KIN 4Y03 Cognitive Neuroscience of Exercise Department of ... · avoid missing these performance reviews. If you choose to use an MSAF due to a ... where you will summarize the experiment

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Instructor: Dr. Jennifer Heisz Teaching Assistant: Hanna Fang Office hours: By appointment Class Meetings: See page 2 for detailed meeting schedule Wednesday classes will be held in Ivor Wynne Centre E201 or A102/K from 16:30 to 18:20 Friday classes will be held in Ivor Wynne Centre E201 from 9:30 to 11:20 Course Description This seminar lab course aims to develop students’ research and professional skills while exploring contemporary issues in the cognitive neuroscience of exercise field. Evaluation Summary

Participation 10% Presentations 10% Journal Reading Discussion Facilitation 15% Lab Assignments 30% Research Proposal 35% Missed Work If you are absent from the university for a minor medical reason, lasting fewer than 3 days, you may report your absence, without documentation, using the McMaster Student Absence Form (as long as the missed work is worth less than 25% of the final course grade). The MSAF can only be used once per term. Absences for a longer duration or for other reasons (e.g., religious, personal) must be reported to the Faculty of Science Associate Dean’s office, with documentation, and relief from term work may not necessarily be granted. After submitting the MSAF, you must also report your absence to the course instructor within 2-4 working days to learn what relief may be granted for the work you have missed, and relevant details such as revised deadlines. Students may not use the MSAF to report missing the Registrar scheduled final exam. If the scheduled final exam is missed, students can apply to the Associate Dean’s office, Faculty of Science for permission to write in the deferred final exam schedule. Under no circumstances will the instructor re-schedule a final exam for individual students. Academic Integrity As a student, you are expected to behave honestly and ethically in all of your academics. According to McMaster University's Academic Integrity Policy, you are engaging in academic dishonesty if you "knowingly act or fail to act in a way that result or could result in unearned academic credit or advantage" (Academic Integrity Policy, p. 6). This behaviour can result in serious consequences, such as a grade of zero on an assignment, loss of credit with a notation on the transcript that reads “Grade of F assigned for academic dishonesty," and/or suspension or expulsion from the university. It is your responsibility to understand what constitutes academic dishonesty. The following are just three forms of academic dishonesty:

1. Plagiarism. 2. Improper collaboration. 3. Copying or using unauthorized aids in tests and examinations.

For more information on academic integrity, please read the Academic Integrity Policy: http://www.mcmaster.ca/academicintegrity

KIN 4Y03 Cognitive Neuroscience of Exercise Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University

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Note: The Written Research Proposal (20%) is due at 12pm April 22nd and will be submitted via. e-mail.

Date Time/Location Format Topic Assignment

06-Jan 4:30 - 6:20pm IWC E201

Lecture An introduction to the cognitive neuroscience of exercise

Sign up for groups A, B, C, and D

08-Jan 9:30 - 11:20am IWC E201

Skill Building Workshop

How to give an effective presentation

13-Jan Work Period Work on class presentation 15-Jan 9:30 - 11:20am

IWC E201 Class Presentation #1 (2.5%)

Understanding the function of select brain regions and how those regions respond to exercise.

Prepare 8 min presentation on topic 1 with group A

20-Jan 4:30 - 6:20pm TBA

Lab #1 Sheep brain dissection to understand how exercise impacts the brain

Lab assignment due the following week

22-Jan 9:30 - 11:20am IWC E201

Lecture Before cognitive neuroscience: The brain as a black box. Learning about healthy function from diseased states

27-Jan 4:30 - 6:20pm IWC E201


How to critique others work

29-Jan 9:30 - 11:20am IWC E201

Class Presentation #2 (7.5%)

Discovering the utility of different neuroimaging methods for understanding exercise-cognition interactions

Prepare 8 min presentation on topic 2 with group B

3-Feb 4:30 - 6:20pm TBA

Lab #2 Human anatomy lab to understand how exercise may be able to protect the brain from disease

Lab assignment due the following week

5-Feb 9:30 - 11:20am IWC E201

Critiques: Articles 1 & 2

Physical activity for the prevention and management of Alzheimer’s disease

-Read articles 1 and 2 -Article discussion facilitated by group C1 and C2

10-Feb 4:30 - 6:20pm IWC E201


How to pitch your research idea

12-Feb Work Period Work on research proposal Reading Week

24-Feb 4:30 - 6:20pm IWC E201

Class Presentation #3

Initial Research Proposal Prepare 8 min presentation on proposed research with group D

