(OMSB9) Making an Inference to the Best Explanation With MSB Peer Tutor Vivian Chan

In this article, the Board of SASS interviews Methodology of Science - Biology (OMSB9) Peer Tutor Vivian Chan. We hope that this article will help current and future MSB students in their academic journey!

When did you take Methodology of Science - Biology (OMSB9), and who was your instructor?

I took MSB last year (2019-2020), and my instructor was Dr. Rees.

What did the typical week in Methodology of Science - Biology (OMSB9) look like?

The typical week involves watching two lectures over the weekend, working on the weekly quiz, and working on a writing assignment if there is one assigned that week.

Do you recommend taking digital or hand-written notes for Methodology of Science - Biology (OMSB9)?

I think it’s really up to which one you prefer. Hand written notes worked better for me. Having all your notes in one place is really helpful since most assignments are open note (quizzes, writing assignments, exams).

What did you enjoy about Methodology of Science - Biology (OMSB9)?

I really enjoyed MSB because the two subjects (biology and statistics) were brought together in really interesting ways. It introduced me to new ways of thinking and gave me the language to analyze claims in other parts of my life.

What was your favorite topic covered in Methodology of Science - Biology (OMSB9)?

My favorite topic in biology was probably genetics, and my favorite topic in statistics was inference to the best explanation/statistical inference.

What challenged you the most in Methodology of Science - Biology (OMSB9)? How did you overcome those challenges?

The writing assignments challenged me the most in this course. Reaching out to peer tutors and paying attention to my instructor’s comments helped me overcome this challenge.

Are there midterms/finals in this class? How would you recommend reviewing for these exams?

Yes, there are midterms and finals. They are open note, open internet, and pretty much open everything except for people. I really liked that the questions are more about understanding and the application of the concepts that you learned about rather than memorization. I found that it helped to go over my notes and clean them up: it helped me review the concepts and made it easier to find things during the exam. Reviewing the quizzes helped as well because the questions on the multiple choice section are similar to quiz questions.

What are the major assignments for this class? How would you recommend approaching these assignments?

The major assignments are writing assignments. Starting your writing assignments early is really helpful. It gives you more time to think the questions over and discover which parts you are struggling on. Starting early also gives you enough time to attend office hours with your instructor or book appointments with peer tutors/writing instructors to go over any questions you may have. Also, some teachers have really helpful outlines for the writing assignments.

Vivian Chan is a peer tutor for Methodology of Science - Biology (OMSB9) and can be found on the Writing and Tutoring Center.

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