The Issue Report

Professional Biologists. identify a biological problem, try to come up with an appropriate solution, consider the implications of their solution, examine the benefits and risks of this solution, look at some alternatives,

critically look at and then use any source material,

attempt to communicate their ideas effectively.

Content.

The Visit / Issue report does not need to be related to the specification content. What matters is that you are able to write about and research into a topic that interests you and find out about what biologists do How Biology Works.

Issues so far .
Acid rain, ADHD, Ageing, Alcohol, Algae, Alien species, Aloe Vera, Altitude effects, Alzheimers, Amazon, Anabolic Steroids, Angelman syndrome, Angina, Angioplasts, Animal testing, Antigens, Anorexia, Anthrax, Antibiotic Resistance, Arthritis, Artificial insemination, Artificial heart, Aspirin, Asthma, Atherosclerosis, Atkins diet, Back pain, Bananas, Barteres syndrome, Battery hens, Beauty Therapy, Better cattle , Binge drinking, Biofuels, Biological warfare, Biopiracy, Bioterrorism, Bird Flu, Blood, Blood doping, Blood substitutes, Blood transfusion, Brazil nuts, Breast cancer, Bronchitis, BSE, Bulimia, Burns, Butterflies, Caffeine, Cancer, Cannabis, Cataract, Cervical Cancer, Cetacean Strandings, Chameleons, CHD, Chemotherapy, Chinese foot binding, Chromosome defect, CJD, Cloning, Cocaine & gastroschism, Cod, Common cold, Conjoined twins, Conservation, Controlled environments, Coral, Coronary Heart Disease, Creatine, Creatinine supplements, Crohns disease, CVD, Cystic Fibrosis, Dairy cattle, Deforestation, Deodorants, Depression, Designer babies,

Issues so far (cont) .

Diabetes, Dieting, Digestion, Dinosaurs, DNA fingerprinting, Doping, Down's Syndrome, Drug trials, Ecosystems, Ecstasy, El Nio, Elephants, Epigenetics, Epilepsy, Erythropoietin, Evolution of human race, Evolution, Exercise, Extinction, Face transplants, Feline hyperthyroidism, Fire Ants, Fish, Flu, Folic acid, Forensic Science, Fox gloves, Free radicals in food, Frozen Ark, Gene insertion, Gene Therapy, Genetic drift, Genetic engineering, Germ warfare, Glandular fever, Global Warming, Global warming and penguins, Glofish, GM Crops, Gorillas, Greyhounds, H5N1, Haemochromatosis, Haemophilia, Hallucinogenic drugs, Hayfever, Heart disease, Height, Herceptin, High Altitude, High heels, HIV, Hostile environments, HRT, Human / Cow embryos, Human Genome project, Human mummification, Huntingdons disease, Hypercholesterolemia, Hyperthyroidism, Iguanas,, Immune system , Infertility, Insomnia, Island Ecosystems, IVF, Kidney transplants, Leprosy, Leukaemia, Lung cancer, Lupus, Malaria, Manic depression, Marijuana, ME, Measles, Meningitis, Mesothelioma, Migraine, Mitochondrial DNA, MMD, MMR, Morning sickness,

Issues so far (cont) .

Motor neurone disease, Motorcycle safety, MRSA, MS, MSG, Multiple Births, Muscles, Musth in elephants, Myotonic dystrophy, Myxamatosis, Nandrolone, Nanotechnology, National DNA database, Natural dust, Neurofibromatosis, Neuromuscular control, Nitrogen, Obesity, Oceanography, Oncolytic virus, Orang-utans, Organ transplants, Osteoporosis, Ovarian cancer, Oysters, Pain, Pandas, Paper, Parkinsons, Peak performance, Pesticides, Pests, PGD, Phylloxera, Plants & Medicine, Polar bears, Polio, Pollinators, Pollution, Poppies, Post traumatic stress disorder, Parasites, Premature babies, Prenatal screening, Protein deficiency, PRRS in guinea pigs, Rabbits, Rabies, Radiation, Recycling, Rennet, Respiratory distress in infants, Right handedness, SARS, Scale Insects, Schizophrenia, Scoliosis, Seahorse conservation, Sex selection, Shark antibodies, Sheep diseases, Sheep scab, Sickle Cell anaemia, Skin Cancer, Sleep, Smog, Smoking, Snake venom, Spanish Flu, Sperm counts, Spina bifida, Sponges, Statins, STD's, Stem Cells, Stem cells &, MS, Steroid drugs, Stress, Strokes, Sturgeons,

Issues so far (cont) .

Superhumans, Suspended animation , Symbiois, Taxonomy, TB, Teeth, Telomeres, Testicular cancer, Tetracycline & Gum disease, Thalassaemia, Thalidomide, Tigers, Tobacco plants, Tooth Enamel, Tourettes, Transplants, Trisomy 18, Turner's Syndrome, Turtles, Twins, Vertebrae, Viagra & Hypertension, Viagra in pregnancy, War, Water , Wegeners Syndrome, White blood cells, Witch hazel, Wolves and Xenotransplantation.

Preparation for an Issue report (cont)

Biology is almost always in the news with topics such as environmental issues, medical breakthroughs and yet another discovery of a risk factor or something that we ought to eat or do in order to live longer! You are encouraged to read quality newspapers, watch the news on television or regularly scan the internet for current items.

Identify a topic which you are interested in!

The topic is suitable if:

1. If there is a problem involved

2. You are able to find some published data relating to either the problem, or a potential solution to the problem. Ideally this data should be quantitative ie feature numerical values.
3. The methods used to obtain/ collect the data are described /explained clearly, and relate strongly to Biology If you find the topic interesting and relevant data is available, then it is a suitable topic for the issue report The report needs to be 1500 to 2000 words long and must be word processed

Week 1 Homework Task

Identify a specific problem in an area of Biology which you are interested in Describe this issue in several sentences Now find some quantitative data relating to this issue: either related to the problem or to a potential solution How was this data produced? Where was the information obtained?

Week 2 Homework Task

Locate two further sources which relate to your issue of choice including at least one web-based and one not web-based. Summarise the information or arguments obtained from these sources in 5 - 10 lines (for each source). Write down information about the source, author and date of all three references . Identify two implications or applications (economical, social, ethical or environmental) of the applied biology encountered within the context of the visit or issue researched.

Homework Task condensed version

Identify a specific problem in an area of Biology which you are interested in Describe this issue/ problem in several sentences using particular source material to help Now locate some quantitative data relating to this issue: either related to the problem or to a potential solution. If this is not available, choose a different topic/ problem Find at least one further source which relate to your issue of choice: sources should be a mixture of web-based and non web-based Summarise the information or arguments obtained from this second source in 5 - 10 lines Include referencing to the text and list the sources in a bibliography