This document provides instructions for laboratory writing assignments for the University of Puerto Rico - Cayey RISE Program. Students are asked to write an 8-10 sentence summary paragraph of 160-170 words for each assignment. They must complete an attached template and email it to Dr. Elena Gonzalez for grading using the provided rubric. Within two days, students must email the assignment to the instructor with any corrections. The rubric assesses the purpose and techniques, biological competence, English competence, and critical thinking demonstrated in the summary.

1. Spring Semester 2011-12
University of Puerto Rico - Cayey
RISE Program
Instructions for Laboratory Writing Assignments
1. For each assignment you should write a summary paragraph of 8-10 sentences and a range
from 160 -170 words.
2. A template for each assignment is attached. Once you complete the template email it to Dr. Elena
Gonzalez; she will grade it using the rubric below and return it to you. Within the next two days, you will
email it to me with the corrections incorporated. In your summary include a reference to each one of the
criteria in the rubric below.
3. Email subject should include: Your register number; first name; Assignment # and hand-in date.
Example: 9. Gretel Assignment 3 May 4, 2012
Rubric for Assessing Laboratory Summaries
Name Grade
Date Points
Assignment Number 30 Points Total
A. PURPOSE LAB TECHNIQUE 1 2 3 4 5
Refers to purpose and objectives
of the lab techniques
B. BIOLOGICAL COMPETENCE
Demonstrates knowledge of
laboratory procedures
Reports findings adequately
C. ENGLISH COMPETENCE
Uses correct grammar, syntax,
spelling, and punctuation
Demonstrates clarity and
coherence
D. CRITICAL THINKING
Identifies applications and or
implications of the study in
concluding

2. University of Puerto Rico - Cayey
RISE Program
Template for Laboratory Summaries of Assignment 3Biol. 4997-BiomedicalTechniques
Due date May 4, 2012
Reg.# 15 Name Juan Carlos Torres Sánchez Date: May 4, 2012
Paragraph 7. Classification of Mycobacteriophagesfrom Tropical Soil +
Paragraph not required. The report will be evaluated for this topic.
Paragraph 8. Nanotechnology and Electron Microscopy+
Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally,
nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one
dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometers. The physical, chemical and biological properties of material
differ fundamentally in shape in the nanoscropy scale. This type of study is being recently used in
biomedical applications. One application of nanotechnology in medicine currently being developed involves
employing nanoparticles to deliver drugs, heat, light or other substances to specific types of cells such as
cancer cells. Some of the instruments this type of study uses are the different types of electron microscopes.
There are two primarily electron microscopes and these are the Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and
Transmission electron microscope (TEM). These microscopes have a larger magnification and resolution
than any other microscope. With these microscopes scientists can se particles that cannot be seen by a
compound microscope or the naked eye. In the future, nanotechnology will probably improve a lot in
biomedical area and facilitating the job of many scientist and doctors.
Paragraph 9. Water sampling, testing, and statistical application +
This workshop consisted in learning some basic techniques using the program Excel and procedures for
water sampling and testing. The first part of the workshop was about learning how to mainly work with
Excel. This program brings many tools that facilitate the work of students and in any professional career. On
the second part of the workshop we tested water samples from different places using the spectrum
spectrophotometry. Then we tested the water that we brought to see if it had a high concentration of nitrate.
Nitrate is a chemical that is not so good for our health and for the animals living in that habitat, so it is better
if it found in low concentrations in the river. The results showed that the concentration of nitrates found in
my water sample were really low, approximately 0.535 mg/L. Water sampling and testing is a critical
experiment that is done often because the concentration of certain chemicals should be at a particular range
for each one and sometimes due to certain variables those chemical concentrations may change. Thanks to
this procedure we can try to maintain a better quality of water in the rivers of Puerto Rico and all around the
world.