1000 words a scientific essay in a creative format – describing the pathogenesis of infection of their chosen microbe (Rabies street virus)

Assessment 1: Creative Writing Essay and Presentation (20%)

The aim of the essay assignment is to develop skills in writing a scientific essay in a creative format. Students will need to search the literature, review the topic, produce an essay and make a PowerPoint presentation, which they use to teach to the remainder of the class about their topic.
Each student will be required to write 1000 words describing the pathogenesis of infection of their chosen microbe. The essay will also enable students to incorporate concepts discussed in the course and use the current literature to explore a particular, medically important micro-organism or closely related group of micro-organisms, associated disease, diagnostic methodology, epidemiology study or other current area of interest in medical research. Students will gain further research skills by exploring the literature.
The creative essay will be conducted as follows:
• Students will do this assignment individually, you will be required to write a non technical “story” from the point of view of a microbe of your choosing (i.e. you will become the microbe), in a simple language that an average 1st year university science student could understand.
• Students will need to choose a microbe and develop the key ideas which will form the basis of the essay.
• All written assignments are to be word-processed- 12 pitch- Arial or Times New Roman font-double-line spacing- one side only. You only have 1,000 words, therefore it is not possible to summarise all of the material you will have read. There is a 10% tolerance for the word limit (i.e. max 1,100 words). Your assignment is to be written in sentences and paragraphs (i.e. an essay), avoiding dot- points and lengthy quotes. You should use headings to structure your assignment and can use pictures, tables and diagrams etc.
• Students will have to selective and focus on the aspects that you are most relevant in addressing the assignment topic. Students will need to find a number of relevant journal articles or microbiology books that supports their essay plan. Researching a topic takes time, so you will need to put a strategy in place to space your reading over a number of weeks, rather than cram your readings into just a few days (or hours!). Once you have completed your readings you will now need to but twist on this topic to write it in a creative and engaging way, this will be the most challenging aspect of the assignment as to be able to do this you will have to have a good understanding of the subject matter.

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