The essay must be written in your own words and marks will be deducted for any plagiarism. The essay must be submitted electronically through Tunitin which is available on iLearn. the essay Will be of 1,000 words (excluding the references) and the topic will be chosen from the list below. For references, I suggest you start with a text book or review article (secondary literature) to give you an overview of the field then you can move to experimental papers (primary literature). For your essay I would expect you to cite about 6-10 recent articles from books or refereed scientific journals. Postings on Web sites may only be used if they come from a reputable source (e.g., Heart Foundation, National Health and Medical Research Council).

The essay is due before the mid-semester break so I suggest you start on it immediately. If you are having any problems with the essay please talk to your tutors. They are always available in the practical classes.

Remember that in answering the questions posed in each topic you must concentrate on physiological concepts. 

Writing the essay

The first step is to choose a topic that interests you. This may involve selecting a few possible topics from the list on pg 11 and doing some preliminary reading.

The next step is to interpret the essay topic so that you understand exactly the questions to answer. We will use an essay about the drug Vioxx as an example.

The drug Vioxx was a very widely used anti-inflammatory drug until it was removed from the market when it was shown to increase the risk of heart attack. Explain why Vioxx was developed and the proposed mechanism of its deleterious effects on the cardiovascular system.

To search the literature for information relevant to the topic I usually use the databases “pubmed” or Science Direct (or both) and in many instances you will be able to download relevant articles from these sites.

From the available journal articles select 10 or 12 that appear to be most relevant and read through them to develop an overview of the topic and then select around 6-10 articles that are most pertinent.

Some of these articles will be reviews (secondary literature) and some should be reports of experimental studies (primary literature). In the case of Vioxx, reports of clinical trials would be important primary literature.

Read these articles carefully and make notes in your own words of their content.

You should then set out a preliminary plan using section headings (subheadings). The plan should organise the information into a coherent, logical sequence (telling the story). For the Vioxx essay it may look like this

Introduction

• Purpose of anti-inflammatory drugs
• Vioxx usage around the world
• (don’t need state the contents of your essay because you only have 1000 words)

Body

• COX1 and COX2 inhibitors
• gastrointestinal damage
• COX2 selective inhibitors designed to reduce gastrointestinal effect
• Clinical trial identifies cardiovascular risks
• Effect of Vioxx on the cardiovascular system

Conclusion

• Inherent risks with systemic drugs

Check over your subheadings to make sure that you are answering the questions posed in the title. Using your notes complete each of your sections. Your purpose here is to interpret the data and explain it in simple, clear English. When you have trouble expressing a concept it is often because you don’t really understand it yourself. 

If a diagram will help the reader’s understanding include it. 

Once you have completed your first draft, read it through carefully and be prepared to make major changes if necessary. I suggest you read it through to a friend to see if it makes sense to them.

Editing the draft is best done on a hard copy, not the screen and you should check the relevance of the material you have included and the coherence and logic of each paragraph and the essay as a whole. All the time you should be considering whether you have answered the questions posed in the topic. Check the spelling and grammar. Try and keep the sentences short, remove technical jargon where possible and choose familiar, simple words rather than long, complicated or unusual ones.

Citing and the reference list

The source of all statements and diagrams obtained from the literature must be cited. The reference list only contains the articles that you have actually cited in the essay. Citations and the reference list must  be in Harvard Style. For more information go to

www.bio.mq.edu.au/files/Harvard%20Referencing%20System%202012(5).pdf

Layout

Please type the essay in 12pt, double spaced and with a 4-5 cm left hand margin and don’t forget to keep a copy for yourself.

Submission

All students must  submit  their essays to Turnitin. There is a link to Turnitin under assessment in iLearn for BIOL247.

Requests for extensions should be made to Julia Raftos. Extensions will be considered on an individual basis.
 

Essay Topics

1. Barker’s hypothesis states that low birth weight babies have an increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus, hypertension and heart disease in the future. What evidence led to the formulation of this hypothesis and through what mechanism(s) is it thought to occur.

1. The development of atherosclerosis is considered a critical risk factor in coronary heart disease. Review the risk factors (such as hypertension, abnormal blood lipids, smoking) and proposed mechanisms of atheroma development.

1. ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers are two of the newer anti-hypertension drugs. Compare and contrast their mechanisms of action, their beneficial effects and their side effects.

1. Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome is due partially to the lack of surfactant in the lungs of preterm babies. Explain how surfactant works and current and future treatment of this syndrome.

1. The aquaporin water channel was only identified recently. Review how it was discovered, its structures and its role in the disease diabetes insipidus.

1. Statins are used to treat patients with coronary heart disease. How do statins work and why are they considered so beneficial for people with heart disease.

1. What are the proposed benefits of ensuring that most of the carbohydrates in the diet have a low glycemic index?

Mini-test on first 6 lectures and the first two pracs. For this test there will be 20 multiple choice questions and the test will be held in your usual practical session.

This test will include 30 multiple choice questions to be completed in 40 minutes. All the cardiovascular section (lectures 1-12) and the areas covered in the first two practical classes will be examined.

There are two assignments that are linked to the practical classes. The questions are included in your practical manual. These assignments should be completed and handed in to your tutor during your practical class.

The exam is a three hour paper 33% of the marks will be for multiple choice questions, and the rest from short answer questions (a paragraph or dot points or a diagram).There will be some choice for the short answer questions.