This document outlines a lesson plan for a CHEM 4530 class on proteins and nucleic acids. The plan involves an activity where students work in groups to research broad interdisciplinary questions. They are given time to brainstorm, search for sources, and develop research strategies. Groups then present their processes. As homework, students must write a lab report applying what they learned about interdisciplinary research and source evaluation during the in-class activity. The report should follow a specific format including an introduction, literature review on their topic, methods outlining their research process, a discussion of interdisciplinarity, and conclusions with cited sources.

1. Spring 2015: CHEM 4530 LessonPlanbyChapel Cowden
CHEM 4530-Proteins & Nucleic Acids:
Problem-Based Learning Library
Instruction (classroom)
Learning Outcomes
Studentswill be able to:
1. Explainthe multidisciplinarynature of researchinordertodevelopaholisticperspective of
scientificresearch.
2. Identifyandassessevidencefrombothfamiliarandunfamiliardisciplinesinordertosupport
multidisciplinaryresearchefforts.
3. Criticallyreflectupontheirownresearchprocessesinordertotranslate skillsandknowledge
intonewenvironmentssuchasfuture projectsandcareers.
Pre-class Materials
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2d7y_r65HU YouTube videoonLiterature ReviewsfromNCSU
Introduction/Class Layout
To be coveredinthissession:
 Outcomes(givenwithstudent-centeredlanguage)
 Interdisciplinaryresearch
 Locatingseminal research
 Activity
 Homework:Labreport
Interdisciplinary Research
What isyour major? Butyou are takingan advancedChemistrycourse—why? Interdisciplinarynature
of research! E.g.Your work as a doctor or researcherwill be informedbyprinciplesof biology,
chemistry,psychology,sociology,etc. Thisisinterdisciplinarypractice.
We are goingto shiftawayfrom exploringspecificdatabasesandtalkmore holisticallyaboutresearchas
an interdisciplinaryprocess.
From the NSF:“NSFhas longrecognizedthe value of interdisciplinaryresearchinpushingfieldsforward
and acceleratingscientificdiscovery.Importantresearchideasoftentranscendthe scope of asingle
disciplineorprogram. NSFalsounderstandsthatthe integration of researchandeducationthrough

2. Spring 2015: CHEM 4530 LessonPlanbyChapel Cowden
interdisciplinarytrainingpreparesaworkforce thatundertakesscientificchallengesininnovative
ways. Thus,NSFgiveshighprioritytopromotinginterdisciplinaryresearchandsupportsitthrougha
numberof specificsolicitations.”(accessedhere)
Which discipline?
So mytopic is Batteries as alternative energysource,whichdisciplinesmightbe interestedinthistopic?
Literature Reviews & Locating Seminal Research
You shouldhave all watchedthe videobythis point,sowe will notbe coveringwhatalitreview isin
classtoday. Animportantpart of creatinga litreview howeverisinfindingimportant(akaseminal)
researchina givenfield. Locatingthisresearchisanintrinsiccomponentof all scientific research. You
mustbe able tojustifythe researchyouwantto undertake byidentifyingthe gapsinthe literature.
MARTINI GLASS to illustrate structure of litrev.
Subject Guides
Web of Science Review (if needed)
What it isand whatit does
Student-leddemo
Topic: Batteries as alternative energysource
Findingseminalresearchusingcitationanalysistools (theyshouldhave alreadydone this)
Relatable Skills
So,you aren’tat UTC anymore…canyoustill findseminal research? How? (Notas easy,butGoogle
Scholarcan help.)
In-Class Activity
Place studentsingroups of 2-3 (labpartners). Emphasize thatthese are REAL WORLD PROBLEMS!
Preface:All ofthese questionsare INTENTIONALLY broad and vague.It isup to you to turn the larger
questioninto somethingmanageable.Considerthe questionof“How do we addressclimate change?”
Obviously,we needto break that down into many, many manageable sub-questionsbefore we can
everattempt to addressit. The same istrue of most problems/challengesyouwill encounterinthe
real world.
Problem 1
What isthe effectof mountaintopremoval onstreamsandotherreceivingbodiesof water?
Problem 2
Do antioxidantshave anyeffectuponcancer? (Youmay focusupona single cancerordiscusseffectsin
general.)

