from the figure title.)
☐ Do you begin the results by providing the overall goal of the experiment(s)?
☐ Do you indicate your expected result?
☐ Do you explain why your result would be correct or incorrect? (i.e. experimental controls)
☐ Do you describe all of the data you show when indicating the result of your experiment? (i.e. all populations on a scatterplot, or all lanes on a gel)
☐ Do you describe the data quantitatively?
☐ Do you draw a conclusion based on the data?
☐ Do you use your last sentence to transition to the next experiment?
☐ Hint: you can find the information provided during the Comm Lab workshop on the Communication page for help!

• An important part of scientific research is documenting the details regarding how experiments were performed. To practice this skill, you will work with your laboratory partner to draft a methods section that details the procedures that you completed on M1D3 and M1D4.

Use the checklist below to assist you as you complete this assignment:
☐ Do you have descriptive subsection headers in a logical order?
☐ Do each of your experimental sections begin with a topic sentence to introduce the purpose of the technique?
☐ Do you write full sentences in passive voice and past tense? (i.e. His-tagged recombinant protein was purified using nickel resin.)
☐ Do all reagents include manufacturer information in parentheses?
☐ Are all abbreviations and acronyms written in full? (if this is the first use of the acronym)
☐ Are all 20.109-specific details omitted? (i.e. do not include "Row A and Row B" or "the experiment was completed by the teaching faculty")
☐ Are all mentions of tubes and water omitted?
☐ Are the most flexible units used? (i.e. concentrations rather than volumes)
☐ Is only information necessary to repeat the experiment included?
☐ Are all descriptions concise and clear?

Due M1D7

Due M1D8

• Using feedback to improve your writing is an important step to developing your scientific communication skills. For this homework, work with your laboratory partner to incorporate the feedback you received to revise your methods draft. In addition, include the protocols you used for the TDP43 aggregation assay on M1D5.

Use the checklist below to assist you as you complete this assignment:
☐ Do you have descriptive subsection headers in a logical order?
☐ Do each of your experimental sections begin with a topic sentence to introduce the purpose of the technique?
☐ Do you write full sentences in passive voice and past tense? (i.e. His-tagged recombinant protein was purified using nickel resin.)
☐ Do all reagents include manufacturer information in parentheses?
☐ Are all abbreviations and acronyms written in full? (if this is the first use of the acronym)
☐ Are all 20.109-specific details omitted? (i.e. do not include "Row A and Row B" or "the experiment was completed by the teaching faculty")
☐ Are all mentions of tubes and water omitted?
☐ Are the most flexible units used? (i.e. concentrations rather than volumes)
☐ Is only information necessary to repeat the experiment included?
☐ Are all descriptions concise and clear?

Module 2: Metabolic engineering

Due M2D1

Due M2D2

Due M2D3

Due M2D4

Due M2D5

Due M2D6

Due M2D7

Due M2D8

Module 3: Research design

Due M3D1

Due M3D2