Scientific Paper Writing Assignment: Enzyme Lab

Criteria    Excellent (5 points)    Satisfactory (3-4 points)    Needs Improvement (0-2 points)    Points Earned:
Title & Abstract    Short and descriptive title is included. Abstract summarizes the entire article appropriately and includes the following: statement of the

purpose, summary of the methods, summary of important results, and a statement of conclusions drawn.    Title is included, but may not be appropriately descriptive.

Abstract presents a satisfactory summary of the article and includes most of the following: statement of the purpose, summary of the methods, summary of important

results, and a statement of conclusions drawn.    No title is included and/or abstract is missing or does not provide a summary of the article. Important components are

missing.
Introduction    The topic is introduced, and groundwork is laid as to the direction of the research. Background information is offered in a clear, concise, and

comprehensive manner. The purpose (big idea) of the investigations is clearly presented (remember, you will be writing about both the temperature and the pH

investigation).    The topic is introduced with some groundwork laid as to the direction of the research. Background information is offered. The purpose is implied but

not clearly stated.    Little reference is made to the topic that is to be examined leaving the reader confused as to the focus of the research. Little to no

background information is provided. No purpose is identified.
Methods    A clear and complete description of the materials used and procedures followed is provided, written in the past tense. It is in narrative form, not a list of

numbered steps. The detail is such that another scientist could replicate your methods. Appropriate tables are included to provide clarity.    A relatively clear

and/or nearly complete description of the materials used and procedures followed is provided, written in the past tense. It is in narrative form, not a list of

numbered steps. The detail is such that another scientist probably could replicate your methods.     The description of the materials and methods is not included or

lacks clarity and completeness. It would be impossible for another scientist to replicate based on the information provided.
Results    The important results are summarized concisely in narrative form. The two required graphs are referenced correctly (i.e. see figure 1), as well as any other

figures or tables you chose to include.     The important results are provided, but may be unclear or include irrelevant results. The two required graphs are

referenced.     Results section does not include a summary of the important results.
Graphs    The two required graphs are included and labeled with descriptive captions – not titles (i.e. Figure 1: The effect of temperature on…). Appropriate axes

labels, polynomial curves, and correct graph formatting (no grid lines) are used.     The two required graphs are included. A few errors/omissions in captions, axes

labels, polynomial curves, and overall graph formatting may be present.    The two graphs are not included.
Discussion    The results are discussed and explained in light of the background information presented in the introduction and the main purpose of the investigation.

Trends in the data are explained scientifically. If appropriate, explanations for why data differed from the expected outcome are suggested and new experiments

proposed to explore further.    The results are discussed and explained with some connections made to background information and/or the main purpose of the

investigation. Some attempt is made to explain trends in the data scientifically and/or suggest why data differed from the expected outcome.    The results may be

restated, but are not linked in any way to the background information or the purpose of the investigation. Expected and/or unexpected data is not explained.
Language & Style    Writing style is scholarly and flows naturally by presenting information in a clear, concise, complete and descriptive manner. Little to no

technical or grammatical errors are present.    Writing style is acceptable and flows by presenting information in a concise manner. A few technical or grammatical

errors may be present.    Writing style is somewhat immature with repeated technical and grammatical errors.
Citations    All information that is not original to you includes a supporting citation. A minimum of two sources are referenced, using appropriate and consistent

in-text citations in the body of the paper. Additionally, a full bibliographic reference is included at the end of the paper.     Most information not original to you

includes a supporting citation. At least one source was referenced. In-text citations were employed, though not consistently or correctly. Some attempt to include full

bibliographic references was made.    Little to no attempt was made to cite outside sources. In-text citations and/or bibliographic references are not included.
TOTAL POINTS:

Academic Misconduct:
Middle Tennessee State University takes a strong stance against academic misconduct. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, and

fabrication or facilitating any such act. For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
•    Plagiarism: The adoption or reproduction of ideas, words, statements, images, or works of another person as one’s own without proper attribution. This includes

self-plagiarism, which occurs when an author submits material or research from a previous academic exercise to satisfy the requirements of another exercise and uses it

without proper citation of its reuse.
•    Fabrication: Unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.
•    Cheating: Using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise. This includes unapproved collaboration, which

occurs when a student works with others on an academic exercise without the express permission of the professor. The term academic exercise includes all forms of work

submitted for credit or hours.

