Analysis of Biological Literature and Experimental Design
BBS 230
Subject & Catalog Number
Course Information
Description
BBS 230 is a research skills core course required for all BBS first-year graduate students that is designed to build (a) familiarity with the scientific peer review process, (b) a deeper understanding of rigorous experimental design, data presentation, data analysis and data interpretation in the literature, and (c) increasing competency in applying effective experimental design principles to future project planning. Our training in literature analysis is comprised of two related components: (1) eight weekly seminar-style, small group paper discussions with pairs of Harvard faculty instructors that will focus on understanding, dissecting, and evaluating roughly a dozen seminal research papers; and (2) parallel weekly sections led by teaching fellows that focus on the process of peer review and revision of three scientific manuscripts. In separate sessions, you will engage groups of faculty authors or professional journal editors in panel discussions guided by your questions to explore the process of peer review and publishing from different perspectives. Then, in the last half of the course, you will plan and outline your own study design for a current or future project (e.g. current or future rotation), thus applying many of the elements that you have considered in the various section discussions.
Course Notes
BBS 230 is open for enrollment only to BBS and BIG students. This course is required for first-year BBS students.
Available for Harvard Cross Registration
