The purpose of this assignment is to provide an opportunity to do an in depth study of a botanical topic that "borders on believability."  Your topic can be either completely bogus or perfectly scientific - the main criterion is that when a non-scientist or non-botanists hears about it for the first time they should think, "really?"  You (and your team mates - groups of three) will be asked to:

1. select a topic (some possible topics are included in the list below.  The Skeptical Inquirer and Skeptic web site are a good sources for topics.  Any issue of a supermarket tabloid should give you countless ideas to study.  And the the survey you received on the first day of class also has ideas);
    

2. submit your topic to me for final approval before you begin work.  Note - your topic must involve plants and preferentially should include growing plants in the greenhouse;
    

3. once approved, investigate your topic using resources from the library, internet or other;
    

4. prepare a scientific analysis of your topic.  Is the idea falsifiable?  testable? Describe/outline an experiment (question, hypothesis, predictions, protocol) that could be conducted to test the claim.
    

5. complete the Research Proposal Form and then meet with me for approval.
    

6. gather your materials and conduct your experiment
    

7. summarize the results of your research in a web page(s) that we will publish in a web site entitled, "Bogus Botany."  At a minimum, your web page(s) should include, a summary/overview of the claims made by your topic/product, scientific analysis of the claims, the results and conclusions from your experiment, references (minimum three) and links to information about your topic/claims; and other pertinent information evaluating the SCIENTIFIC validity of the topic/product.  Be sure to rate the "bogosity" of your topic.
    

8. This project is worth 10% of your final course grade