Working with Cells

Biotechnology labs work with cells and perform much of their research and development using cells. The potential within biotechnology is endless due to the millions of organisms that can be used in biotech research. One of the organisms that are used in biotechnology is the cell. A cell is the smallest part of life that makes up all living organisms
It is very important for anyone who will work in the biotech field to have a clear understanding of cells. There are some organisms that are only made up of one cell. However, plants are often made up of billions of cells. In biotechnology, animal and plant cells are studied and grown in mass quantities in labs. Most employees of biotech companies will need to work with cells at some point. That is why it is very important to understand the function and structure of cells.
One single cell is extremely small. It is less than a tenth of the size of the period at the end of this sentence. Although a single cell is small, it is very powerful. Every minute inside a cell thousands of molecules are being produced.
It is the molecules inside of cells that make each cell so useful in biotechnology. Scientists in biotechnology work on identifying a molecule inside of a cell that can be applied to a specific area. Once identified, they produce or grow billions of that cell in bioreactors. When cells are grown in this way it is called bioprocessing.
The structure of cells can vary between plants or animal cells. Even the cells within plants can be different. Plant cells have a stiff cell wall. A cell wall is an organelle that surrounds a cell. A cell wall offers support around the boundary of a cell. Cell walls are made up of stiff cellulose fibers. Dietary fiber is made partially of cellulose.
An organelle is a microscopic part inside of a cell that has a specific job. Some cells have many organelles, while others have very few organelles. Some of the types of organelles found in cells are chloroplasts, lysosomes, ribosomes, and the nucleus.
All cells have a plasma membrane even if a cell does not have a cell wall. A plasma membrane is a type of organelle that monitors the movement of matter in and out of a cell. At the center of most cells is a nucleus. The nucleus contains controls or instructions for the entire cell to function.

  Working with Proteins

Proteins are another important part in biotechnology research. Proteins make up many of the molecules found in cells. Proteins perform many functions inside of cells, such as causing reactions, moving molecules, and offering structural support.
Proteins are often the products that many biotechnology companies manufacture. A single cell will produce thousands of proteins, each with a different purpose.
The proteins in a cell are what do most of the work. The function of each protein is determined by its amino acid sequence. Amino acids are small molecules that make up proteins. In an amino acid sequence, amino acids are connected to each other through peptide bonds
Each pair of amino acids is linked by a peptide bond. A peptide is a short chain of amino acids. When there are enough amino acids linked by peptides a polypeptide strand is formed. This functional polypeptide chain is called a protein.
Even though there are thousands of different kinds of proteins they all have a complex three-dimensional structure. Another characteristic that proteins have in common is the 20 amino acids that make up a polypeptide chain. These chains each have a specific order and length. The three-dimensional polypeptide chain has a specific folding pattern that is determined by the arrangement and number of the amino acids
In biotechnology, it is vitally important to produce and modify proteins or peptides. Almost every biotechnology product involves proteins.

Working with Genes

Within biotechnology, working with genes or DNA is an exciting area. Although most of the research is actually in cells and proteins, working with genes is also a promising area within biotechnology. Both DNA and proteins are molecules that in part make up cells.
The nucleus inside of a cell contains controls or instructions for the entire cell to function. The instructions inside the nucleus are the DNA. DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid, which is a molecule that stores genetic instructions for producing all of the proteins in an organism
The DNA or instructions are contained on chromosomes within the nucleus. Chromosomes are long strands of DNA linked with protein molecules. A portion of DNA on a chromosome that contains the genetic code for a protein is called a gene.
Scientists within biotechnology are conducting gene therapy to treat disorders or diseases. Gene therapy is a process to treat a disorder or disease by taking an abnormal gene and replacing it with a useful gene.
Gene therapy is an area within biotechnology where there is a growing amount of research. Scientists are working to find abnormal genes that cause disease so that people can be treated successfully
Research and development in the area of genes offers much potential for treating many disorders and diseases.


 

Periodic Table of Elements

The Periodic Table of Elements is a table that scientists use to show the elements (atoms) that are found in specific molecules. Each rectangle box in the table represents a different element.

