Labs 9-12 Checklist

Biological Sciences 300/301, Smith College | Neurophysiology

Checklist for Labs 9-12:
Projects on the Crayfish Swimmeret System

http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/NeuroSci/courses/bio330/labs/labcheck9.html

UPDATED: May 7, 2008

For the remainder of the semester, the laboratory will be devoted to a single experimental project. You will have time to plan, refine, and repeat an experiment. All projects will investigate some aspect of the crayfish swimmeret central pattern generator. We explored potential experiments and some background for the projects in our reading and discussion last week.

Two assignments are associated with the lab project: a one-page abstract and a poster presentation.

Schedule and assignments.

Week 1: Establish a basic preparation to record the swimmeret pattern.

Record from the first roots of the abdominal nerve cord, using either a semi-intact or an isolated nervous system, as described below under Experimental Methods. Try to elicit the swimmeret pattern using an appropriate dose of carbachol or proctolin. If possible, gather your first data.

Weeks 2 -3: Refine and repeat your experiment, modifying your plan if necessary.

Record and analyze data, taking care to show that the results are reproducible. If you are testing the effects of a drug, demonstrate that the effects you see are truly the result of the treatment, and not just a spontaneous response or a sign of deterioration of the preparation. (Usually, being able to wash out the drug and restore the preparation's previous state is a suitable control.) If you are investigating timing or coordination between ganglia, measure and plot your data for each experiment to see if different experiments are consistent.
Feel free to check out what other groups are doing, and to offer and receive advice. Working on the same basic preparation allows us to share information and learn from each other.

Week 4: Summarize your experimental work in an abstract and a poster presentation.

ABSTRACT. You and your partner(s) should write an abstract together, with a title and your names at the top. The abstract tells us succinctly what you did and what you found. It is limited to ONE page, single-spaced. You may include diagrams or sample records within that page. Write informatively, for the students who will read your abstract in future years. Please email me a copy of your abstract with embedded figures by 6:00 pm on Monday of the last week of classes (rolivo@email.smith.edu). Abstracts will be printed and distributed to our class and also placed online for future classes.
Abstracts from previous classes are available online*: 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2000-2003

POSTER. Create a poster about your project jointly with your lab partner(s). On your poster, tell us the project's purpose, possibly a little about what is already known, the important aspects of your methods (including pitfalls to watch out for), and what you found out. If you have useful data, we'd like to see selected records or graphs that summarize your results. Posters can be constructed using informal means, such as brown wrapping paper and marking pens (put your effort into the content, not the lettering). You can also use AppleWorks on our lab computers to create panels for your poster. Posters should be ready for viewing one-half hour after the start of our usual lab time. Your group will be asked to give a five-minute talk about your poster to the class.

Posters from previous classes are available online*: 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005. (*Smith campus only)

Some comments on grading. Your experiments, your project abstract, and your poster will all be components in the grade for the laboratory course, along with your portfolio of data from the first part of the semester. Lab projects will be graded on the basis of the sensibility and skill with which the experiments were designed and carried out. It is understood that in some cases, any useful results may represent a triumph. A good project will have been thought through clearly, with data analyzed to demonstrate that responses are repeatable, related to the magnitude of the treatment, and (if possible) reversible. The presentation of the project should be clear, organized, and informative.

	Biological Sciences 300/301, Smith College \| Neurophysiology Checklist for Labs 9-12: Projects on the Crayfish Swimmeret System http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/NeuroSci/courses/bio330/labs/labcheck9.html
	UPDATED: May 7, 2008
	For the remainder of the semester, the laboratory will be devoted to a single experimental project. You will have time to plan, refine, and repeat an experiment. All projects will investigate some aspect of the crayfish swimmeret central pattern generator. We explored potential experiments and some background for the projects in our reading and discussion last week. Two assignments are associated with the lab project: a one-page abstract and a poster presentation.
	Schedule and assignments. Week 1: Establish a basic preparation to record the swimmeret pattern. Record from the first roots of the abdominal nerve cord, using either a semi-intact or an isolated nervous system, as described below under Experimental Methods. Try to elicit the swimmeret pattern using an appropriate dose of carbachol or proctolin. If possible, gather your first data. Weeks 2 -3: Refine and repeat your experiment, modifying your plan if necessary. Record and analyze data, taking care to show that the results are reproducible. If you are testing the effects of a drug, demonstrate that the effects you see are truly the result of the treatment, and not just a spontaneous response or a sign of deterioration of the preparation. (Usually, being able to wash out the drug and restore the preparation's previous state is a suitable control.) If you are investigating timing or coordination between ganglia, measure and plot your data for each experiment to see if different experiments are consistent. Feel free to check out what other groups are doing, and to offer and receive advice. Working on the same basic preparation allows us to share information and learn from each other. Week 4: Summarize your experimental work in an abstract and a poster presentation. ABSTRACT. You and your partner(s) should write an abstract together, with a title and your names at the top. The abstract tells us succinctly what you did and what you found. It is limited to ONE page, single-spaced. You may include diagrams or sample records within that page. Write informatively, for the students who will read your abstract in future years. Please email me a copy of your abstract with embedded figures by 6:00 pm on Monday of the last week of classes (rolivo@email.smith.edu). Abstracts will be printed and distributed to our class and also placed online for future classes. Abstracts from previous classes are available online: 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2000-2003 POSTER.* Create a poster about your project jointly with your lab partner(s). On your poster, tell us the project's purpose, possibly a little about what is already known, the important aspects of your methods (including pitfalls to watch out for), and what you found out. If you have useful data, we'd like to see selected records or graphs that summarize your results. Posters can be constructed using informal means, such as brown wrapping paper and marking pens (put your effort into the content, not the lettering). You can also use AppleWorks on our lab computers to create panels for your poster. Posters should be ready for viewing one-half hour after the start of our usual lab time. Your group will be asked to give a five-minute talk about your poster to the class. Posters from previous classes are available online: 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005. (Smith campus only) Some comments on grading. Your experiments, your project abstract, and your poster will all be components in the grade for the laboratory course, along with your portfolio of data from the first part of the semester. Lab projects will be graded on the basis of the sensibility and skill with which the experiments were designed and carried out. It is understood that in some cases, any useful results may represent a triumph. A good project will have been thought through clearly, with data analyzed to demonstrate that responses are repeatable, related to the magnitude of the treatment, and (if possible) reversible. The presentation of the project should be clear, organized, and informative.

Biological Sciences 300/301, Smith College | Neurophysiology

Checklist for Labs 9-12: Projects on the Crayfish Swimmeret System

Schedule and assignments.

Checklist for Labs 9-12:
Projects on the Crayfish Swimmeret System