To be clear: going online and taking information without proper citations, copying parts of other student’s work, creating information for the purposes of making your

paper seem more official, or anything involving taking someone else’s thoughts or ideas without proper attribution is academic misconduct. This includes rearranging

the sentences of others and/ or using synonyms to change the words of someone else’s sentence to make it your own. If you work together on an assignment when it is not

allowed, it is academic misconduct. If you have a question about an assignment, please come see me to clarify. Any cases of academic misconduct will be reported to the

Office of Academic Affairs for violating the academic honesty requirements in the student handbook. They will also result in failure for the course. Remember –

ignorance is NOT a defense.

You are responsible for protecting the integrity of your own work.  Do not share your work with others.

Enzyme lab

For this lab, we are going to conduct a modified version of the exercise titled “Determining the Properties of an Enzyme” in your lab manual.  The purpose of this

exercise is to demonstrate the importance of enzyme shape on its ability to function.  In addition, we will use this exercise to practice writing in the primary

literature format.
Your GTA will give a brief introduction on the nature of enzymes and proteins before describing todays exercise and instructing you on the procedures.  In addition to

listening to the GTA’s introductory remarks, you should also read the Background and Peroxidase sections of the exercise. Make sure that you understand what peroxidase

does and what role guaiacol plays in this study.   I also suggest that you read the chapter in your book on proteins.  In particular, focus on factors that determine

protein shape and, therefore, function.  It might also help to understand what it means to “denature” a protein.  All of this will be helpful when you write the paper

that the GTA will assign.
In this exercise, you will attempt to answer 3 questions;
1)    Does temperature affect the ability of peroxidase to breakdown H2O2?
2)    If so, what is the optimal temperature for peroxidase?
3)    Is the temperature effect reversible?  In other words, if peroxidase is exposed to a temperature that negatively affects its function, will it recover its

ability to function if returned to a more favorable temperature?
Procedure
Pay close attention to the actual procedures that you and the rest of the class do for this exercise, they are slightly different than what is outlined in your lab

manual.  You will need to accurately describe these procedures when you write up your report. Your report will contain a description of all the procedures used by the

class, not just the ones that you conducted.
Your GTA will divide your class into groups of 2 and give each group one or more assignments.  At the end of the exercise, your GTA will collect the data from all

groups; compile it, discuss it and make it available to everybody.
Obtaining peroxidase;
Your GTA will extract peroxidase from about 5-7 g of potato tissue by blending it with 50 ml of 0.2 M phosphate buffer with a pH of 5 and then filtering the solution

through a coffee filter.  This will provide enough extract for all of the activities.

Determining the effect of temperature on peroxidase activity;
You will follow the procedure described under “Effect of Temperature” in your lab manual using the following temperatures;  4oC, room temperature (_____oC), 32oC and

60oC.  In this procedure you will measure peroxidase activity at each of these temperatures.  After the GTA has collected the data from this procedure, he or she will

help you determine the activity rates at each temperature (look at the section titled “Analysis” in the lab manual).

Determining the optimal temperature for peroxidase;
You will do this by making a derivative graph as described in the exercise. Your GTA will give you specific instructions.

Determining if the temperature effect is reversible;
You will do this by repeating the above procedures except this time; your solutions will be allowed to return to room temperature (___oC) after being exposed to each

of these temperatures for 15 minutes.  You will do this by pulling the solutions out of their respective temperature treatments and letting them sit at room

temperature (____oC) for at least 15 minutes before measuring peroxidase activity.  Your GTA will collect this data and analyze it as above.   You will make a

derivative graph with these results and by comparing the 2 derivative graphs, you should be able to answer the third question.

Your GTA will instruct you to write this exercise up in primary literature format.  There is an appendix at the back of the lab manual that describes each section to

the manuscript.  This is an individual assignment, not a group assignment, so write your own paper.
Your GTA will discuss the importance of avoiding plagiarism while writing this paper.  In addition to the information that you get from your GTA, keep in mind that;
•    Copying somebody else work is plagiarism.  This includes copying from someone that is in your lab, in another lab this semester or someone that took this class

sometime in the past.
•    Allowing your work to be copied is considered abetting plagiarism and will earn the same consequences as plagiarism.  This is true even if you do not know that

the other person plans on copying your work.  Do not let other people have access to your work.  If your paper shows up as a plagiarized source in some future

semester, you will be reported to academic affairs.
•    Rearranging sentences from other peoples work is still considered plagiarism. The D2L originality checker is very good at detecting this.

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