Table 1.
Perceived research communication skills and interests of students before and after taking Cell Biology at Lake Forest College, as determined by a precourse–postcourse survey
| Lake Forest College | |||
| Mean perceptiona | |||
| Perception change | |||
| Survey statements | Precourse | Postcourse | (degree of significance) |
| Communicating contemporary research | |||
| S1. I can effectively communicate contemporary scientific research orally to my peers. |
3.45 | 4.52 | 0.001 |
| S2. I can effectively communicate contemporary scientific research in writing to my peers. |
3.68 | 4.48 | 0.05 |
| Primary literature comprehension and communication | |||
| S3. I am knowledgeable about what a “primary research article” is and what its purpose is in the scientific world. |
4.18 | 4.76 | 0.01 |
| S4. I can effectively read and comprehend a primary research article for myself. |
3.55 | 4.10 | ns |
| S5. I can effectively communicate findings of a primary research article to my science peers. |
3.68 | 4.43 | 0.01 |
| S6. I can effectively communicate findings of a primary research article to my nonscience peers. |
3.41 | 4.38 | 0.001 |
| S7. I can effectively integrate and synthesize information from several related primary research articles. |
3.64 | 4.43 | 0.01 |
| S8. I am knowledgeable on how scientists communicate scientific information with each other and with the public. |
2.41 | 4.19 | 0.001 |
| S9. I am knowledgeable on the state of current research in the field of cellular and molecular biology. |
3.23 | 4.14 | 0.01 |
| S10. I have the skills to read primary research articles in scientific fields other than cell and molecular biology. |
4.18 | 4.24 | ns |
| Interest in scientific and health professions | |||
| S11. I am interested in doing an undergraduate research internship and/or senior thesis in a scientific field. |
4.64 | 4.47 | ns |
| S12. I am contemplating a future career that involves scientific research or health professions. |
4.05 | 4.77 | ns |
| Relevance of primary literature to classroom learning | |||
| S13. It is important that I am familiar with primary research and that I connect what I learn from understanding primary research to lecture and laboratory-based instruction. |
4.86 | 4.67 | ns |
Scale: 1 = Strongly disagree; 2 = somewhat disagree; 3 = neutral or no opinion; 4 = somewhat agree; 5 = strongly agree.