26-Feb 9:30 - 11:20am IWC E201


Understanding the impact of acute and chronic exercise on memory


02-Mar 4:30 - 6:20pm IWC A102/K

Lab #3 Measuring the impact of acute exercise on memory

Lab results due the following week

04-Mar 9:30 - 11:20am IWC E201


Understanding the impact of acute and chronic exercise on executive functions


09-Mar 4:30 - 6:20pm IWC A102/K

Lab #4 Measuring the impact of acute exercise on executive functions


11-Mar 9:30 - 10:20am IWC E201

Critiques: Article 7

Understanding the impact of acute and chronic exercise on self regulation

-Read article 7 -Article discussion facilitated by group C7

16-Mar 4:30 - 6:20pm IWC A102/K

Lab #5 Measuring the impact of acute exercise on self regulation


18-Mar 9:30 - 10:20am IWC E201

Critiques: Article 8

Understanding the impact of acute and chronic exercise on mood

-Read article 8 -Article discussion facilitated by group C8

23-Mar 4:30 - 6:20pm IWC A102/K

Lab #6 Measuring the impact of acute exercise on mood


25-Mar Easter Weekend 30-Mar Work Period Prepare Final Research Proposal 01-Apr Work Period Complete Lab Report Due (10%) Prepare Final Research Proposal 06-Apr Work Period Prepare Final Research Proposal 08-Apr 9:30 - 11:20am

IWC E201 Major Project Presentation

Final Research Proposal Presentation (10%)

Prepare 8 min presentation on proposed research with group D

3 Overview of Evaluation Components

1. Participation (10%)

• Rubric on page 8 Your active participation is integral to establishing a dynamic learning environment. The rubric below outlines the expectations for your in-class participation in KIN 4Y03. For the 12 weeks of class, you will be assessed during 3 randomly selected class periods to be given a mark out of 10 (starting week 2). Any scheduled absences must be reported 1 week in advance to avoid missing these performance reviews. If you choose to use an MSAF due to a prolonged illness, report the classes missed when completing the form online. Marks will be returned with feedback periodically throughout the term, with additional marks given for completing brief reflections of your performance. You will be marked on the quality of your contributions over quantity in class and small group discussions. Ideal contributions are thoughtful, build on the comments of your peers and draw from personal knowledge/experience. Constructive criticism of peers presentations and proposals are especially important, as is being prepared with any readings or material required for class (particularly the article discussions later in the term). 2. Presentations (10%)

• Rubric on page 9 In two short, 8-minute group presentations (2.5 and 7.5% respectively), you will aim to enhance the audience’s understanding of your topic and entice viewers to learn more. It is important to keep in mind that although you might have a great deal of knowledge about your topic of interest, your audience may not. Effective use of presentation time is crucial and requires that you anticipate and address questions before they are asked. During your presentation, you should also be enthusiastic, use accessible language, and maintain a natural flow of speech. You have the opportunity to inspire and impact your audience above and beyond the breadth of your topic. This goal can be achieved by providing a “take-home message” with real world significance. Topic for Presentation #1: Describe the function of the selected brain region and explain how that region responds to exercise. Use at least two empirical studies to back up your claims. You will present in groups of 2-3 (Group A). Each member of the group must contribute to the oral presentation. Note: These structures will be covered in your first lab assignment. It is recommended to take brief notes in the course pack provided.

1. Amygdala 2. Cerebellum 3. Cerebral blood flow 4. Corpus Striatum (dopamine) 5. Hippocampus 6. Hypothalamus 7. Motor/premotor cortex 8. Parietal cortex 9. Prefrontal cortex 10. White matter

Topic for Presentation #2: Describe the selected research techniques (along with pros and cons) and discuss the utility of that technique for understanding exercise-cognition interactions. Use at least two empirical studies to back up your claims. You will present in groups of 2-3 (Group B). Each member of the group must contribute to the oral presentation. Note: These tools can be used for your research proposal later in the term.

