Biocore 181H

Biocore 181H* – Becoming a Scientist: Doing Biology Research (2 cr.) 

*Biocore 181H is an elective, Honors only introductory level course that fulfills bioscience breadth credits. Biocore 181H is not part of the Biocore Honors Certificate, yet introduces students to the same type of science reasoning and research used. Biocore 181H is not required for the Biocore Certificate Program.

This course will actively engage you and a class community of your peers in the process of science by providing you with the opportunity to do authentic biology research.  Through this engagement you will uncover “how we know what we know” through scientific discovery. You will work in a team of three to four students to ask a novel question and do biology research on a topic of your choice: from ecology and physiology to cell biology. You will explore both the “how” and “why” questions that drive the process of science by doing research and communicating it to others. You will also analyze how science is communicated by visiting UW Madison campus research labs and talking with researchers about their science. This is an Honors course emphasizes scientific reasoning, including in-depth investigation of a research topic and reading primary scientific literature, as well as dedicated collaborative group work requiring student motivation and intellectual engagement typical of an honors mindset. The course is taught by instructors in the Biocore Honors Biology program and will allow for opportunities to explore the Biocore sequence as an option to begin during your sophomore year.