Your friend Bob asks you to sign a Change.org petition to encourage your Congressman to propose a bill that would outlaw all stem cell research and treatments. The reason given for this petition is that stem cells come from aborted fetuses. Write a response to your friend explaining what stem cells are and where they come from, making sure to clarify the factual misconception(s) in the petition. Your response needs to accurately explain stem cell biology and be well supported. Don’t forget to review the rubric! Please note: a large portion of your grade on this paper will be based on how well you identify the misconception(s) your friend has, and how well you correctly “debunk” the misconception(s) with correct information. Please make sure you have done this – you may write a fantastic explanation of what stem cells are, but if you do not discuss the specific misconceptions you will score poorly. Below are the general instructions for the writing assignments for each module. Pay attention to the instructions about the structure of the paper! You should define all your terms and be concise. These assignments are designed to give you the experience of applying your knowledge of biology to a current controversy or topic of interest. You will use the same sort of method that you will later use as an informed citizen and consumer when making decisions that involve biology. You should review the relevant chapters in your textbook, other course materials and use other sources to fill in missing information when necessary.
You may find information in the “primary literature,” which is where the research was originally published. You can find these articles by using CSUF’s on-line search engines, or by asking for the help of a CSUF librarian. Examples of the primary literature include , , , and . You may find relevant articles in recent newspapers, popular magazines, or popular science journals. These are referred to as “secondary” sources, since they describe research that was published elsewhere. Examples of these include , , , , , , , and . If you choose to use a website, be aware that most websites are not peer-reviewed, and often present inaccurate information. Examples of excellent websites include those of the National Academy of Science, the National Institute of Health, the Centers for Disease Control, and WebMD. If you are unsure of the appropriateness of a website, check with your instructor. Alternatively, the CSUF library has an excellent guide to evaluating websites at http://library.fullerton.edu/ under Guides for Undergraduates. In-text citations should be in APA format. You can find a summary of APA guidelines for your citations at: NOTE: Any course materials used to complete these assignments must also be properly cited in your paper. Your references should be formatted using APA guidelines. You can find a summary of APA guidelines for your reference page at: The Purdue OWL: Citation Chart is a quick reference on how to format citations and references using different formats, including APA can be found at: