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Task 2.1 Begin Research on Genetically Modified Crops

You and your teammates have been asked to begin research on genetically modified crops. For this task you are exploring the scientific and ethical issues around genetically altering crops. Keep track of your research in order to properly cite any works you use for the projects.

Reminder: In your research you may encounter theological or religious arguments, particularly regarding ethics. Remember that you have been asked to not include this line of discussion in any of your deliverables.

The steps below will help you with your task.

• Note: The steps below do not necessarily need to be completed sequentially. Work in the order best suited to your style and that will keep you on schedule for this task.
  
  
  • If you feel like your starting to get burned out on a task or topic, try switching to another task or topic for awhile.
    
    
• Review the Resources link (above) to get a feel for what you have available to you.
  
  
• Review the General Skills Resources link (in the left menu), particularly on references and citations, to understand what resources are available to you. You may want to refer back to these resources as you conduct your work to help keep track of your research.

Contents of this step-by-step guide: (click and item to jump to that section)

• Project Management
  
  
• Focus Group
  
  
• Conduct Research
  
  
• Reconvene with Your Team
  
  
• Review and Submit Your Work

Project Management (back to top)

Part of your job in this rotation involves working with your team to:

• determine what tasks need to be accomplished
  
  
• assign specific work to individual people
  
  
• monitor what progress has been made
  
  
• keep track of what still needs to be done
  

1. Meet with your team and select a new project manager for this section. The project manager (PM) is in charge of making assignments and keeping track of the progress of the team. The PM needs to complete other work for this task as part of the team as well. The role of project manager will rotate again for the next topic, allowing another member of the team to gain experience in this role.
   
   Tip: You may want to review the General Skills Resources link (in the left menu) for information on project management.
   
   
• The project manager is responsible for coordinating the efforts of the team. Each member of the team also needs to manage their own projects, breaking larger tasks down into smaller components, keeping track of what has been done, what still needs to be done, and prioritizing work accordingly.
  
  
2. Review all of the emails to clarify your understanding of what is being asked of you. Keep in mind the larger picture and how this task fits into that larger picture.
   
   
• Your team discussion may identify questions you have about these topics or additional points you want to research to include in the main projects for this rotation.
  
  
3. Decide on a status report template to document what needs to be completed and who is responsible for its completion. You may use or modify the template your team used in the previous task, or try a new approach.
   
   
   • See the Resources for this task under “Project Management” for sample status reports to get a feel for how you might construct your status reports. Use the information available to you on project management in the General Skills Resources, and work with the whole team to determine how to structure the status reports for your team (e.g., develop a template for your team, use word document with headings, etc.).
     
     
   • At a minimum, your status report must include the following level of information:
     
     
     • Roles and responsibilities
       
       
     • What decisions have been made
       
       
     • What has been accomplished
       
       
     • What still needs to be accomplished
       
       
     • Any open questions, issues, or obstacles
       
       
   • The project manager needs to submit a status report of the team at the end of this task.
     
     
   Tip: Although individual status reports are not required, it may be helpful to use similar support materials to help each member keep track of their work.
   

4. With your team, discuss what needs to be accomplished and who is responsible for each item. Keep in mind that one area may require more work than others and to divide tasks accordingly. It may be helpful to look through the steps below to get a better feel for what needs to be done.
   
   Trap: Talking about what needs to be done without assigning tasks to individuals runs the risk of everyone agreeing something needs done but nothing actually happening about it. Make specific assignments to people to help ensure everything gets taken care of.
   
   
   • Break complex tasks into smaller parts to make them easier to manage and complete.
     
     
   • Each member of your team needs to understand each component well enough to conduct a focus group, participate in the debate, and write their final report. It is recommended that each member do some research on each topic and collaborate and discuss the information rather than dividing the work topically (e.g., science and ethics).
     
     
   • There are some parts of this task that everyone must do. Be sure to assign responsibility accordingly.
     