1. Diffusion tensor imaging 2. Doppler ultrasound 3. Electroencephalography 4. Functional magnetic resonance imaging 5. Functional near infrared spectroscopy 6. Magnetic resonance imaging 7. Magnetoencephalography 8. Peripheral derived growth factor assays (e.g., brain derived neurotropic factor) 9. Positron emission tomography 10. Single-photon emission computed tomography

4 3. Journal Reading Discussion Facilitation (15%)

• Rubric on page 14 The goals of this activity are to develop a critical approach to research on the cognitive neuroscience of exercise. In the context of small group discussions, you will think critically about their research methods, theory, and application. The first step to any rewarding discussion is to ask meaningful questions, which is one of your core responsibilities for this project. For one of the articles below, you will be a Discussion Facilitator with 2-3 of your peers (Group C), helping the class through the assigned reading. This will begin with an 8-minute breakdown of the article, where you will summarize the experiment. Note: Your job here is to simply explain the topic and deliver a breakdown of the article. Critical analysis of the author(s)' work (what worked, what didn't, what should have been done differently, etc.) should occur through the thoughtful questions you prepare and facilitation you provide in the discussion period. The class will be divided into smaller sections, with each group member being responsible for leading an independent discussion with one subgroup and summarizing what was discussed with the rest of the class (approximately 2-minutes for each group to share) after each 5-minute discussion period. The next section will then be discussed, shared, etc.. These four conversations will begin with a prepared question about the Rationale, Method, Results and Implications/Discussion. It should be noted that these questions must be deep and thoughtful, with research into the topic and techniques used. Example "The study's rationale is based around the principle that inactivity has a key role in the incidence of Alzeimer's disease. Do you agree?" or "Why do you think the study decided to take salivary over blood measures of cortisol from their participants?" What to Avoid "What did you think of the study's purpose?" or "Was it a good study?" The expectation is that these questions serve as a starting point to drive further discussion, with the facilitator responsible for guiding the group dialogue for the entire 5-minute period. This should be done by building on the points and comments of your peers. Additionally, one facilitator from your group will be responsible for presenting the final summary and class' conclusion of the article at the end of the talk for a 2 minute period. Overall, your goal is to facilitate a discussion that allows your peers to critically examine the research methods used in your paper and evaluate how these affect the validity, reproducibility, and implications of the study’s findings. These will be organized through the four questions. Your discussion should also include an assessment of the validity, practicality, and potential to integrate the research findings into a “real world” setting. As a facilitator, you will be primarily evaluated on your ability to lead a discussion, ask thought-provoking questions, and inspire your colleagues to engage with the reading material on a deeper level. For more information on the assessment the article breakdown and discussion, see the rubric that follows. Although critically evaluating a scientific research paper can initially seem intimidating, you are encouraged to look at both the successes and pitfalls of your article. You are also encouraged to move past simply identifying the positive aspects and flaws in the research methodology and to evaluate the implications of these components. While the scientific method is applicable to all scientific research, we are covering a wide variety of research throughout the course and the requirements for one type of study may not be the same as another. These critical thinking skills are directly transferable to your role as a student and a scientist. Journal Reading Discussion Facilitation Format: Summary of the article (8 minutes):

• Provide background on the topic to set up the experiment. • State the purpose of the experiment. • Explain the experimental methods. • Present the results – use graphs and tables (create your own from the data). • State the author's conclusions of the experiment.

Discussion Facilitation (30 minutes):

• As a Facilitator, lead a discussion with a subgroup using 4 prepared questions about Rationale, Methods, Results and Implications/Discussion (5 minutes each). Use “Tips for Developing Prepared Questions for Discussion Facilitation” as a guide.

5 • Each group facilitator will summarize their group's analysis with the class after each discussion topic (2 minute

period), then rejoin their groups to begin the next area of analysis. • One facilitator will lead a final class-wide debrief. The main goal of this portion is to summarize, compare the

independent subgroup discussions and deliver the class' conclusion of the study (approximately 2 minutes).

Articles: 1. Iso-Markku, P., Waller, K., Kujala, U. M., & Kaprio, J. (2015). Physical activity and dementia: Long-term follow-up study of

adult twins. Annals of medicine,47(2), 81-87. 2. Teri, L., Gibbons, L. E., McCurry, S. M., Logsdon, R. G., Buchner, D. M., Barlow, W. E., ... & Larson, E. B. (2003).

Exercise plus behavioral management in patients with Alzheimer disease: a randomized controlled trial. Jama, 290(15), 2015-2022.

3. Wagner, Gerd, et al. "Hippocampal structure, metabolism, and inflammatory response after a 6-week intense aerobic exercise in healthy young adults: a controlled trial." Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism (2015).

