Process:

1.You and your partner will begin the first assignment by:

1. Visiting the following website and determining what criteria is important when considering if websites are valid and accurate:

   http://www.media-awareness.ca/eng/webaware/tipsheets/w5.htm

2. Use the list you have created to evaluate the following sites for validity and accuracy:
   1. http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~jones/tmp352/projects98/group1/how.html
   2. http://www.humancloning.org/
   3. http://www.austmus.gov.au/thylacine/

1. Write down which sites you would use and what criteria you used to make this decision.

2. Your next task will be completed by:

1. Visit the following website and determine what criteria are used to determine when to site information.

   http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/wts/plagiarism.html

   Evaluate this information, and create a working definition of plagiarism.

2. Using your definition of plagiarism, analyze the following written pieces of work based on the website http://www.ornl.gov/hgmis and determine which work(s) have been plagiarized, and which have not. Give a written explanation of how you determined whether there was plagiarism or not.
   

Piece #1

The Human Genome Project goals are to:

• identify all the approximate 30,000 genes in human DNA,
• determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs that make up human DNA,
• store this information in databases,
• improve tools for data analysis,
• transfer related technologies to the private sector, and
• address the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) that may arise from the project.

Piece #2

The human genome project began in 1990 and is expected to be completed by 2003, ahead of schedule. The initial working draft of the human genome was published in June of 2000. Through the last twelve years of work scientists have disproved some of their previous thoughts as well as discovered a wealth of information about the human genome as well as several other organisms including eshericia coli, a human intestinal bacteria and the fruit fly. Scientists have found that the previous estimate of 80,000 to 140,000 genes is to high, the new estimate is from 30,000 to 35,000genes. Less than half of the discovered genes functions are known. At least fifty percent of human genes are what is considered 'junk' DNA. Junk DNA is DNA that does not seem to code for anything. Although we have come a long way scientists are still looking to find the number of genes humans have, the exact locations of these genes on chromosomes and much more.

Piece #3

The human genome project began in 1990 and is expected to be completed by 2003, ahead of schedule. A working draft of the entire human genome sequence was announced in June 2002 with analyses published in February 2001. Though the human genome project is not quite finished there have been a number of items of interest learned so far. Scientists have learned the total number of genes is estimated at 30,000 to 35,000, much lower than previous estimates of 80,000 to 140,000. They have also found that the order of almost all (99.9%) nucleotide bases are exactly the same in all people. The functions are unknown for over 50% of discovered genes. Repeated sequences that do not code for proteins ("junk DNA") make up at least 50% of the human genome. Scientists still have a long way to go before the human genome project is complete. Scientists still do not know the exact gene number, exact locations, functions, and much more.

3. In the ever-changing world of science, you must make sure that you have the most updated and accurate information you can find. Your employer trusts you with keeping the field scientists up to date about the current weather in their location. Field scientists are located around the world.

1. Which of the following sites would best give you updates on the weather around the world? What is the current weather in Rio Grande Brazil?
2. Research the following websites. Once you have visited each site, determine which site is the most valid. Once you have chosen the most valid site, submit your answer in writing to your employer. Be sure to include why this site was chosen over the other sites.
• http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/reports/billionz.html
• http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/
• http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/wwa/
• http://www.weathermarket.com/
• http://www.usda.gov/oce/waob/jawf/
• http://www.aws.com/aws_2001/default.asp
• http://weather.yahoo.com/
• http://www.weather.com/
• http://weather.andthensome.com/severeweather/
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/

4. You and your partner will develop a one-page newsletter, which includes the following information:

1. How to determine the validity and accuracy of a website.
2. The definition of plagiarism.
3. How to detect plagiarism.
4. Your newsletter must also consist of a fictional example of one of the following:
   1. What can happen when you use a website that has incorrect or misleading information in it.
   2. The ways in which students can plagiarize information without even knowing it.
   3. What penalties one can endure for plagiarizing.