BIOL 631 - Bioethics and Communications

Three hours.
3 Credits

Students in this course analyze, discuss and write on traditional philosophical theories regarding the nature of the moral good. They then apply these theories to critical issues and selected cases involving experiments with human subjects, organ transplantation, in vitro fertilization, the use of animals in research, the collection and publication of research data, peer review, conflicts of interest, and other topics of current concern. The course also emphasizes how to write scientific papers for peer-reviewed journals, for in-house scientific progress reports, for lay audiences, and for grant applications. Approaches to making formal oral presentations and posters are also presented. Class discussions center around writing and speaking skills and the author/speakers’ responsibility to present accurate accounts of results, applications, and implications of their research. Students have weekly writing and reading assignments.