task

You and your partner are scientists who have more than a few reasons to be concerned about drug use in our society. Specifically, you are concerned about one of the profiles that have been provided.

It seems that many people who take drugs are unaware of how these chemicals interact with their body and you believe that, if only people knew about the hazards associated with certain drugs, they would stop their reckless consumption.

Part One - Scientific Abstract

A scientific abstract is a summary of your research and would be included in an article in a scientific journal, such as Nature or Science. These journals receive many articles for submission, and so they require that abstracts be to the point. Your audience for this abstract is the scientific community. Your abstract should be no longer than a paragraph, but will contain all of the following information:

What is the importance of looking at this drug and its effects?
How did you collect your data and what were you expecting to find? (This should be no longer than two sentences.)
Include a summary of what you discovered from your data. Here you should highlight only what you feel are the most important discoveries.
What contribution do your findings make to the scientific community about your drug?
What further studies could be conducted as an extension of your study?

You are also required to include any references you used as part of your research. As always, it is important to give credit to the sources you've used. A bibliography is helpful for other scientists who are reading your research, because it can point them in the direction of materials they can use in their own research. (For example, if they're conducting research on a topic similar to yours.) Because of this, it is important that references be cited in a particular way. Here are some examples.

JOURNAL OR MAGAZINE ARTICLE
Dubeck, L. (1990). Science Fiction Aids Science Teaching. Physics Teacher, 28, 316-318.

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE
Di Rado, A. (1995, March 15). Trekking Through College: Classes Explore Modern Society Using the World of Star Trek. Los Angeles Times, p. A3.

BOOK
Okuda, M., & Okuda, D. (1993). Star Trek Chronology: The History of the Future. New York: Pocket Books.

WEBSITE
Lynch, T. (1996). DS9 Trials and Tribble-ations Review. Retrieved October 8, 1997, from Psi Phi: Bradley's Science Fiction Club Web site:
http://www.bradley.edu/campusorg/psiphi/DS9/ep/503r.html

Part Two-Presentation

Choose one of the profiles and research the specific drug in question. You must show an understanding of how the drug affects the normal functioning of the nervous system, as well as how these effects create a plethora of signs and symptoms.

You will be presenting your report at a student conference or at the next AADAC meeting. Your presentation must highlight the following:

Identify how the nervous system functions normally. Include any diagrams, pictures, and models that will help show normal nerve transmission, synaptic transmission and brain chemistry.
Explain how the drug disrupts the normal functions of the nervous system (nerve transmission, synaptic transmission and brain chemistry). Indicate how a disruption of the nerve transmission results in the signs and symptoms experienced by the user.
In addition to the nervous system, choose one other body system (endocrine, sensory, reproductive) that you will be studying in Biology 30. Demonstrate your knowledge of how the drug disrupts the homeostasis of this system.
You are expected to collect data about the drug: percentage of the population using the drug, assess to the drug, number of drug associated deaths, etc. Your findings must be presented in the form of a data chart or graph. Provide an analysis of the data, point out common patterns, differences and explain your findings. (Hint: you may want to collect your own data by creating a survey that you will distribute to the student body of SHS during a TA class. You may want to use statistics from Stats Canada, http://www.statcan.ca/

This information will be summarized in your scientific abstract.

Part Three - Educational Tool

Prepare and distribute a thoughtful educational tool that is targeted at the specific audience your drug is most prevalent in (For example, ecstasy use will focus primarily on high school age groups).

Your educational tool should address the appropriate age group and serve as the most effective means for advocating change. Remember, if your audience is high school students, what method will appeal to them most?

Your educational tool could be a poster (that you hang in a bathroom stall), a pamphlet (that would catch the attention of your audience), an ad in a magazine, a radio broadcast or a commercial. Choose which ever medium you believe would be most effective for the audience most prone to using the drug.