     
   • Make sure to keep track of what tasks you are assigned to make sure you complete them all. You are responsible for answering to the project manager about the tasks you were assigned.
     
     
   • Your team may need to check in with one another periodically and reassign work to accomplish this task successfully.

Focus Group (back to top)

You have been asked to start preparations to conduct a focus group to get people’s reaction to the issue of genetically modifying crops. Some of these steps may need to be revisited once your initial research has been conducted. Note: Each member of your team needs to complete their own focus group, unless otherwise directed by your mentor.

1. If needed, review the Resources link (above) for information on focus groups.
   
   
2. Review your notes from your previous focus group, for areas of potential improvement. This may include areas that did not run smoothly the first time, or areas that did run well and you want to capitalize on these successes. As you go through the process of recruiting people and conducting your focus group, incorporate the changes as needed.
   
   
• Completing tasks multiple times in this rotation gives you a chance to hone your skills. Putting in effort to improve will help you grow and develop new skills.
  
  
3. Schedule a time and place to hold the focus group, giving the members of the group adequate notice beforehand, and giving yourself enough time to complete research before conducting the session.
   
   

• The focus group needs to be completed by the end of task 2.2. Schedule accordingly based on the Rotation Schedule and discussion with your mentor. Give yourself enough time after the focus group to write up the results while still being able to complete the task on schedule.
  
  
4. Develop selection criteria for your focus group to help ensure members in the group are similar to one another in a way that is meaningful. In order to get good information from a focus group the people in it must be willing to express their views. If the group is too diverse the atmosphere could turn, and dialogue might be suppressed.
   
   
   • Meet with your team to discuss what selection criteria each member plans to use. Your team can get a richer experience and more diverse views if each member uses different criteria. Look for more information on these issues in the Resources link (above). Note: You may have to relax your selection criteria based on who is available for your focus group.
     
     
   • Consider using different selection criteria than you used for your previous focus group. Doing so gives you an opportunity to see a wider variety of perspectives and gather these together to strengthen your final presentation and report.
     
     
5. Begin recruiting people to include in the focus group who fit your selection criteria and are willing to participate in your focus group.
   
   
   • If there were people interested in participating in your focus group before who did not meet your previous selection criteria but who do or might fit your current selection criteria, begin by contacting them to see if they are still interested.
     
     
   • Use your imagination or do research for ways to find people that you may not otherwise know (e.g., placing a flier at the local library).
     
     
   • Note: Although some resources suggest offering an incentive to recruit focus group participants, you do not need to. Do what you can to recruit voluntary participants. If you’re having difficulty finding people talk with your team or mentor for ideas.
     
     
   • Note: If you’re having trouble finding enough people who fit the criteria and are willing to participate, you may need to discuss the issue with your team and/or adjust or relax your criteria. Although you may have a different experience by not using selection criteria, your main goal is to conduct a focus group with 4-6 people. Put in some effort but take what actions you need to in order to get enough participants.
     
     
     • If other people are not available, you may include people who participated in your previous focus group.
       

   Tip: Some people may be willing to participate but do not fit the selection criteria. Explain to them the reason for selection criteria and let them know that the selection criteria may be relaxed and that another focus group will be conducted on a similar topic with potentially different criteria. They may be willing to participate in your third focus group or if the situation changes.

Conduct Research (back to top)

You have been asked to compile answers to questions related to genetic modification of crops. For questions you don’t already have the answers to, you need to conduct research. The steps below are intended to assist you in conducting internet research. (Note: The steps below assume the reader has no prior in-depth knowledge of GM crops.)

• If you haven’t already done so, review the General Skills Resources link (in the left menu) for information on conducting research. Note: You are free to conduct research by any means (e.g., internet, library, etc.). Make sure to evaluate sources of information for things such as bias, authority, and accuracy.

1. Identify the questions you need to answer and any other tasks you need to complete from the emails and from your notes from your team discussion.
   
   
2. Review your previous work on genetics, ethics, and biotechnology to find answers or starting points to the questions you have been asked to address.
   
