Posters Notes

DNA Barcoding Poster Design Objectives

  • Primary Goals:
    • Understand the natural history of your organism used in DNA Subway.
    • Learn about scientific posters.
    • Create a personal poster showcasing DNA barcoding results.

Part 1: Natural History Research on Your Organism

  • Objectives:

    • Research the natural history to facilitate identification.
    • Use reliable sources (Wikipedia, the Web) to gather information.

  • Key Questions to Answer:

    1. Identification Traits:
    • What distinct characteristics identify the species, genus, or family?
    • Example: For fungi, describe gills on a mushroom cap confident in what’s visible in your specimen.
    1. Observation of Traits:
    • Confirm if your organism possesses the identified traits and describe them based on observation (reference photos).
    1. Geographic Range:
    • Determine the natural range of the taxon.
    1. Typical Habitat:
    • Describe typical habitats (e.g., swampy, low light).
    1. Alignment Check:
    • Do the geographical range and habitat align with your sample's collection area?
    1. Interesting Fact:
    • Share a noteworthy detail about your organism more than you previously knew.

Part 2: Creating Posters to Share Your Results

  • Importance of Sharing Findings:

    • Sharing is crucial in the scientific process through various channels:
    • Scientific papers.
    • Presentations.
    • Posters at conferences.

  • Considerations for Effective Communication:

    • Importance/relevance of data.
    • Explanation of methodology.
    • Clear depiction of results.
    • Connection to broader themes and questions.
Activity 1: Poster Structure, Design, and Layout
  • **Preparation: **
    • Read "Structure of a Scientific Poster" & "Design and Layout of a Poster" on Canvas.
    • Complete accompanying Canvas quiz before lab.
Activity 2: Diagrams
  • Diagram Creation:
    • Design own diagram(s) to visualize methodology from collection to DNA subway analysis.
    • Read "Diagrams" PDF on Canvas, and take the quiz after.
Activity 3: Make Your Poster
  • Poster Creation:
    • Use the template provided on Canvas; fill in your own information, figures, and methodology diagram.
    • Ensure clarity and conciseness due to space constraints.
    • Submit your poster electronically as a PDF.

Poster Content Guidelines

  • Title:

    • Craft an informative title that conveys the project aim.

  • Methods Diagram/Flowchart:

    • Create using preferred software (e.g., Word, PowerPoint).
    • Grading includes diagram clarity.

  • Results Sections:

    • Figures: Include organism photos (Figure 2), a best match photo (Figure 3), phylogenetic trees (Figures 4 and 5), and muscle alignment (Figure 6).
    • Tables: Summarize results in Table 1 (BLAST hits) and Table 2 (evidence summary).

Discussion

  • Interpretation of Findings:
    • Explain insights gained from data using specific data points.
    • Discuss BLAST confidence (based on bit scores, mismatches, alignment lengths).
    • Provide interpretations for MUSCLE, NJ trees, and ML trees, mentioning taxonomic confidence.
Taxonomic Identification
  • Provide the most precise taxonomic classification and species name identified (from confidence).
  • Morphological consistency must correspond to observed characteristics in specimens.

Biodiversity and Final Checklist

  • Share an interesting aspect of your organism.
  • Poster Evaluation:
    • Grammar, structure, clarity, formatting (italicization of scientific names), and aesthetics.