4. Maass A, Düzel S, Goerke M, Becke A, Sobieray U, Neumann K, . . . Braun-Dullaeus R. (2014). Vascular hippocampal plasticity after aerobic exercise in older adults. Molecular Psychiatry.

5. Byun, K., Hyodo, K., Suwabe, K., Ochi, G., Sakairi, Y., Kato, M., . . . Soya, H. (2014). Positive effect of acute mild exercise on executive function via arousal-related prefrontal activations: An fNIRS study. Neuroimage.

6. De Marco, Matteo, et al. "Apolipoprotein E ε4 Allele Modulates the Immediate Impact of Acute Exercise on Prefrontal Function." Behavior genetics 45.1 (2015): 106-116.

7. Tice, D. M., Baumeister, R. F., Shmueli, D., & Muraven, M. (2007). Restoring the self: Positive affect helps improve self-regulation following ego depletion. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 43(3), 379-384.

8. Rimmele et al. (2007). Trained men show lower cortisol, heart rate and psychological responses to psychosocial stress compared to untrained men. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 32, 627-635.

4. Lab Assignments (30%) The goal of these activities is to develop a deeper understanding of the cognitive neuroscience of exercise through hands-on experience communicating complex topics, conducting research, analyzing data, and reporting results. This course has 6 labs, each worth 5% and a full lab report worth 10%. Labs 1 & 2: Labs 1 & 2 will take place in the anatomy lab (Room TBA), where groups will investigate the relationship between cognitive structure and function. This will occur through dissection of a sheep's brain (Lab 1) along with observing healthy and diseased human specimens. You will work through a series of prepared questions to guide this experience that will be submitted for completion marks the following week (to be handed in alongside your précis described below).

• Précises (2.5 and 7.5%): Student pairs will complete a 100-word précis to be submitted alongside the lab workbook and are due one week after each respective lab. One of the challenges of science is communication, the ability to simplify complex material so it can be understood by anyone (regardless of their background in science) while retaining the important information. A précis is a highly condensed source of information that achieves this goal. Lab 1's précis will involve students describing a brain region (that they did not present on) from the list of topics in Presentation 1 and how exercise impacts that area (2.5%). Lab 2's précis will focus on how exercise could help prevent/treat a condition that was covered during the lab (7.5%). You will be evaluated from the rubrics on pages 10 and 11. Labs 3 - 6: (4 Labs) Labs 3- 6 will take place in IWC A102/K, where students will both participate in exercise labs and later perform analysis of the results obtained. You should come prepared to exercise with appropriate clothing attire.

• Lab Results (2 x 5%): Submit for 2/4 labs OR 3/4 with your lowest mark dropped In Labs 3 - 6, you will be responsible for performing statistical analysis and interpretation of the data with 2-3 of your peers using SPSS (available in IWC computer lab). Groups will submit graphs that illustrate the data, the SPSS output of their analysis, a description of the results (using the template given) and a brief description of what the results mean in layman's terms. These will be submitted in-class one week after each lab experiment. See page 12 for rubric.

• Complete Lab Report (10%): Choose 1/4 labs to create a complete lab report (that was NOT chosen for the above results assignment) In your lab groups, you will choose one of the labs to do a complete write-up of the experiment. The format for the lab report is a one-page summary that includes the purpose, hypothesis, methods/procedure, results, and discussion/conclusion. One

6 additional page may be used for graphs and tables. For labs where multiple results are calculated, focus on the most relevant/important findings to your research question. To be submitted via. e-mail on April 1st. See page 13 for rubric. 5. Research Proposal (35%) The research proposal is the main project of the course that you will work on in teams of 2-3 (Group D) throughout the term. This activity will build critical skills needed to develop a novel research idea and communicate the importance of that research idea to a general audience in both written and oral formats. Pick a topic from the list below and design a novel study that uses exercise to address a critical issue for that population. Research Proposal Topics:

1. Stroke 2. Concussion 3. Multiple sclerosis 4. Spinal cord injury 5. Depression 6. Chronic stress 7. Attention deficit disorder 8. Parkinson’s 9. Schizophrenia 10. Cancer

• Initial Research Proposal Presentation (5%):

Your group will prepare an 8-minute presentation in the middle of the term that sets up the background research and general problem that your proposed research will use exercise to address. This intervention must include at least 1 research tool from Presentation 2's list of topics to measure a cognitive change (such as changes in BDNF or white matter concentration). The initial proposal should focus on establishing your topic, the gap in the literature and why it should be addressed. That said, you should still spend time developing your experiment as this is a valuable opportunity to receive feedback from your fellow peers and myself. A good balance would be to spend 75% of the presentation on topic background and 25% on your proposed experiment. You will be evaluated using the initial research proposal presentation rubric on page 16.

