Scientific Literacy

       The artifact I chose to represent my Scientific Literacy program outcome is a lab report entitled “Adapting to Thermal Stimulus,” which I wrote during my General Biology II (BIO-112) course in the spring semester of 2022. In this report, I give a descriptive analysis of an experiment in our labs that focused on the body’s response to stimuli of different intensities. I have chosen this artifact because it is an excellent example of my ability to complete a scientific experiment and communicate my findings effectively.

       The instructions for this lab report were to produce a lab report based on a lab that I completed during class time. Some of the more specific instructions were to choose a lab topic, research sources that further explained the ideas covered in the lab, and write an essay that included all the components of a lab report. For the assignment, I decided to write about a lab we completed in class in which we experimented on the body’s ability to become desensitized to consistent stimuli over some time. I chose this topic because I felt confident that I could explain the ideas addressed in the lab effectively. I developed an in-depth understanding of the subject and was satisfied that I could showcase my knowledge in this report.

       My first goal for this artifact was to improve my scientific communication skills by learning how to write a lab report. As I referenced in my Critical Thinking Program Outcome, this was my first course in which I had to complete labs. Thus, this artifact was my first time properly writing a lab report. Therefore, I made it my goal to learn the proper techniques for writing a lab report and the appropriate organization and formatting rules. Unlike a regular essay, lab reports have a specific layout and organization. Thus to achieve this goal, I abided heavily by the lab report handbook my instructor provided in class. It explained in-depth how to organize my report and where I should include specific information. Additionally, I took advantage of the teacher reviews my instructor offered during class. These reviews allowed me to have my work overlooked and allowed for corrections before I submitted my final report. These two tools allowed me to set myself up for success and gave me all the help I needed to create a good artifact.

       My second goal for this artifact was to be more decisive in my decision-making. Throughout my life, I can often be very indecisive and hesitant regarding big or small decision-making. As a result, I often waste time completing assignments because I will entirely scrap my work and start over if I do not like the specific writing decisions I have made. Likewise, for this report, we were allowed to write our essay on any of the 12 labs we completed. As a result, there were many topics, or labs, for me to choose from when writing this report. That is why I decided that once I chose a lab to write my essay on, I would stick with it. Setting this restriction for myself made it so I would stay on track with one topic and save time. Ultimately, setting this goal helped me be more concrete in my decision-making and made my writing process much faster.

       This artifact was helpful because it gave me valuable skills to be successful in my courses. For example, I can use the handbook I received in preparation for this artifact in any class in the future where I must write a lab report. Additionally, I have used the decision-making tactics I developed in every aspect of my life, both in school and personally. In the future, I can use the skills and tools I gained while creating this artifact to flourish in life.