1. Research Problem Students have a difficult time with critical thinking, especially the aspects of analysis and evaluation necessary to evaluate data.

2. Research Question Can explicitly including a critical thinking emphasis in lab report directions and grading rubric improve students’ critical thinking data analysis abilities? What is the context (e.g. class setting, student audience) in which you will conduct your research? Overall underprepared student population (assessment data show campus wide lack of success in critical thinking abilities) 300 level genetics or cell biology lecture/laboratory course 20-25 students

3. Primary Research Methods Design critical thinking rubric with scientific focus Modify AAC&U critical thinking VALUE rubric Check reliability of rubric with other Biology faculty Compare student abilities from current semester (experimental group with critical thinking directions) to past semester (control group) on three major multi-week lab reports Obtain nominal data regarding student characteristics in past and current class to determine similarity of the two student groups

4. Methods of Collecting Data Rubric category scores on lab reports assigned over course of the semester Registrars office for de-identified student characteristic data Pre/post California Critical Thinking Skills and Dispositions Test

5. Analysis of Data Past Class (Control) Current Class (treatment) Compare characteristics Average GPA, type/# majors, student level, past courses taken Determine mean scores in rubric categories for individual lab reports Compare Means Individual reports and change in means over time Examine changes in pre and post CCTST scores Compare for trends Do rubric changes correspond to changes in CCTST scores

6. Alignment of Research Question and Methods Can explicitly including a critical thinking emphasis improve students’ critical thinking data analysis abilities? Comparison of past class with no critical thinking emphasis to current class with emphasis Rubric designed for scientific focus on the analysis and evaluation subset of critical thinking CCTST contains analysis and evaluation subscores

7. Alignment of Research Question and Methods The data will help me answer my question by: Determining if there is an improvement in analysis and evaluation abilities on lab reports from the treatment group compared to past class Determine if a focus on discipline specific critical thinking can influence more general critical thinking