Here is my prompt: [Just need advice] The exam for this course will be a term pa

Question

Here is my prompt: [Just need advice]

The exam for this course will be a term paper in the form of a research proposal. You will put forth an hypothesis concerning a topic of interest in the Molecular Genetics of Human Disease. To support your hypothesis, you must provide a short literature review. You will then propose experiments to address the hypothesis you put forth and a description of how you would interpret the results of the experiments in terms of the hypothesis. (5 page length max. not including figures)

My question:
- This paper is due tomorrow, I have written extensively about the possibility of upregulating alpha secretase (cleaves APP) in order to help alleviate the build of amyloid beta plaque (the primary cause of AD).
- As you can tell the prompt isn't extremely clear as to what the professor expects. I also have never written one so I am a tad confused.

Do you think I should follow the standard: abstract-> intro -> lit review -> methods -> discussion organization structure? Should I have mainly background info (function of secretases and their role in APP processing) or specific stuff (how alpha secretase works) in my lit review? Excellent answer rating to whomever provides me with the best answer. Feel free to provide constructive criticism.

Explanation / Answer

1) It sounds obvious but figure out your "future" article's title immediately to guide your propal. Then your form is correct: Abstract: -Start off immediately by saying exactly what your trying to figure out ex: Analgesic effect of a drug in patients w/ hyperalgesia. - Say how you're going to do it: by measuring sensitivity to light touch via a device or method (dont explain in detail yet). -you should express your hypothesis by telling what you should observe if it works: ex: To examine the efficacy of X administered on patients to treat their Y, I will use a Z (chem panel, blood analysis, allodynia test) in order to detect decreased levels of W indicative of treatment of Y. X was chosen because it (has been shown to) has similar properties/activities/ ...that would make it seem a likely candidate to treat y. Also, if x treats Y, X should not... or whatever your counterhypothesis or other hypothesis may be. Hypothesis: exactly what should be observed if succesful or not Introduce everying starting w/ nature of problem. talk ab what is already known but what needs to be studied. Say how your technique (great detail to be saved for methods) can be used to test ur hypothesis. Methods: Treated population: in extreme detail Repeat observations in untreated population/ orpopulation that doesn't have Y. Result analysys: Describe how the different possible outcomes of data should be interpreted. References: muy importante Note: I put the hypothesis after my introduction and before the Methods section of my paper, in a very formal numbered "outline" format- even through its only a few lines long. Same with my result analysis. Also- use lots of parenthesis to make clear little details Ex: the affective dimension of pain (discomfort) ...(King et al, 2010). Good luck. Read lots of articles' abstracts and just delete the results and insert suspected results for yours. Reference: King T, Vera-Portocarrero L, Gutierrez T, Vanderah TW, Dussor G, Lai J, Fields HL, Porreca F.Unmasking the tonic-aversive state in neuropathic pain.Nat Neurosci. 2009 Nov;12(11):1364-6. Epub 2009 Sep 27. Erratum in: Nat Neurosci. 2010 Aug;13(8):1033.

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