   
• You may need to refer back to the original source and focus more on the information related to genetic modification of crops.
  
  
3. Look at the Resources link (above) for links to information on GM crops. It’s recommended to begin your research with these links to get a feel for basic information before conducting other research.
   
   
   • As you look through the Resources take note of keywords and concepts you encounter that seem relevant to the task at hand or that aren’t clear to you from the information available at those sites. You’ll need to conduct additional research to investigate these concepts more thoroughly.
     
     
4. Do additional research by searching the web or using another method of your choosing. Use the keywords from the notes you took while doing the work above as a starting point.
   
   
   • Note: The internet allows nearly anyone to publish information on topics with little supervision. People have strong opinions about certain topics and there may be many sites supporting a particular position. Just because there are a number of websites available with a given perspective on a topic DOES NOT mean the information is accurate or unbiased. Scrutinize your search results and/or refine your search to find the information you’re looking for.
     
     
     • Review the "Conducting Research" link under General Skills Resources (in the left menu) for more information on evaluating websites.
       
       
   • As you conduct your research, keep track of useful information you find and how it might be used in the various projects you’ll be working on throughout this rotation (e.g., presentation, debate, and final report). Use the method that works best for you.
     
     
   • As you get closer to finalizing projects the way ideas are organized is likely to change. The focus here is more on what information may be useful than on exactly how information will be used or in what order it will be presented.
     
     
   Tip: It may be useful to keep track of the keywords you use to search for information, and what type of results they bring up to help in further research as needed.
   
   
   • Look through the results to see if the sites it brings up have the information you’re looking for. If not, you may try the other steps in this section to refine your search.
     
     
     • Take note of the web addresses for sites that do have useful information you so you can easily return to them later.
       
       
   • Look for commonalities between the sites that are useful, either on genetics generally, or on a specific topic within genetics.
     
     
     • Are there additional terms or different terms used on the sites that seem useful that the less useful sites don’t have? If so, try refining your search to include these terms.
       
       
       • Are there terms that are on the less useful sites that the useful sites don’t have? If so, you can use advanced search features to exclude those terms. Many search engines have links to Advanced Search options with clearly labeled fields.
         
         
5. Refine your search using additional and/or different keywords to find answers to the questions you need to be able to answer. Note that the keywords used for one question or type of question may be different than for other questions.
   
   Tip: If the information your searches return is too complex for what you’re trying to find, try adding keywords to describe that you’re looking for basic information first. As you get a handle on the basic information, the complex sites are easier to understand.
   
   Trap: Genetics is a complex field with a lot of information on different topics. While you’re encouraged to explore things that interest you, don’t lose site of the task at hand and be sure to get your work done so your team can move forward.
   
   
6. Conduct additional research on as needed to get any information you or your team members need to complete this stage of research.
   
   
   • If you’re having difficulty finding useful information on the questions try to think of other ways to describe the problem and try your search again. If you’re still having trouble, contact your mentor for assistance.

Reconvene with Your Team (back to top)

1. Meet with your team to discuss the information each person found, any questions or issues the research uncovered, any issues that weren’t fully resolved, what needs to be done to answer those issues, and other points as determined by your team.
   
   
• One of your team members may have found information on a point you classified as an open issue, or you may have answers to their open issues. Engaging in an active dialogue with your teammates about the information you found may help you answer each other’s open questions.
  
  
2. Create a rough outline of the information your team found that may be useful for the presentation.
   

• At this stage of research the focus is more on what information you have than the specific order you list it in.
  
  
• See the Resources link (above) for software programs that can help you organize your thoughts and generate outlines.
  
  
3. Project manager only: Update your team status report documenting the progress that was made and what still needs to be accomplished, including how each team member is doing in regards to recruiting their focus group.

Review and Submit Your Work (back to top)

1. Review your work
   
   
   • Did you conduct enough research on each topic to be able to answer all the questions you were asked?
     
     
   • Did you identify areas in your research where you need additional information?
     
