In this project, the student must select a topic of interest related to chemistry and find a relevant news article (online or print) published within the last year (NS learning outcome #1). 
The student would develop a scientific hypothesis from the article, and examine the hypothesis in the context of the viewpoints of scientific experts in natural sciences and its impact on society (NS learning outcome #2 & #3). The student should utilize literature data (peer-reviewed published research journals, peer-reviewed databases, patent information, et cetera) to explore and define the hypothesis (NS learning outcome #2). For the project submission, the student would write a short paper (600-800 words) explaining the selected topic’s background and significance, providing scientific viewpoints analyzed, defining the process for hypothesis testing, and conclusions drawn using chemistry terms/concepts learned in this course. The article, or web address of the article, must be included in the submitted document. Only Word (.doc or .docx) formats are acceptable. This must be submitted via Blackboard no later than XX AM on XXX 2023. 100 Total points.
5/100 (12.5%) General requirements: Name, date, essay title, length (600-800 words), spelling and grammar, reference (the reference document file must be submitted by canvas link).
5/100 (22.5%) Formality and logical structure of the essay.
65/100 (65.0%) Appropriate use of chemistry terms and contextual coherency of chemistry concepts in the essay (see attached rubric table).
*Note: This project aims to reinforce scientific approaches to understanding the world by actively applying course knowledge and chemical literacy to evaluate and interpret current events. (These objectives are aligned with the stated curriculum goals of the UT Spartan Studies general education program for Natural Science Distribution – the learning experience for developing “scientific reasoning skills, which will help the non-natural science majors interpret the scientific information and misinformation that they are exposed to on a daily basis” https://www.ut.edu/spartanstudies)
Academic integrity Statement
Cheating, plagiarism, copying and any other behavior that is contrary to University standards of behavior will not be tolerated. Students caught violating any aspect of the University of Tampa’s Academic Integrity Policy will be penalized in all cases. Penalty ranges from “0” on an assignment to “F” for the course without regard to a student’s accumulated points. Students may also face expulsion. It is the student’s responsibility to become familiar with the policies of the university regarding academic integrity and to avoid violating such policies.  Policy information is found at Academic Integrity PolicyLinks to an external site.[1].