The document provides instructions for a written assignment asking students to analyze a primary scientific article describing a study investigating whether coffee prevents high blood sugar in diabetic mice. It describes the study where one group of mice was given water and one group was given coffee-water mixture for 5 weeks. Blood glucose was monitored weekly, finding a 30% lower level in the coffee group. Students are asked to outline the scientific method used, form a hypothesis, describe the study design and results, and critique the study limitations and relevance.

1. Written Assignment 1: Trace the Scientific Method in a
Primary Scientific Article
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Addresses course outcomes 1 and 4:
recognize and explain how the scientific method is used to solve problems
weigh evidence and make decisions based on strengths and limitations of scientific knowledge and the
scientific method
Before starting this assignment you might want to revisit the Scientific Method Tutorial in the Science
Learning Center under the Content area.
Researchers recently investigated whether or not coffee prevented the development of high blood sugar
(hyperglycemia) in laboratory mice. The mice used in this experiment have a mutation that makes them
become diabetic. Read about this research study in this article published on the Science Daily web-site
New Evidence That Drinking Coffee May Reduce the Risk of Diabetes as well as the following summary:
A group of 11 mice was given water, and another group of 10 mice was supplied with diluted black coffee
(coffee:water 1:1) as drinking fluids for five weeks. The composition of the diets and living conditions were
similar for both groups of mice. Blood glucose was monitored weekly for all mice. After five weeks, there
was no change in average body weight between groups. Results indicated that blood glucose
concentrations increased significantly in the mice that drank water compared with those that were
supplied with coffee. Finally, blood glucose concentration in the coffee group exhibited a 30 percent
decrease compared with that in the water group. In the original paper, the investigators acknowledged
that the coffee for the experiment was supplied as a gift from a corporation.
Then answer the following questions in your own words:
1. Identify and describe the steps of the scientific method. Which observations do you think the scientists
made leading up to this research study? Given your understanding of the experimental design, formulate
a specific hypothesis that is being tested in this experiment. Describe the experimental design including
control and treatment group(s), and dependent and independent variables. Summarize the results and
the conclusion (50 points)
2. Criticize the research described. Things to consider: Were the test subjects and treatments relevant
and appropriate? Was the sample size large enough? Were the methods used appropriate? Can you
think of a potential bias in a research study like this? What are the limitations of the conclusions made in
this research study? Address at least two of these questions in your critique of the research study (20

2. points).
3. Discuss the relevance of this type of research, both for the world in general and for you personally (20
points).
4. Write answers in your own words with proper grammar and spelling (10 points).
5. Your work should be approximately 300 - 400 words, double-spaced. All of your references should be
in APA format.
The original peer-reviewed research article that the above Science Daily article discusses can be found in
the Content area. You may want to look at the peer-reviewed scholarly article for more detail (not
required).
* Yamauchi et al. (2010). Coffee and caffeine ameliorate hyperglycemia, fatty liver, and inflammatory
adipocytokine expression in spontaneously diabetic KK-Ay mice. Journal of Agricultural and Food
Chemistry, 58 (9), 5597-5603. May 12, PMID: 20405946, ISSN: 1520-5118.
Avoid plagiarism
It is very important to write with your own words. If you do copy one or two sentences directly (use
sparingly), use quotation marks (") around the copied text. All information sources need to be included in
the reference list and as in-text references. Plagiarism will be reported to the proper UMUC authority.
Guidance on how to avoid plagiarism can be found here: UMUC's How to Avoid Plagiarism
Submission
Submit in assignment folder by the end of the second week of class.
Hide Rubrics
Rubric Name: Trace the Scientific Method
Criteria
Excellent (90 -
100%)
Good (75 - 89%) Adequate (50 - 74%)
Unaccepta
ble (0 -
49%)
The Scientific
Method (50
pts)
50 points
All steps of the
scientific method
in the provided
research study is
clearly and
accurately
44 points
One of the steps in
the scientific
method in the
provided research
study is not
described and/ormi
nor issues with
37 points
Two of the steps in the
scientific method in the
provided research study
are not
describedand/or major
issues with clarity and
accuracy in identifying
24 points
Most or all
of the steps
in the
scientific
method is

3. identified and
described.
45-50 points
clarity and
accuracy in
identifying and
describing the
steps of the
scientific method.
38-44 points
and describing the steps
of the scientific method.
25-37 points
not
described.
0-24 points
Critique of
Research (20
pts)
20 points
Clear, accurate,
relevant and well
organized
critique of
research,
commenting on at
least two issues.
18-20 points
17 points
Minor issues with
clarity, accuracy,
relevance or
organization in
critique of
research.
15-17 points
14 points
Major issues with
clarity, accuracy,
relevance or
organization in critique
of
research, and/orcomme
nting on only one issue.
10-14 points
9 points
No or
minimal
critique of
research.
0-9 points
Discussion of
Relevance (20
pts)
20 points
Discussion of the
relevance of this
research study,
both to the world
and to you
personally, is
clear and
accurate.
18-20 points
17 points
Minor issues with
clarity or accuracy
in the discussion of
the relevance of
this research study
to the world and to
you personally.
15-17 points
14 points
Major issues with
clarity and accuracy in
the discussion of the
relevance of this
research
study ormissing
relevance to world or to
you personally.
10-14 points
9 points
No or
minimal
discussion
of relevance
to world or
you
personally.
0-9 points
Grammar/Spell
ing (10 pts)
10 points
0-3 minor
spelling/grammat
ical errors
9-10 points
8 points
4-8
spelling/grammatic
al errors
7-8 points
6 points
9-12
spelling/grammatical
errors
5-6 point
4 points
More than
13 spelling
/grammatica
l errors.
0-4 points
Overall Score
Excellent
90 or more
Good
75 or more
Adequate
50 or more
Unaccepta
ble
0 or more