California RET

Communications – Session 2

PROJECT REPORT FORMAT Instructions: Upon completion of the summer Research Experiences for Teachers program, you are asked to submit a report as described below. Your report must be typed, double-spaced, and use 12’ font. The body of the report should be at least 3-5 pages in length. The appendices should be 2-3 pages in length.

Body of Report

I.  Abstract: A brief explanation of the research conducted and the curriculum impact planned.II. Introduction: Importance of the issue. (Why is this being studied? What is the relevance of the research to the “real world”?)III. Project Goals and Objectives - Hypothesis or Problem Statement (What are/were the expected results of your research project?)IV.  Implementing the Curriculum Revisions (How does this connect to the curriculum that you teach in your school?)

Body of Report continuedV.    Instructional Resources To Be Used (What will you have to do to implement a change in your classroom based on your curriculum goals and objectives? Ex. Development of new lessons, Using lessons in current curriculum in a different/improved way?)VI.   Program Support Requirements and Budget(Equipment and Materials that are not currently available in your school that will be necessary to implement the change. Indicate potential sources of support.)VII.  Student Outcomes - Quantitative and Qualitative (What is the expected effect on student understanding of the content and/or on their attitude about the subject matter as a result of the changes that will be implemented?)VIII. References

Appendices

1.  Research Ethics - What was done during the summer experience to support this issue?2.  Value of the RET –On a personal level, what is the value of this research experience in your growth as an educator? How has the program changed your understanding of research in math, science or engineering? Has the experience motivated you to seek other similar opportunities for professional growth?3.  Overview of the RET - If you were to recommend the program to a friend, A) what were the highlights, and B) what could be changed or strengthened?

Your Hypotheses

NSF Hypotheses• Immersing K-16 teachers in university

research activities, under the supervision of funded PIs, will result in the teachers introducing hands-on, inquiry-based activities in their science, math, and technology classrooms.

• Adopting and adapting hands-on, inquiry-based activities in science, math, and technology K-16 classrooms will increase learning among students. The impact will be assessed by test score improvements, career choice indications, and other measures of subject mastery.

The Hypothesis, Problem Statement or Research Question• The difference between the way things

are and the way things ought to be.• The cause-effect relationship being

proposed.• No more than three to five sentence

paragraph.• Elements:

– Statement of the problem (evidence of the importance of the problem).

– Realistic solution-the relationship (indication of the path to the solution).

– Quantitative/Qualitative criteria for measuring the solution.

Paragraphs

• Place topic sentence with prominence

• Have the sentence move forward• Use transitions

Analyzing Paragraphs

• Main topic• Sub-topics• (maybe) Transition

Types of Topic Sentences

• Main point– The earth’s natural weather pattern may

obscure long-term changes in the weather resulting from the greenhouse effect.

• Placeholder– Understanding the precise nature of the

greenhouse effect is made more difficult by long-term changes in weather patterns.

• List– Two sorts of long-term changes are at work

on earth’s weather patterns: one having to do with natural causes and the other involving greenhouse effect.

Questions - preceding sentences

• define some word or phrase?

• elaborate on the cause or effect (benefits, advantage, problems, solutions)?

• describe something mentioned?

• compare something to something else in the report or something common and familiar to all readers?

• divide something into classes or locate it within a class?

• provide a short or extended example?

• process, how something works, operates, or is used?

• give a bit of history?

• restate in different or simpler terms?

Paragraph Exercise  - Examine and correct the following paragraphs. Look for problems with the topic sentences, coherence, concept development, and ordering.

 

There are various types of solar collectors; however, the flat-plate solar collector is currently the most common and shall be the focus of discussion here. The most important part of a solar heating system is its solar collector, whose function is to heat circulating water necessary for space heating. A typical solar collector has layers of glass with intervening air spaces to produce a heat-trapping effect. Also, most solar collectors consist of a black plate absorber covered by one or more of these transparent cover plates made of either glass or plastic, with the sides and bottom of the box insulated.

 

Temperatures produced in the collector are below the boiling point of water; however, temperatures of 150 degrees above ambient temperature can be reached. The hot water generated in the solar collector is used directly for space heating. The water in the collector circulates through or below the absorber component, which heats up and in turn heats the circulating water.

The most important part of a solar heating system is the solar collector, whose main function is to heat water to be used in space heating. There are various types of collectors; however, the flat-plate collector is the most common and shall be the focus of discussion here. A flat-plate collector consists of a black plate absorber covered by one or more transparent cover plates of glass or plastic, with the sides and bottom of the box insulated. The layers of glass or plastic have an intervening air space that produces a heat-trapping effect. Water circulates through or below this absorber component, which heats up and in turn heats up the water. Temperatures produced are below the boiling point of water; however, temperatures of 150 degrees above ambient temperature can be reached. The hot water produced in the collector is used directly for space heating.

