Assignment 2: Credible Science and Real-World Problems
Due: Week 6
Points: 150
Skill(s) Being Assessed: Problem Solving
Criteria for Success: In this assignment, you will:
- Explain why the NEJM is a credible and high quality source.
- Summarize the findings about treating COVID-19 with remdesivir.
- Explain how the drug’s effectiveness was tested.
- Provide the dosage of remdesivir and for how long it was administered.
- Describe any safety concerns surrounding the drug, especially any adverse side effects.
- Describe any limitations in the study itself.
What to submit/deliverables: Assessment questions completed in Chapter 6 of the webtext and downloaded into a Word document that gets uploaded to Assignment 2 in Week 6 of Blackboard.
What is the value of doing this assignment? This assignment gives you an opportunity to practice the skill of problem solving. It will show that you can identify credible sources of information and compare and contrast results across varying studies in order to solve a problem and make a well-informed decision. It will also show that you can identify sampling, measurements, and analysis in a scientific study. The ability to interpret scientific information from a variety of sources is essential in order to make important decisions in everyday life. Problem solving is a universal skill and one you will continue to refine as you progress throughout your career. This assignment asks you to use what you’ve learned in Weeks 3–6 of the course about examining scientific research for solving real-world problems.
Worried about where to start? The good news is that you’ve already laid the foundation with the webtext activities in Chapters 4 and 5. This assignment will apply what you learned in those activities.
Your goal for this assignment is to: Practice your problem-solving skill. You will do this by answering questions in Chapter 6 of the webtext as you are guided through a process of selecting the best source of information about treating COVID-19 with the drug remdesivir. You will ultimately select a source of information and analyze it for study design, sample size, and conclusions.
What you need to complete this assignment:
- Completed activity from Chapter 4.
- Completed lab from Chapter 5.
- Template in Chapter 6 of the webtext.
- Downloaded Word document from completed webtext template.
Steps to complete: Complete the assignment in Chapter 6 of the webtext. When you are finished, download your assignment and submit your Word document in the Assignment link in Week 6 in Blackboard using the following steps:
STEP 1: Review the scenario for Assignment 2 in Chapter 6 of the webtext.
Scenario: You are a research assistant at a firm that invests in pharmaceuticals. Your manager asks you to write a report about treating COVID-19 with remdesivir, an antiviral drug that your firm is considering for investment. This report should be based on an appropriate and credible source of information. Furthermore, your report should contain these points of information:
- What makes your source high quality and credible.
- Remdesivir’s effectiveness in treating COVID-19.
- How we know whether it is effective or not.
- The dose and course of treatment of remdesivir.
- Adverse effects associated with remdesivir and any limitations in the study.
Your manager has also requested some key details about remdesivir. Your source of information should describe the amount of remdesivir given to patients (called a “dose” or “dosage”) and how long patients are treated with the drug (sometimes called a “course”). This will help your firm estimate the drug’s future pricing and choose whether to invest in it. Finally, your source should describe any adverse side effects associated with the drug and any limitations on the study itself, because these factors can affect a drug’s success in the market.
STEP 2: Complete the questions that follow the scenario in Chapter 6 of the webtext.
STEP 3: Download the completed assignment from Chapter 6 of the webtext.
STEP 4: Upload the completed Word document to the Assignment 2 link in Week 6 of Blackboard.
Grading for this assignment will be based on the following rubric:
