Free Essay About Written Assignment 1: Trace The Scientific Method In A Primary Scientific Article

- The scientific method includes the formulation of a particular question, then the posing of a hypothesis, followed by the design and carrying out of the appropriate experiment. Observations are made which can be analyzed and from which clear conclusions can be drawn from. Leading up to this study, the scientists may have observed a reduction in the incidence of diabetes type 2 among people who drink coffee on a regular basis. The hypothesis was that regular coffee drinking reduced blood glucose concentrations and thus the risk of type 2 diabetes in mice. The experimental design would include equal numbers of mice, divided into two groups, each with identical diets and living conditions. The control group would be provided with regular water to drink. The treatment group was provided with black coffee to drink that was diluted in a ratio of 1:1 with water. The mice of both groups were tested for their individual weights and blood glucose levels once a week for five weeks. The dependent variables in this experiment are food and living conditions. The independent variables are water versus coffee as drinking sources, as well as time. The study demonstrated that while no change was observed in weight between the water drinking mice and coffee drinking mice over time, the mice who regularly drank coffee exhibited a 30% decrease in blood glucose concentrations compared to the water drinking mice. The conclusion of this study is therefore that coffee drinking can help to reduce the risk of diabetes by lowering blood sugar and improving insulin sensitivity.
- The test subjects and treatments were both relevant and appropriate. While it would always be better to collect results on actual humans, the use of mice as study animals is highly appropriate at this early stage of research. The fact that the hypothesis can be confirmed with mice could lead to further experimentation using humans (clinical trial). The treatments were also appropriate. It can be argued that people do not drink coffee as their only source of beverage all day, so the mice should not be expected to either. However, the scientists wanted to make sure that the effect of coffee was very clear in the results, but at the same time did not want to deter the mice from drinking by providing undiluted coffee. The sample size was adequate for a small pilot study, but the experiment should be repeated with a larger number of individuals, and ultimately should be tested on humans. The methods used were appropriate, except for the fact that the coffee used came as a gift from a corporation. This does provide a bias for the experiment. It is important that the source of the coffee be unknown to the scientists who conduct the experiment, or perhaps that coffee from several different sources be used, so that any bias is prevented. Other limitations include the fact that mice were not also tracked using smaller amounts of coffee, to define the limits of the beneficial effect of coffee. Perhaps a different caffeine containing beverage, such as Coco-Cola, could also have been tested. Other, non-diabetic types of mice could have been included. The mice could have been tracked for a longer time period to ensure that the positive effect on their blood sugar levels did not go away. Coffee could have been removed after 5 weeks to determine if the blood sugar levels of the mice increased again.
- This type of research is helpful for both the world and for me personally. If coffee does indeed reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, then coffee or small amounts of caffeine could be prescribed to people in the same fashion that aspirins are prescribed to people with potential for strokes and cardiaovascular disease. This would be a cost effective and simple way to lower the risk for people who are prone to type 2 diabetes, which is on the rise worldwide. This research is helpful for me personally, as it will enable me to make beneficial dietary choices. By drinking coffee or caffeinated beverages, I can reduce my risk of ending up with diabetes.