Creating a Disease Information Brochure

Your group will design an information brochure, such as you might find in a doctor’s office, for a particular genetic disease.  The brochure should be a single sheet of 8.5 x 11 inch paper set up as a trifold brochure (total of 6 possible columns of material). 

What information should be in the brochure?

The best answer to this question is to answer this question: If this disease was diagnosed in my family, what would I want to know? 

Some questions you may want to consider answering in your brochure include:

• What is the disease?
• What are its effects?
• How is the disease inherited?
• How did I/my child get this?
• What is the likelihood of having other affected children?
• Is there a genetic test for the disease?
• How is the disease diagnosed?
• What is the prognosis for affected individuals?
• What treatments are available?
• How common is the disease?
• Are the disease alleles more common in particular populations?
• What is the current state of research for this disease?

Each brochure should also include a section on Further Information.  In this section you might list helpful websites, the availability of support groups, etc.

Reference list

You will need to keep a list of your references on a separate sheet of paper.  You must have at least two references from the primary literature.  A description of primary literature can be found at http://www.uwlax.edu/biology/communication/ExampleofPrimaryLiterature.html.   You should also list web sites, books, etc.

Citing your references on the reference page

Grading

You will be evaluated as a group on the quality of your pamphlet.  Specific items that will be evaluated include:

1) accuracy of information presented

2) clarity of information presented

3) coverage of topic (is information complete?)

4) conciseness of writing

5) use of English

6) sources of information

Additionally, you will be asked to evaluate the effort and participation of the other members of your group.  Obviously, this means your effort and participation will be evaluated by the other group members.  These evaluations will also be part of your grade.

Oral presentation

You group will present the information (at least someof it) you have found orally to the rest of the class during lab later in the semester.  Each member of the group must make an oral presentation.  You will be evaluated by the class and the instructor on your presentation.