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Research Projects

Research Projects

A research project is a scientific investigation, using the scientific method, to achieve defined goals. Here you can find the steps you should follow to be successful.
1. Choose the topic. It must be something you really want to investigate. Always ask your teacher for advice.
2. Be realistic. Make sure you have resources to finish the project.
3. Write a timeline. Establish targets you must achieve and organize your time.
4. Keep a diary. Document all the steps you follow and the information you use.
5. Write a final report. You should be able to properly present and explain everything about your project.

Activity 1

1. Complete the phrases with the missing word or words.
1. a topic 2. Be Are you ready for your research project?
3. a timeline 4. a diary
5. Write

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Activity 2

2. Listen and write the steps of the research project you hear.
1. 1.
experiment 2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.

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Activity 3

3. Listen to the definitions and choose the phrase they correspond to.
1. 1.
2. 2. Field work
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.

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Activity 4

4. Listen and complete with the missing word.
It must be something you want to investigate. Always ask your teacher for advice.
Make sure you have to finish the project.
Establish you must achieve and organize your time.
all the steps you follow and the information you use in your project.
You should be able to properly present and everything about your project.

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Activity 5

5. Choose the right word to make correct sentences.
1. When you choose a topic, it should be something you to investigate.
2. You should be realistic and make sure you have the time and the things you need to the project.
3. You organize your time.
4. down everything that happens while you are carrying out your project.
5. all the final conclusions in a report.

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Extra activity

Team workIn groups decide whether the following sentences are a good or bad idea. Write your reasons and prepare to explain them to the whole class. If you click on the question mark, you'll have a clue.
1. It is better to choose a topic for the research project and not to tell the teacher. It will be a surprise. arrow right help
2. It is a great idea to choose a project that involves travelling around the world on your own. arrow right help
3. We can choose a project that will take twelve months to finish. arrow right help
4. When we finish our project, we should keep the results secret so that nobody can copy our ideas. arrow right help

Misión Biolóxica de Galicia

Read this text about The Misión Biolóxica de Galicia and do the next exercise.

Misión biolóxica

Students at the Misión Biolóxica. Vanessa Fariña. CC0

The Misión Biolóxica de Galicia, started in 1921 and moved to its present location in 1927, is a research centre in Pontevedra, in the Galician Autonomous Community. 

The facilities consist of several laboratories, storehouses, greenhouses, tree plant growth chambers and plots destined to gardens, forests or to cultivate diverse agricultural species.

The researchers carry out several lines of investigation but in general they focus on adaptation and quality of crops, conservation of crop biodiversity and search of new sustainable agro-forestry systems. They pay special attention to common crops in Galicia: brassica crops, legumes, maize and vineyards.

They also care about transferring the results of their investigations to private companies in the agro-forestry and agro-food sector.
Read the text. Are the sentences true (T) or false (F).
1. The Misión Biolóxica de Galicia started in the 20th century.
2. There is only one building in the premises.
3. Several different animal species are grown in the centre.
4. The researchers work on tropical plants and their effects on the forests.
5. Maize is a typical crop in Galicia.
6. Only the Government can read the results of the investigations.

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Margarita Salas

Margarita Salas
 Margarita Salas. Lefty4ever. Wikipedia (Public Domain)


Margarita Salas Falgueras is a  Spanish scientist famous for her research in the fields of biochemistry and molecular genetics.

She was born in Asturias, Spain, in 1938. Her family encouraged all their children, regardless of thir sex, to obtain a university degree so she studied Chemistry in the Complutense University in Madrid, where she obtained a PhD in 1961.

From 1964 to 1967 she worked in the USA with the Nobel Prize Severo Ochoa. There she started her discoveries on the bacterial virus φ29, which has great biotechnological applications because of its high DNA amplification ability. When she came back to Spain, she continued her investigations and promoted researches on biochemistry.

She has written more than 350 articles in national and international journals. She has 8 patents and has given more than 400 lectures.

She has received many awards, for example, in 1997 the Medal of Principality of Asturias, in 1999 the National Research Award Santiago Ramón y Cajal, in 2003 the Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise, in 2005 the Gold Medal for Merit in Work, in 2009 the Women Leader Award and in 2014 the Chemistry Excellence Award, awarded by the General Council of Association of Chemists of Spain.

She was a founding member of the European Academy of Science and she has been a member of the Real Academia of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences of Spain.
1. According to the information in the text, are these sentences true (T) or false (F)? Team work2. In pairs search the Internet to find the answers to these questions.
Margarita Salas is famous because is in in the European Academy. 1. Who was Severo Ochoa? Why was he awarded with the Nobel Prize?
Her family offered all their children the same educational opportunities. 2. What does Biochemistry study?
She has only worked in Spain. 3. Who was Ramón y Cajal?
In 19999 she was awarded the Chemistry Excellence Award by the General Council of Association of Chemists of Spain. 4. What other scientists are part of the Real Academia of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences of Spain
She has kept her research secret. 5. Is Margarita Salas still working?

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