     
   • Did you find enough information to be able to provide a balanced and objective view of the topic?
     
     
   • Did you begin preparations for their focus group?
     
     
   • Did your team have an active dialogue about the information each member found and a plan to address any open issues that remain?
     
     
   • Did you work with your team to create a rough outline of the information you discovered?
     
     
2. Submit your work
   

• Review the checklist located in the Submit Your Work section of this task to ensure completion of the task before submitting your deliverables to your mentor.
  

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Task 2.1 Resources

The links below are intended as a starting point for your work. If you are unable to find all the information you need, or if the information here leaves questions you still need to answer, you may need to conduct further research to complete your work. In the event of a broken link, use the description as a starting point to search for similiar links.

While Wikipedia is a valuable resource, unlike some other websites anyone can contribute to or modify the site (whether they're knowledgeable about the topic or not). As a result, the site is subject to constant change by questionable sources. Be sure to cross-check information on Wikipedia with other reputable sites to ensure accuracy.

Ask the Expert

What are some GM techniques that are no longer used in agriculture?

What tests are used to determine whether GM foods are safe?

Before biotechnology existed, how did people select for genes in crops?

How are new GM technologies different from cross-breeding crops?

Are there ethical reasons why crops shouldn’t be genetically modified?

Do GM crops, even when they are determined to be safe, always get used?

Project Management

Note: The status report here is included as a starting point. You'll need to adapt the style to fit your team's purposes, as described in the step-by-step guide. There are additional resources on "Project Management" under the General Skills Resources link (in the left menu).

Project Status Report
An example status report with sections for listing tasks, objectives, which things are on target, items that are not yet complete, and what is planned to get the project back on target.

Genetically Modified Foods

Biotechnology in Agriculture
An overview of the benefits and the potential negative effects of GM foods from the United States Department of Agriculture. Includes a glossary of terms towards the bottom of the page.

Benefits and Controversies of GM
From the Human Genome project, lists the major issues raised involving GM foods. Also contains links to other sites.

Resources on GM Foods
Links with descriptions to other sites with information on GM foods. Includes links to technical and safety information, international government websites, advisory committees, and other organizations.

Biotechnology in Food and Agriculture
Contains links, papers, articles, videos and other information on different uses of biotechnology and issues related to them. There is a lot of information here, be sure to explore the links in the left menu and along the top for each section.

AMA Report on GM Foods
A report from the American Medical Association on genetically modified foods. Tip: The citations section may guide you to other resources.

Ethics

Note: The websites below provide ethical considerations about genetic engineering, but in some cases do so partially from a theological perspective. For the purposes of this rotation do not include theological considerations in your deliverables.

Ethics Overview
An overview of what ethics involves, and the major divisions of ethics, including the perspectives of each.

Ethical Decision Making
An overview of different ethical perspectives and how they differ in determining what is ethical. Be sure to look at “A Framework for Ethical Decision Making” and “Who Counts?” topics. The “Bioethics” and other links on the left may also be of interest. This resource appeared in an earlier section.

Bioethics of Agriculture
Discussion of concerns people have regarding GM foods, and the ethical issues involved in the debate.

Genetically Modified Foods
Discussion of ethical issues surrounding the genetic modified foods. Note: This site is based on a specific ethical perspective with corresponding conclusions. It does discuss the major ethical points involved in the debate. Use accordingly in conjunction with other resources.

Focus Group

Focus Groups
An entry from Wikipedia on focus groups. This resource appeared in an earlier section.

Guidelines for Focus Groups
Guidelines for preparing for, conducting, and analyzing a focus group with a specific example to illustrate points. This resource appeared in an earlier section.

Focus Group Fundamentals
Information on focus groups, factors that influence the quality of focus groups including the similarity of participants, and what the type of information focus groups produce. This resource appeared in an earlier section.

Dos and Don'ts for Focus Groups
Recommendations of things to do in a focus group and common mistakes to avoid. This resource appeared in an earlier section.