AG480:
Prerequisites
Meeting Times, Location, & Course Delivery Details
Contact Information
Textbook
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Upon successful completion of this course...
1. The student will be able to apply scientific research methods.
2. The student will be able to differentiate between popular press articles and peer-reviewed scientific research literature.
3. The student will be able to examine peer-reviewed scientific research literature, including writing reviews of peer-reviewed scientific research literature.
4. The student will be able to conduct research in the field of agronomy.
5. The student will be able to create a PowerPoint (or equivalent) presentation and give a seminar summarizing their research.
6. The student will be able to construct a research poster summarizing research conducted in the field of agronomy.
7. The student will be able to compose a paper for publication summarizing research conducted in the field of agronomy.
Tentative Schedule
Subject to change during the semester. Adequate notice of changes will be given.
| Week 1 | Introduction: Scientific Research |
| Week 2 | Reading & Reviewing Research Literature |
| Week 3 | Research Problem, Research Questions, and Hypotheses |
| Week 4 | Research Article Analysis I due |
| Week 5 | Measuring Variables and Sampling, Research Validity |
| Week 6 | Descriptive vs. Inferential Statistics / Experimental Research vs. Quasi Experimental Research |
| Week 7 | Control Techniques in Experimental Research |
| Week 8 | Research Article Analysis II due |
| Week 9 | Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research |
| Week 10 | Research Article Redesign submit for approval - discuss your redesign |
| Week 11 | Research Article Analysis III due |
| Week 12 | Midterm Exam |
| Week 13 | Research Article Analysis IV due |
| Week 14 | Research Article Redesign due: Presentation of redesign |
| Week 15 | Research Poster due: Present |
Research Article Analysis
Students will choose a published research article related to their research interest and provide a summary and analysis of it. The summary part should be composed of the following: a) purpose of the study, b)research questions, c) conceptual framework, d) research methods, and e) results. Note that students should write their summary based on their own language and should not copy and paste sentences from the article. Simply copying and pasting sentences from the article is plagiarism. In the analysis part, students are asked to apply the principles of research design covered in this course to critique the article. This should include an analysis of how variables have been operationalized, the selection and treatment of participants, the collection and analysis of data, and threats to internal and external validity and to the reliability of the results. The analysis will serve as the foundation for assignment #4 - Research Article Redesign. Throughout this assignment, students will learn to apply the principles of sound research design to critically analyze published research literature and develop critical thinking skills.
| Criteria: | Score |
| Did you choose an appropriate article? | 15 |
| How clearly and concisely did you provide a summary of the selected article? | 15 |
| How logical are you in analyzing the selected article? | 15 |
| In terms of the analysis, to what extent did you analyze threats, bias, and control? | 15 |
| To what extent do you accurately use research terminology in this assignment? | 15 |
| Total score | 75 |
Research Poster
As part of the research class, the student(s) will create a poster summarizing their academic project and the research conducted throughout the semester. Toward the end of this semester, students will present their posters at the annual Student and Faculty Research Forum. Class sessions will serve as research conferences, with student presenters reviewing their posters and answering questions as small groups of viewers visit their poster areas.
| Criteria | Score |
| Project title | 10 |
| Background of topic selected | 40 |
| Objectives | 25 |
| Experimental Plan | 50 |
| Results | 50 |
| Conclusion | 25 |
| Total score | 200 |
Weekly Progress Reports
The researcher will meet weekly with the faculty member supervising the research participation. During these sessions, the researcher will provide evidence of work completed toward the experiment. Additionally, the researcher will outline what they plan to accomplish between the existing session and the following week. A total of 15 weekly progress reports will be completed throughout the term.
| Criteria | Score |
| Attend weekly session | 2 |
| Provided evidence of completed work | 2 |
| Outline of work to be completed | 6 |
| Total score | 10 |
Research Article Redesign
This assignment extends the analysis from part 1—Research Article Analysis — based on the article each student chose for analysis. As part of the research article analysis, students are asked to redesign the article. Namely, students will suggest an alternative method for addressing the research problem addressed in the original article. For the alternative study, students will frame research questions, and adjust any other aspect of the original study required to execute the research using the selected alternative methodology.
| Criteria | Score |
| How logically are you suggesting an alternative study? | 20 |
| How clearly are you addressing your research question(s)? | 20 |
| How well does the conceptual framework guide your alternative study? | 20 |
| How appropriately are you choosing methods to investigate the research question(s)? | 20 |
| How well did you integrate all parts (research question(s), conceptual framework, and research method) in the proposal? | 20 |
| Total score | 100 |
Midterm Exam
The midterm exam will aim to ensure that students master fundamental concepts in research design and develop the ability to apply them in practice. The exam covers the content learned over the semester. Students are asked to answer essay questions on the exam. The exam sheet will be available on WC Blackboard, so students will have enough time to think about the questions and provide concise, detailed responses to each.
| Criteria | Score |
| How accurate are your answers? | 25 |
| How clearly and concisely did you write your answers? | 25 |
| How detailed are your answers? | 25 |
| How logical are your answers? | 25 |
| Total score | 100 |
The grading scale will be as follows:
Grading Scale | A = Above 94% | A- = 93.9-90% |
B+ = 89.9-87% | B = 86.9-84% | B- = 83.9-80% |
C+ = 79.9-77% | C = 76.9-74% | C- = 73.9-70% |
D+ = 69.9-67% | D = 66.9-64% | F = Below 64% |
Breakdown
Evaluation breakdown includes:
Research Article Analysis (4) 75 pts. each (300 pts. total)
Research Poster (1) 200 pts.