Diet is generally a key factor in atherosclerosis. Diets rich in calories, saturated fats, cholesterol, sugar, and salt have been found to play an important role in producing several of the traits and abnormalities that intensify the disease process. Among these abnormalities are obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and high levels of cholesterol and other fatty substances in the blood. Cigarette smoking is another major risk factor, and a lack of exercise also increases a person’s tendency to develop the disease. High levels of uric acid in the blood plasma and certain personality traits and behavior patterns have also been implicated. Finally, it has been found that a susceptibility to atherosclerosis may be inherited in some instances

The earth’s climate naturally changes over extended periods of time. Temperatures have been much warmer for 80 to 90 percent of the last 500 million years than they are today. The polar ice caps are a relatively new phenomenon, having been formed 15 to 20 minion years ago in the Antarctic and perhaps as recently as 3 to 6 million years ago in the Arctic. The climate is still dominated by natural cycles of warming and cooling. The most influential of these natural weather patterns is the 180-year cycle. The 180-year cycle predicts that temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere reach a minimum every 180 years. Climate records for the Southern Hemisphere are incomplete. The bottom of the last cycle was in the early 1800s, which suggests that we may be in a peak of coldness. The winters of 1976 through 1979, whIch were unusually bitter, seem to reinforce the theory behind the 180-year cycle. This current cooling trend would mask any warming caused by an increased greenhouse effect. However, the 180-year cycle predicts that a natural warming trend will occur shortly before the end of this century. At the same time the effects of elevated CO2 levels on atmospheric temperatures will

become strong. Therefore, temperatures could reach their highest level in several hundred years shortly after the year 2000 and their highest level in 125,000 years by the midcentury.

The two coronary arteries that nourish the coronary-heart muscle branch off from the aorta, the big system artery leading from the heart. The arteries cross along the surface of the heart leading to a network of smaller and smaller branches. Every part of the heart is supplied with nourishment from this treelike coronary- artery system. A healthy main coronary artery has a diameter of 2 to 3 mm. In coronary atherosclerosis, the internal bore of these coronary arteries decreases. This disease may develop early in life, and all of us have it in some degree by the time we reach middle age. Each coronary artery is made up of an outer core, a middle portion, and inner lining. The inner lining, called the intima, consists of several layers. Blood carries many substances, including lipids, or fatty materials. The atherosclerosis process starts when the cells in the first layer of the intima become more permeable to cholesterol and other lipids and allow them to pass through sand be deposited on the lining.

The simplest semiconductor is called a diode. A diode serves as a rectifier to convert alternating current (ac) to direct current (dc). The usual current in the United States is ac with a frequency of 60 Hz. Many electronic devices require dc for at least part of their function. Diodes are p- and n-type semiconductors that have been joined together.

Thoughtful location and orientation of buildings on a site can contribute to noise reduction. Distance is one of the primary means of reducing noise. The greater the distance, the greater the reduction of noise. Buildings can also be located in such a way and rooms can be arranged in such a way that noise is reduced. 

In the Ames test for mutagens, highly purified saccharin was administered to rats. No mutagenic effect on tissues was observed, but the urine was affected. Although the results of the Ames test are not proof that saccharin is carcinogenic, they do provide more evidence leading to that conclusion.

One of the most common forms of heart disease is hypertension. Hypertension is the medical term for persistent and sustained high blood pressure. An understanding of blood pressure in normal, healthy individuals is necessary in order to understand hypertension. Blood pressure is simply the force exerted against the walls of the body’s arteries as blood flows through. The force, produced primarily by the pumping action of the heart is essential for the circulation of the blood and its life-supporting nutrients to all parts of the body.Every time the heart contracts (systole), blood pressure increases. When the heart relaxes between beats (diastole), the pressure decreases.The normal systolic pressure of a person at rest is between 100 to 140, and the normal diastole is 60 to 90. Blood-pressure readings are expressed by both figures, with the systolic over the diastolic.As these ranges suggest, there is a wide span of blood pressures for healthy people. Also, blood pressure varies for healthy people during different times of the day. It is lower when an Individual is asleep than when he is excited or exerting himself physically.Therefore, a single blood-pressure reading above 140/90 does not indicate abnormality. When the pressure is continuously elevated, a person is considered to be suffering from hypertension.

FORMATS

• Use consistent margin spacing• Don’t overuse italic or bold in your

narrative• Employ consistent paragraph style

– 1st line indent– Block

Format - Headings

• Page Heading– Name, page number required– Topic/title, date optional

Text Headings

LEVEL 1

Level 2

Level 3. xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Commas

The new material, which will be available next week is composed of plastic and iodine.

Revision: The new material, which will be available next week, is composed of plastic and iodine. Discussion: missing parenthetical comma for "which" clause.

As World War II escalated the United States became locked into a race with Germany to develop the first atomic bomb.