• Final Research Proposal Presentation (10%): Your group will prepare an 8-minute presentation at the end of the term that describes your proposed research to the class. This presentation will briefly cover the background of your topic from the previous proposal, however the bulk of the focus should now be the details of your intended intervention. A good balance would be 25% to review your topic and 75% for the specifics of your proposal. Be sure to refer to the rubric on page 18 to determine what is expected from your research proposal presentation.

• Research Proposal Written Report (20%): Your group will prepare a grant proposal for your proposed research. This written report must not exceed six pages, single-spaced (plus additional pages for references). Be sure to refer to the rubric (page 20) to determine what is expected from your written proposal; these expectations are drawn from and align with requirements found in many grants. The written proposal, due April 22nd, will include all elements outlined in the rubric: an introduction, rationale and goals, literature review, methods for all experiments, timeline, budget, significance of project, and methods to evaluate your project’s success.

7 Tips for Developing Prepared Questions for Discussion Facilitation (adapted from Dr. Dan Goldreich): Because the road to scientific discovery is fraught with obstacles and pitfalls, the perfect study that unambiguously "proves" a set of clear conclusions is extremely rare. Nearly all research studies have limitations. There is often reason to question a study's rationale, methods, results, or conclusions. Even excellent studies usually leave some loose ends. Generally, an excellent study asks an important research question and comes close to convincingly answering it. This study uses a well-designed and well-executed methodology, and it reaches well-founded conclusions. Because its question is interesting and its conclusions are well founded, the excellent study influences the understanding of researchers in the field. It may make researchers realize that what they previously suspected to be true (but were unsure of) is in fact very likely to be true, or that what they previously believed is in fact probably false. It may cause researchers to ponder ideas they had not previously considered. It may lead researchers to pursue exciting new directions.

A poor study, by contrast, either asks an uninteresting question (for example, one whose answer is already well established or would not advance the field), or has serious flaws that preclude convincing conclusions. A poor study leaves researchers in the field with essentially the same knowledge they had before reading it.

Not surprisingly, the typical research study lies somewhere between these two extremes. Reading a scientific paper critically means not passively accepting the author(s)’ interpretation of their data, but rather asking yourself at each point what the data tell you. If the paper’s methodology is flawed or the data were collected inappropriately, then the data may carry no real information. Quite commonly, you may find some—but not all—of the data ‘convincing’ (i.e., you accept these data as correct and you interpret them as the authors do). Alternatively, you may decide that you accept the data as correct, but that you disagree with the authors’ interpretation of their meaning.

As you read the paper, ask yourself the following: was the study's research question important or was it uninteresting? Are the data trustworthy? Which, if any, of the study's conclusions are convincing, and which are uncertain or doubtful? Generally, a conclusion expressed in a paper is convincing if you can think of no plausible alternative explanation. A conclusion is uncertain if a plausible alternative explanation occurs to you. A conclusion is doubtful if you consider your alternative explanation to be more likely than the one expressed in the paper.

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Participation Rubric

Student: Criteria Score

Excellent Regularly makes thoughtful contributions and comes well prepared for class 7-10

Satisfactory Occasionally makes valuable contributions and is somewhat prepared for class 3-6

Poor Little to no participation and rarely/never attends class 0-2

Feedback 1: /10 Using this feedback, how do you think your course participation could be improved? /2 What specific steps will you take to meet this goal?

Feedback 2: /10 Did you succeed in achieving your goal? /2 Yes: Building on your success, devise another objective along with steps to succeed. No: What challenges did you encounter and what new steps will you take to reach your objective? Feedback 3: /10 Having completed the course, what have you taken away from this experience? /2

Note: The following rubric will be applied to each student 3 times over the semester, with additional marks being awarded for completing the brief follow-up reflection. Total participation for the term is out of 36 possible marks.