Weekly progress reports (15) 10 pts. each (150 pts. total)
Research Article Redesign (1) 100 pts.
Midterm Exam (1) 100 pts.
Instructor Course Policies
Institutional and Program-Level Policies
All exams will follow the Final Exam Schedule. Students scheduled to take three or more final examinations on one day may request to arrange their examination schedule, so no more than two exams occur on one day.
Requests for early or late exams are considered only under extreme circumstances. Prior to the exam period, the student must file a written request on the Early/Late Exam Form available in the Student One Stop Center, Academic Records, and on the WC portal. The form must be signed by the Instructor and the Academic Dean, approving the alternate exam time. This process must be completed prior to the scheduled exam period.
Undergraduate: SP26 Final Exam Schedule
Out-of-class Work Expectation A minimum of 2 hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time for traditional face-to-face courses. For online and hybrid courses, the combination of face-to-face time and out-of-class work should be equal to 3 hours per credit hour per week. |
Instructional Course Delivery Definition of Courses |
Academic Integrity Policy The use of generative AI is prohibited except where expressly allowed in assignment instructions. Academic Integrity Policy |
Academic Misconduct - Examples [10/24]
ACADEMIC CODE OF CONDUCT
This policy is directly related to the first Testimony, which is part of the Student Code of Conduct. “I will practice personal and academic integrity.” The initial responsibility for dealing with academic misconduct lies with the individual faculty member in whose classroom or course of study the offense occurs. The responsibility includes determination of the consequences for the offense. The goal is for faculty to confront cheating and plagiarism, to teach ethical behavior, and to provide an appropriate consequence based on the nature of the incident. Faculty are encouraged to explicitly address academic misconduct and its consequences in the course syllabus.
EXAMPLES OF ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
A. Examination offenses include, but are not limited to, the following:
1.Taking unauthorized materials into or out of the examination room.
2.Leaving the examination room without authorization before completing an examination.
3.Talking in the examination room without authorization.
4.Discussing the examination outside the examination room during the course of the examination.
5.Attempting to observe the work of another student.
6.Taking an examination for another person or permitting someone else to do so.
7.Collaborating improperly by discussion, joint research, or joint effort in any way expressly prohibited by the instructor. This includes using a cell phone or other device to access information from another source or another student.
8.Improper knowledge of contents of an examination - No student shall knowingly acquire unauthorized knowledge of an examination or any part of an examination, or solicit, offer, or give information about any part of an examination.
B. Student work offenses include, but are not limited to, the following, which are expressly prohibited in the absence of prior written approval of the instructor or instructors involved:
1.Resubmission of work - Submitting work which has been previously submitted for credit.
2. Plagiarism - Submitting work done wholly or partly by another, including the unattributed copying of all or parts of a published work or internet document. Using generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) sources to produce work (when not expressly permitted) is also a form of plagiarism. Some instances of plagiarism are the result of ignorance rather than dishonesty. When plagiarism is encountered, the instructor should be sure that the student knows proper procedures for attributing content.
3.Prohibited sources - Consulting material or persons contrary to the directions of the instructor.
4.Improper collaboration - Engaging in any discussion, joint research, or joint effort of any kind expressly prohibited by the instructor.
5.Deception - Misrepresenting the authenticity of sources, citations, or principles in any written work.
6. Sharing work – Students who share their work with others are responsible for how that work is used. For example, if a student shares a paper with another student to help him or her understand an assignment, and that student submits the work as their own, the author of the paper shares responsibility for the plagiarism committed by the other student.
D. Other misconduct - Engaging in any other improper conduct as specified by the instructor.
E. Lying – deliberately providing false information relevant to academic matters, such as misrepresenting the inability to take an examination because of illness.
F. Disruptive or disrespectful classroom behavior – causing a disturbance in the classroom, interrupting instruction, speaking rudely or threatening students or faculty.
Class Attendance Policy Institutional Class Attendance Policy |
ADA and Students with Disabilities
Wilmington College and the Office of Compliance and Integrity are committed to ensuring equal access to students with disabilities, including physical, medical, and psychiatric disabilities. If you are a student with a disability and feel you may need a reasonable accommodation to fulfill the essential functions of this course, you are encouraged to connect with Nathan Flack, Academic Resource Center Manager/ADA Coordinator by visiting the Academic Resource Center located in Robinson Communication Center, Room 103 or connecting via email/phone at nathan.flack@wilmington.edu or 937-481-2208 (TTY: Ohio Relay 711 for deaf/hard of hearing). Please understand that formal eligibility communication from the Office of Compliance and Integrity must be presented prior to the coordination of accommodations for this course.