3. Spring 2015: CHEM 4530 LessonPlanbyChapel Cowden
Problem 3
Do skinpeptidesprovide anydefenseagainstchytridiomycosisinamphibians?
Problem 4
Do pharmaceuticalsdispersedintoourwaterwaysposeanecological threat? If so,elaborate onthose
threats.
Problem 5
Is there anassociationbetween environmentalexposure toarsenicandthe developmentof diabetes
mellitus?
Problem 6
What environmental stressorsare responsibleforcoral bleachingandmortality andwhatcan we do,if
anything,tomitigate thisdamage?Isthere adirectcorrelationbetweenclimate change andcoral
bleaching?
Problem 7
What methodsare currentlyusedtocontrol the invasive species,kudzu(Puerariamontana)?Doanyof
the methodspose deleteriouseffectstohumans?
Brainstorming (5-10Min)
Studentswill be allowedacertainamountof time toevaluate theirproblemsandcreate a research
strategy. Nocomputersare allowedduringthistime.
Searching (30 min)
Studentswill beginsearching. Theymayuse anydatabase or search engine,but ultimately(before
turningintheirreports) mustfind4 peer-reviewedsources. Instructorswill circulate after15minutes&
answerquestions.
Share Answers/Processes (4-5minutes per group)
Groups will give briefpresentationsof theirproblemsandhow theywentaboutfinding
answers/evidence. Emphasize thatthe process(notsomuchthe answerinthiscase) isthe important
part. Questionstoconsider:
1. What was yourstrategy for answeringyourquestion?
2. Where didyoulook?
3. What termsdidyou search(make a chart)?
4. How didyouevaluate the results? (Credibility)

4. Spring 2015: CHEM 4530 LessonPlanbyChapel Cowden
5. What questionsremainafteryoursearch?
6. REMEMBER: We wantto hear aboutyour process. How you conceptualizedthe questionand
searchedforthe answerismore importantthanwhetheryoufoundthe answer.
Post-Class
Instructions
As a group,youwill write alab report.
1. Followall usual requirementsconcerningfont,size,spacing,etc.
2. Thisassignmentisbaseduponthe workyoujustcompletedinthe librarysession.
3. The lab reportsectionsshouldbe asfollows:
a. Introduction: Introduce yourtopic.What isyour topic? Why doesitmatter?
b. Literature Review:Thiswouldnormallybe partof the introduction,butyouwill
separate itout forthisassignment. Thiswill basicallybe asummaryof the evidence
your groupdiscoveredthathelpstoanswerthe question. Inotherwords,whatdoes
the literature sayaboutyourquestion?(Thissectionshouldbe about1page inlength.)
c. Methods:In thissection,discussall aspectsof yourresearchprocess. Include where
yousearchedforinformation&whyyou chose those places,whichkeywordsyouused,
howyou modifiedyoursearchwhennecessary,how manyresultsyoufound,whyyou
selectedthe studiesthatyoudidandwhy those studieswere credible,etc. [Thissection
will be weightedheaviestinthe gradingprocess.]
d. Discussion:In thissection,restate the objectives anddiscusshow yourquestion&
searchingwere interdisciplinary. Whatdisciplines(Environmental studies,engineering,
etc.) mighthave a stake in the answertoyour question? Whatistheirstake?
e. Conclusions: Wrap up yourreport. Didyoufindanswersor inconclusive evidence? Is
there a researchgap?
f. References: Use ACSstyle. You shouldhave atleast4 peer-reviewedsources. You
musthave researchfrom more thanone discipline. Youmayuse no more than 2
credible internetsources(i.e..govor .edusites). Paperssubmittedinprevious
semestershave hadanaverage of 7 sources.
g. Full Instructions postedin UTC Learn
UTC Learn Survey
Studentswill be askedtocomplete asurvey(responsesare notidentifiedbystudent,butall students
will be requiredtocompletethe survey). The surveywillprovidequantitativedataonthe activityand
itsusefulness.