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Presentation Rubric

Presenters: Date:

Topic: Score: /24

Missing Poor (Below Expectation)

Fair (Changes needed)

Good (Minor Errors)

Excellent (Meets / Exceeds

Expectation)

0 1 2 3 4

Presentation (How it's presented) Score Comments

Narrative is engaging and clearly presented with minimal technical issues /4

Topic is described in a way that is easy to understand /4

All group members participate equally in the presentation /2

Presentation is completed within the allotted time frame (7:45-8:00mins) /2

Content (What is presented)

Presentation is logically organized both on individual slides and as a narrative /4

Images/graphics used are relevant and add value to the topic presented /4

Selection and description of two relevant, empirical studies. Include hypotheses, procedures and results

/4

Take-home message/real world significance of lecture content is discussed /4

10

Précis Rubric (Lab 1)

Group Members: Date:

Topic: Score: /16

Note: In text citations and your summary sentence do not count toward the 100 word limit

Report Score Comments

Creates a summary sentence for the précis (Should serve as an abstract for the report) /2

Writes concisely using proper grammar and APA format style (Avoid unnecessary wordiness)

/2

Presents the topic in a way that is easy to comprehend (Write in a style your grandmother would understand)

/4

Describes, briefly, what is known about the topic using references (Discuss the structure, function and exercise's impact)

/4

Suggests an application of this research that involves exercise and would interest the general public

/4

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Précis Rubric (Lab 2)


Topic: Score: /16

Note: In text citations and your summary sentence do not count toward the 100 word limit


Creates a summary sentence for the précis (Should serve as an abstract for the report) /2

Writes concisely using proper grammar and APA format style (Avoid unnecessary wordiness)

/2

Presents the topic in a way that is easy to comprehend (Write in a style your grandmother would understand)

/4

Describes, briefly, how this disorder impacts the central nervous system (Discuss structure and function changes) /4

Describes how exercise could be used to prevent/treat the underlying disorder or associated ailment (Use references to defend your therapy)

/4

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Lab Results Rubric (Labs 3 - 6)


Lab: Score: /14


Results: 1. Correctly performs the statistical analysis 2. Reports statistics using APA format 3. Describes the results in words 4. Presents the key findings graphically

/2

/2

/4

/4

Discussion/Implications: 1.Results are interpreted and their impact is ...explained /2

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Complete Lab Report Rubric (Lab 3, 4, 5 or 6)


Lab: Score: /24


Purpose: Clearly states the purpose of the lab (What was the aim of the experiment?)

/2

Hypothesis: States the expected results of the experiment performed (What trends do you expect to see?)

/2

Method/Procedures: 1. All materials and equipment used in the experiment are accurately listed 2. All procedures used are described in clear, chronological order and in paragraph format

/4

Results: 1. Correctly performs the statistical analysis 2. Reports statistics using APA format 3. Describes the results in words 4. Presents the key findings graphically

/2

/2

/4

/4

Discussion/Implications: 1.Results are interpreted and their impact is ...explained 2.Conclusions follow from the data 3.Real world connections are discussed

/4

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Discussion Facilitation Rubric


Article: Score: /42

Missing Poor (Below Expectation)


Good (Minor Errors)

Excellent (Meets / Exceeds

Expectation)

0 1 2 3 4

Article Debrief Score Comments

Provides background information; includes key definitions, terminology and past literature (What is the topic being investigated?)

/4

Clearly states purpose of the experiment along with the rationale that led to its design (Why was the experiment done?)

/4

Presents the experimental methods and techniques in a clear, logical manner (What was done?)

/4

Results of the empirical study were clearly presented through the use of graphs and tables (What were the results? - Highlight them by creating simplified table[s] and/or graphs[s])

/4

Author(s)' interpretation of the results and their implications are stated briefly (What were the author's conclusions?)

/4

*Note: Your job here is to simply explain the topic and deliver a breakdown of the article. Critical analysis of the author(s)' work (what worked, what didn't, what should have been done differently, etc.) should occur through the thoughtful questions you prepare and facilitation you provide in the discussion period.

15

Missing Fair (Changes needed)

Excellent (Meets /Exceeds Expectation) Score: /22

0 1 2

Discussion Period Comments

Question #1: Rationale

Quality and originality of question /2

Continued discussion through whole 5 min period /2

Clear summary of each group's discussion /1

Question #2: Method




Question #3: Results Quality and originality of question /2



Question #: 4 Implications/Discussion




Final Summary and Conclusions

/2

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Initial Research Proposal Presentation Rubric

Group Members:

Date:

Title:

Score: /42

Missing Poor

(Below Expectation)


Good (Minor Errors)

Excellent (Meets/Exceeds

Expectation) 0 1 2 3 4

Presentation Slides Score Comments Narrative is engaging, concise and informative with minimal technical issues

/4

Images used are relevant and provide visual appeal /4

Slides are used as a complimentary tool without competing with narration /4

Scope of the Topic Comments Brief explanation of the topic (What is it?)

