Home > Subjects > Biology > Level 3 > 3.2 Biology research > Subject content
- Subject: Biology
- AS: AS90714
- Level: 3
- Credits: 3
- Internal
Biology 3.2 Research a contemporary biological issue
Subject content
The assignment is carried out in the following stages:
- Choose a topic
Your teacher may provide you with a list of suitable topics for you to choose from or direct you towards a single topic. - Research
Collect information using a wide range of sources (mainly secondary sources but some use of primary sources is acceptable), on the following:
- Biological concepts and processes relating to your topic.
- Biological, social, ethical, economic, or environmental implications of your topic.
- Range of differing opinions relating to the topic.
- Write your essay or speech
You will integrate your information from the range of referenced sources to:
- Discuss the biological concepts and processes on which the technology is based.
- Discuss any important biological, social, ethical, economic, or environmental implications relating to the technology.
- Discuss the differing opinions people hold and the reasons for each opinion.
- Evaluate and comment on the validity of sources and bias in the information relating to the technology.
- Conclude with your opinion supporting or opposing the issue. Then justify it using your understanding of the biology involved with references and/or quoted information.
- Reference your sources.
- You must reference all quotes (these should be within quotation marks in your essay), and any data, pictures, diagrams, or maps. This is so that all sources that you used can be checked and authenticated.
- Check out this website that gives you tips on the research process. The link to the section, 'Evaluating your information' is particularly useful.
