LaGuardia Community College STEM Research Academy

The College Now STEM Academy course will provide high school 10th & 11th grade students with an introduction to research methods used in the biological sciences. Students will understand how to develop hypothesis-driven research questions. Students will learn about statistical tools used to interpret data as well as how to present data based on experimental findings. To enhance critical thinking skills, students will study the art of reading genuine research articles based on testable hypotheses. In addition, students will learn to differentiate between primary, secondary, and tertiary literature sources. To develop communication skills, students will have an opportunity to deliver weekly journal club-like presentations. Finally, students will be introduced to the code ethics in research (honesty, accuracy, efficiency, and objectivity). Students will also have access to online to help with basic math skills (statistics, unit conversion, etc).