Revision: As World War II escalated, the United States became locked into a race with Germany to develop the first atomic bomb. Discussion: missing comma following introductory clause. Note that without the comma, the reader does not know where the introductory clause ends.

On February 5, 1990 Mount St. Helens had another eruption, this one smaller than the eruption 10 years before.

Revision: On February 5, 1990, Mount St. Helens had another eruption, this one smaller than the eruption 10 years before. Discussion: missing parenthetical comma. The year "1990" is parenthetical information about the date February 5. Although some publications treat this comma as optional, many more (including the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times) do not. Note that if the date had been written as "5 February 1990," then a simple comma following "1990" would have been appropriate. Also note that the comma following "eruption" is correct because what follows is a phrase.

Every year, an earthquake of magnitude between 8.0 and 8.9 on the Richter scale, will be experienced somewhere in the world (Haughton, 1989).

Revision: Every year, an earthquake of magnitude between 8.0 and 8.9 on the Richter scale will be experienced somewhere in the world (Haughton, 1989). Discussion: undesired comma. Note that while the comma following "year" is optional, it is certainly not incorrect. Also note that the punctuation for the reference listing at the end of the sentence depends upon the format.

As the flame front propagates hot combustion products expand, resulting in a rapid pressure increase.

Revision: As the flame front propagates, hot combustion products expand, resulting in a rapid pressure increase. Discussion: missing comma following the introductory clause. Without the comma, the audience does not know when the clause ends.

The concentrations of these gases, which are called greenhouse gases control how much infrared radiation escapes.

Revision: The concentrations of these gases, which are called greenhouse gases, control how much infrared radiation escapes. Discussion: missing parenthetical comma for the "which" clause.

After 1987 parachuting accidents decreased significantly because instructors started teaching novices with tandem jumps rather than static lines.

Revision: After 1987, parachuting accidents decreased significantly because instructors started teaching novices with tandem jumps rather than static lines. Discussion: missing comma following the introductory phrase. Without the comma, the audience trips.

On May 18, 1980, a cloud of hot rock and gas surged northward from Mount St. Helens.

Revision: On May 18, 1980, a cloud of hot rock and gas surged northward from Mount St. Helens. Revision: This sentence is punctuated correctly.  

The synergistic reactor contains a chamber in which the exhaust from the burning coal mixes with limestone, see Appendix A.

Revision: The synergistic reactor contains a chamber in which the exhaust from the burning coal mixes with limestone, as discussed in Appendix A. Discussion: The original is a run-on. One solution (given here) is to make the reference to Appendix A a verb phrase. Another solution is to create a separate sentence. Still a third is to use parentheses to refer to Appendix A.

More Punctuation

The three largest earthquakes occurred in: San Francisco, Tokyo, and Lima.

Revision: The three largest earthquakes occurred in San Francisco, Tokyo, and Lima.

Discussion: undesired colon (it breaks a continuing thought). Note that while the comma following "Tokyo" is optional, it is certainly not incorrect.

According to Dr. D. Simpson (1986), a biologist at the Harvard Medical School, "Only 30,000 rads are needed for interphase death to occur in yeast cells.

Revision: According to Dr. D. Simpson [1986], a biologist at the Harvard Medical School, "Only 30,000 rads are needed for interphase death to occur in yeast cells."

Discussion: Quotation marks appear outside commas and periods in the United States.

The synergistic reactor contains a chamber in which the exhaust from the burning coal mixes with limestone; see Appendix A.

Revision: The synergistic reactor contains a chamber in which the exhaust from the burning coal mixes with limestone, as discussed in Appendix A.

Discussion: A semicolon cannot join the two independent clauses because what would be on the left side of the semicolon (a sentence in the indicative mood) would not be parallel to what is on the right side (a sentence in the imperative mood). One solution (given here) is to make the reference to Appendix A a verb phrase. Another solution is to create a separate sentence. Still a third is to use parentheses to refer to Appendix A.

The synergistic reactor contains a chamber in which the exhaust from the burning coal mixes with limestone(See Appendix A.)

Revision: The synergistic reactor contains a chamber in which the exhaust from the burning coal mixes with limestone (see Appendix A).

Discussion: The punctuation associated with the parentheses was incorrect. First a space precedes the left parenthesis. Second, for parenthetical expressions that are part of the sentence, the first word is not capitalized. Finally, for parenthetical expressions that are part of the sentence, the sentence's punctuation (a period in this case) appears outside the parentheses.

The absorption A is calculated by: A = 1 - kR,

where k is the correction factor and R is the measured reflectance.

Revision: The absorption A is calculated by A = 1 - kR,

where k is the correction factor and R is the measured reflectance.Discussion: undesired colon (it breaks a continuing thought). Note that if the words "the following calculation" had followed the word "by," then the colon would have been correct.

In complex formulas, the comma can be dropped.