Meents (2018)

Author

Meents, M.

Year

2018

Title

Mapping Xylan biosynthesis in plant Golgi and Teaching biology using example answers

University

University of British Columbia

Discipline (uncoded)

Botany

Macrostructure

Traditional-Complex

Proposed Area of Unconventionality
(Tardy, 2016)

Practice, Rhetorical aims & strategy

Description and other notes

Portions of chapters published elsewhere. Two “general focuses” (p. 137). The first, “to better understand how xylan biosynthesis occurs in the Golgi during secondary cell wall (SCW) deposition” (p. 137). The second, “to explore how instructors can better support student problem-solving in undergraduate cell biology courses” (p. 137). Argues for the connection between two components in the conclusion (which is also the only place that the two are brought together, outside of the abstract and the table of contents).

(Proposed) Degree of separation or connection between atypical or unconventional component(s) and conventional or written component(s)

Separate. Atypical or unconventional component (scholarship of teaching and learning component) positioned as separate from the conventional component (exploration of xylan biosynthesis).

(Proposed) Type of relationship construed between atypical or unconventional component(s) and conventional or written component(s)

Parallel. The atypical or unconventional component (scholarship of teaching and learning component) is construed as  independent from the conventional component (exploration of xylan biosynthesis), and vice versa.

Notes/Reasoning

The atypical component (exploration of how instructors can better support student porblem-solving) is mostly confined to the chapter dedicated to it. In the conclusion, the two components continue to feel separate, although the author certainly attempts to remedy this in the opening paragraph of the conclusion (e.g., “these two components may appear entirely unrelated, however there are synergistic benefits to combining…”). The major findings and future directions for part 1 (conventional component, i.e., exploration of xylan biosynthesis)  is discussed separately from part 2 (scholarship of teaching and learning component). It is unclear whether (or how) part 1 influenced part 2. Although, the atypical component may have deepened and supported the author’s understandin of their writing process. On this, Meents writes: “in my education research I focused on how to help students clearly and concisely communicate complex biological models and the evidence that supports them, the very skills that I utilize in my disciplinary research. This had the effect of concentrating my attention on the key principles of scientific argumentation and reasoning, which I believe helped me grow my skills in this area. I then used these skills to define and defend a new model for xylan biosynthesis in the plant Golgi” (p. 137). Meents describes having difficulties with bringing these two parts together in an interview for the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies blog, so perhaps this arrangement reflects this difficulty — hard to say without asking Meents directly.

Discipline 2 (coded)

Biology

Discipline Grouping (coded)

STEM

Source

CAGS