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The authors outline a practical mechanism to broaden undergraduate research opportunities by equipping students with five scientific tools. Emphasis is placed on building a durable knowledge base, enabling research in lab and/or field settings, interpreting primary literature, and strengthening writing and speaking competencies to support scientific inquiry.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/the-five-tool-biology-major-program-level-assessment/595441/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/the-five-tool-biology-major-program-level-assessment/595441.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Blitz","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-02","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":39},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What is the purpose of the program-level assessment described in the document?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"It evaluates progress in biology curriculum development, focusing on communication skills and content knowledge.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"Which five tools does the document say a good scientist must develop?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"Content knowledge, research skills, ability to interpret primary literature, writing skills, and speaking skills.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"How are learning science and investigative activities addressed for biology students?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"Biology students are encouraged to engage in hands-on, investigative activities that support understanding of the scientific process.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},595441,1792875999,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":39,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":34,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":144,"preview_page_count":4},24464137899374,"https://us-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_3d24733baf745e90a7e4bdd5f77d97b2","The Five-Tool Biology Major  \nShawn K. Stover & Michelle L. Mabry  \nDepartment of Biology and Environmental Science  \nDavis & Elkins College  \n100 Campus Drive  \nElkins, WV 26241  \nEmail: [stovers@davisandelkins.edu](stovers@davisandelkins.edu), [mabrym@davisandelkins.edu](mabrym@davisandelkins.edu)  \nAbstract: Program-level assessment of the biology curriculum at a small liberal arts college indicates progress in the development of communication skills and content knowledge. The authors propose a mechanism to provide more research opportunities for students, giving them all the tools necessary to do science.  \nKeywords: Program-level assessment, content knowledge, primary literature, communication skills, undergraduate research  \nINTRODUCTION  \nThe New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez is a five-tool player. The 10-year veteran has produced 44 home runs and 22 stolen bases per year, along with career batting and fielding averages of .308 and .977, respectively. Rodriguez also has a strong arm, averaging 360 assists per year from the shortstop position (statistics courtesy of [www.baseball](www.baseball)[reference.com](reference.com)).  \nFor the record, the five tools of baseball are: 1) hitting for average, 2) hitting for power, 3) running speed, 4) arm strength, and 5) fielding ability. Fivetool players may not lead the league in every statistical category every year, but they are the best all-around players in the game. They routinely produce key hits, timely stolen bases, and spectacular defensive plays.  \nA good scientist must also develop five critical tools: 1) content knowledge, 2) research skills (laboratory and/or field), 3) an ability to interpret primary literature, 4) writing skills (for grant proposalsand manuscripts), and 5) speaking skills (for communicating with peers and the general public) .  \nThe interpretation of biological data requires a specific knowledge base. To understand and integrate information from different areas of biological inquiry, students should be familiar with fundamental concepts associated with each area, including cell structure and function, the molecular basis of heredity, biological evolution, and the interdependence of organisms.  \nLearning science means doing science. To fully understand and appreciate the scientific process, biology students should be engaged in hands-on, investigative activities (McNeil and D’Avanzo, 1997; Glasson and McKenzie, 1998; Lewis et al., 2003) .  \nCommunicative skills are essential for biologists as they generate data, share their findings, and build on the work of others. Successful communication depends on both the ability to effectively convey information (written and oral) and the ability to interpret and evaluate information presented by peers (Feldman et al., 2001) . Reading primary literature allows students to enhance their critical thinking skills as they participate in the dissemination of scientific information (Fortner, 1999; Houde, 2000; Smith, 2001) .  \nDavis & Elkins College (D&E) is a private, fouryear liberal arts college that stresses small class size and strong faculty-student interaction. The Department of Biology and Environmental Science offers a curriculum designed to promote science as a process of inquiry and to instill within students an appreciation of the underlying unity and diversity of life. To meet the needs of students with diverse career interests, three degree options are offered: Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biology, Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Biology and Environmental Science. The current study represents a program-level assessment of the [B.S. in](B.S. in) Biology  \ndegree. Specific criteria are used to assess development of each of the five scientific tools.  \nASSESSMENT METHODS  \nIn addition to math, physics, and chemistry requirements, biology majors at D&E must take five core content courses. Principles of Biology I (BIOL 101) introduces first-semester biology majo","cbCaicCkmpRnd8gq","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaicCkmpRnd8gq","pdf",52195,"English","# Introduction\n# Assessment Methods","[{\"question\":\"What is the purpose of the program-level assessment described in the document?\",\"answer\":\"It evaluates progress in biology curriculum development, focusing on communication skills and content knowledge.\"},{\"question\":\"Which five tools does the document say a good scientist must develop?\",\"answer\":\"Content knowledge, research skills, ability to interpret primary literature, writing skills, and speaking skills.\"},{\"question\":\"How are learning science and investigative activities addressed for biology students?\",\"answer\":\"Biology students are encouraged to engage in hands-on, investigative activities that support understanding of the scientific process.\"}]","The Five-Tool Biology Major - Program-Level Assessment | PDF",1792081147,18]