/4

Establishes context and relevance of the topic for their audience (Why should we care?)

/4

Describes current state of the literature using empirical articles' procedures and results (What has been seen in research conducted thusfar?)

/4

Clearly describes the gap in the literature on the topic (What is missing?)

/4

Explains the implications of addressing this knowledge gap (Why is it necessary to do this research?)

/2

17 Intervention Proposal Comments Specific research hypothesis(es) chosen is/are novel, interesting and clearly stated (What is the specific area of this knowledge gap being targeted?)

/2

Explains the approach/ techniques that will be used to answer these questions: Who are you going to test? What are you going to measure? How are you going to measure it?

/2

/2

/2

Explains why this is this the best approach to answer your research question (Justify your approach)

/4

Additional Comments

18

19

Final Research Proposal Presentation Rubric

Group Members:

Date:

Title:

Score: /50

Presentation Slides Score Comments Narrative is engaging, concise and informative with minimal technical issues

/4

Images used are relevant and provide visual appeal /4

Slides are used as a complimentary tool without competing with narration /4

Scope of the Topic Comments Establishes context and relevance of the topic for their audience /4

Describes current state of the literature using empirical evidence and/or population statistics

/4

Identifies the gap in the literature and the implications of addressing it /4

*Note: The above section should be a scaled down version of your topic overview from the initial proposal Intervention Proposal Comments Specific research hypothesis(es) chosen is/are novel, interesting and clearly stated

/2

Explains the experimental methods in detail: Target population + Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria Variables to be measured + Measurement tool(s) selected Experimental Group(s) Defined Protocol/Procedure provided with a clear timeline of the

/3

/3

/3

/4

20 intervention's execution

Reports the expected results, explains how they support the research hypothesis and justifies why these results are expected (Create graph[s] to illustrate the expected trend[s] in your results)

/4

Discusses the impact/main contribution of the potential findings

/2

*Note: Budget for your proposal will be included in the written portion of this assignment

Additional Comments

21

Research Proposal Written Report Rubric


Title: Score: /54

Missing Poor

(Below Expectation)


Good (Minor Errors)

Excellent (Meets/Exceeds Expectation)

0 1 2 3 4

Grant Proposal – Structure Score Comments

Overall, the proposal is written clearly and demonstrates a logical introduction and progression of main points.

/4

Overall, the grant proposal contains no spelling or grammatical errors and uses appropriate referencing format (APA)

/4

The grant proposal stays within the page limit (6 pages single spaced) and is written in 12 point Times New Roman font. /1

Grant Proposal – Overview Score Comments

Overall, the grant proposal uses the appropriate structure and addresses all required areas: background, rationale, methods/timeline, potential pitfalls budget, expected results and implications

/4

Clearly and concisely introduces a research challenge, its importance, and how it will be addressed with this grant /4

Grant Proposal – Content Score Comments

Background: Presents thorough background and foundational research to identify what is known about the topic.

/4

22

Rationale: Clearly identifies rationale for the proposed project and specific goals that will be accomplished if this research were funded.

/4

Method: Materials/Procedure Defines the specific tools, resources and personnel required to answer this question in realistic and reasonably priced manner

/4

Method: Execution Presents the intervention that includes a realistic timeline of when and how the project’s objectives will be accomplished.

/4

Method: Statistics Discusses methods to quantitatively evaluate and disseminate the findings and impacts of this project. (What statistical analysis do you plan to use on the data and for what variables?)

/4

Expected Results: Proposes anticipated outcomes that would support the hypothesis(es) using evidence from the existing literature (Include graph(s) and/or figure(s) that illustrate these anticipated trends)

/4

Potential Pitfalls: Identifies potential problems that may arise and proposes alternative protocols to overcome this issue and/or methods to analyze the research question from a different angle should they occur.

/4

Implications: Discusses the impact of this project and how the effects of this initiative will be sustained and built upon into the future.

/4

Student contribution has been shared between group members for all aspects of the initial, final and written proposals (Individual mark submitted anonymously by peers to the TA via. e-mail)

/5

Documents

KIN 4Y03 Cognitive Neuroscience of Exercise Department of ... · avoid missing these performance reviews. If you choose to use an MSAF due to a ... where you will summarize the experiment