BNFO 300 
Molecular Biology Through Discovery
Questionnaire on notes: Strategies of Life (Part II)
(please press SUBMIT button when finished)
Please submit your responses no later than 6:00 AM the day of class
Spring 2016  


I. Basic Information

A. Your name 
II. Results vs conclusions

Consider the following:

A. The distinction between:

  • What is true -- an immutable observation
  • What is merely plausible (perhaps less so tomorrow than today) -- an interpretation.

B. Finding actual observations within a research article, recognizing that most statements in a Results section are not observations.

C. The importance of distinguishing observations from interpretation in sifting through seemingly contradictory research.

Where are you in these matters?
     

We've gone through three exercises:

  • Mary Had a Little Lamb
  • Winter et al (1987), "Bacteriophage T4..."
  • Vitamin D
Have these exercises been useful to you? How could they be made more useful?
     
III. Strategies of Life
      (no need to repeat what you may have written in response to a previous questionnaire)
A. How far have you gotten in the notes Self Assembly?  

Consider how comfortable you are with the following topics (as defined by the notes Self Assembly):

B. How the interaction between water molecules determines the interaction between (hydrophobic) plastic beads

C. How the interaction between water molecules determines the interaction between (hydrophilic) glass beads

D. How these properties can determine the shapes of complex structures, e.g. membranes and proteins

With this in mind, how could class time best be spent to meet your needs?
Do you have any other questions concerning the material in the notes?

E. How far have you gotten in the notes Strategies of Life? 
(You can answer by referring to the last section you read or study question you addressed.)

Consider how comfortable you are with the following topics (as defined by the notes Strategies of Life):

F. How information passes from DNA through RNA to protein

G. The mechanism by which genes might determine the function of an organism

H. How amphipathic lipids can self-assemble into the sphere shown in Fig. 2B

I. The relationship between monomers and the four major types of biological polymers

J. How in general enzymes might determine the nature of a cell

K. Study Questions 1 through 8

With this in mind, how could class time best be spent to meet your needs?
Do you have any other questions concerning the material in the notes?

IV. What is a Gene?
      (no need to repeat what you may have written in response to a previous questionnaire)

A. How far have you gotten in the tutorial What is a Gene and its companion?
    You can answer by referring to the last item you addressed (e.g. III.3). 

B. Provide a statement that describes as accurately and completely as possible your current understanding regarding how a cell determines where a gene begins (unless you did so earlier, unless you want to revise the earlier statement).
     

Consider how comfortable you are with the following topics (as defined by the tour What is a Gene?):

C. The relationship between a gene and a genome

D. The coordinate system

E. Anything else

With this in mind, how could class time best be spent to meet your needs?
     

V. Miscellaneous

Any other comments, questions, suggestions, or concerns you may have?

Thanks!

REMEMBER TO CLICK SUBMIT!