Integrating Primary Literature into the Classroom

This two-day meeting included short presentations selected from submitted abstracts, and an optional Friday workshop for feedback and support to develop a primary literature module for a specific course.

Recordings of the talks, and compiled resources, are available below.

Community Resources:

The BREWMOR community compiled a list of Tools for Primary Literature in the Undergraduate Classroom, including online resources, guides for reading and teaching, and suggestions of primary papers for discussion.

Selected talks:

Science Podcast Annotation as a Collaborative Learning Experience and Tool to Build OER. Rebecca Seipelt-Thiemann, Professor of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University. Watch the recording here or view slides.

Using the Case It Molecular Biology Laboratory Simulation Software Package to Actively Analyze Primary Literature by Replicating Published Experiments In Silico. Ken Saville, Professor of Biology, Albion College, and Mark Bergland, Professor, University of Wisconsin. Watch the recording here and download resources here or on the Case It website. The mRNA vaccine exercise uses one of the papers that was the basis for the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine!

Diversity of Discovery: Using primary literature to learn about discoveries made by scientists from underrepresented and minoritized backgrounds. Josephine Mitchell, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kalamazoo College. Watch the recording here or view slides.

How to Run a Journal Club with More than 100 Students. Mitch McVey, Professor of Biology, Tufts University, and Jessica Silva-Fisher, Assistant Professor, Washington University School of Medicine. Watch the recording here or view slides.

An active approach to primary literature and the scientific process in undergraduate classes. Traci Stevens, Professor of Biology, Randolph-Macon College. Watch the recording here or view slides.

Breaking down the complexity of primary literature with participation from all students. Yee Mon Thu, Assistant Professor, Colby College. Watch the recording here or view slides.

You can view the full agenda and abstracts here.