Abstract

The design and implementation of a scientific writing assignment in a >100 student upper-level undergraduate microbiology class resulted in a peer-reviewed publication in an open-access journal. The primary course objectives and requirements were met by assigning groups of four to five students one of 25 distinct section topics of similar size and complexity that complemented the course materials. Students were taught to identify, read and cite primary scientific literature, to avoid plagiarism, and to share in productive interactions with peers throughout the assignment by a combination of class instructions, and personal and group mentoring. A team of volunteer students performed additional editing and compiling of the manuscript into the final cohesive, submitted review.