The top number is the atomic or proton number and the bottom number is the relative atomic mass (which used to be called the ‘atomic weight'.)
Each element has an atomic number that is listed at the top of each box. The letter or letters that are listed in each box are the element's symbol.
For example, the first element listed in the table below is H (Hydrogen) with atomic number 1. The final part listed is the atomic mass or weight. For H (Hydrogen), the atomic mass is 1.008. If we rounded 1.008 to the nearest hundredth it would be 1.01.
Scientists or biotechnicians often need to use the Periodic Table of Elements to calculate molecular weight. Molecular weight is the total weight of all the elements in a molecule. A molecule is often made of many elements.
For example, the amu (atomic mass units) of the NaCl molecule is 58.4 amu. This is found by adding the atomic mass of each element in the NaCl molecule. Na weighs 23 (rounded 22.99 to 23) amu and Cl weighs 35.5 amu (rounded 35.45 to 35.5). The total is found by adding the atomic weight of both elements together: 23 + 35.5 = 58.5 amu.
 Make Solutions:
One of the most important skills that an employee of a biotechnology laboratory must learn is how to prepare solutions. A solution is a combination of two or more materials. One of the materials must be a solute, which means it is being dissolved or broken up in a solvent. A solvent is the substance that the solute dissolves
For example, when you dissolve salt into water, the salt is the solute and the water is the solvent. Most molecules dissolve in water easily, but some are not easily dissolved in water.
If a solute is solid, it is measured on a scale or balance. A balance or scale measures the mass (weight) in grams (g) of the material. Some laboratories will measure in milligrams (mg) when doing research. Other labs who are in production of a solution will measure in kilograms (kg) because they are making large quantities of the same solution
The amount of solution that a lab technician needs to make determines the amount of solute that needs to be added to a solvent. A concentration is the proportion of solute to solvent. Concentrated solutions are common and most people are familiar with them
For example, laundry detergent can be bought in a concentrated solution. This means that less detergent needs to be measured out for each load of laundry because the solution is more concentrated.
Concentrated laundry detergent has a higher ratio of molecules to solvent than what is present in diluted, normal laundry detergent. Another advantage to using concentrated laundry detergent is that it comes in a smaller container than the regular version.
The concentration of a solution can be measured in a variety of ways. The three most common ways to measure the concentration is percentage of mass/volume, mass/volume in grams, and molarity.
Molarity is the method of measuring a concentration that will be focused on. Molarity is the measurement of concentration in a solution that signifies the number of moles of a solute in a liter of solution. One mole is equal to the molecular weight in grams of a substance. As in the previous exercise, molecular weight is found through adding the atomic mass of each element through the Periodic Table of Elements
For example, one mole of NaCl weighs 58.5 g. This is found by finding the atomic mass of Na and Cl on the Periodic Table. Na has an atomic mass of 23 (22.99 rounded to 23) and Cl has an atomic mass of 35.5 (35.45 rounded to 35.5).
Examples:
Now to solidify the meaning of a mole, how much do 2 moles of NaCl weigh? To find the answer, add the atomic mass of each element .
23 amu (Na) + 35.5 (Cl) = 58.5 g x 2 moles = 117 g.
How much does .5 mole of NaCl weigh? The molecular weight of NaCl is 58.5 g.
To find the answer: .5 mole x 58.5 g = 29.25 g.
Another way to find the answer to this question is this: 58.5 g x 1/2 = 29.25 g
 

Thermometer, Graduated Cylinder, Balances

Learning Assessment Program 2
Biotechnicians use decimals and whole numbers to read graduated cylinders, thermometers, and analytical balances.
Example:
Temperature is measured in Fahrenheit (°F) degrees. The following is a Fahrenheit thermometer. What is the temperature reading on the following thermometer?
Hints:

	Each long line on the scale represents 10 degrees (10°).
	Between each long line, there are 4 short lines. Each short line represents two degrees (2°).
	The shaded area of the thermometer represents the mercury that moves up into the thermometer until it shows the exact temperature The answer to this example is found by looking where the mercury in the thermometer ends. It ends at the second short line past 90°F, so the temperature is 94°F. Cylinder: Example: The following image is an enlarged portion of a graduated cylinder. How much liquid in ml is in the cylinder? Hint: Read the level of the liquid (shaded area) at the lowest circular point. The answer is 87 ml. Balances: Biotechnicians use balances to measure the weight of chemicals. The beam balance, shown below, is a type of analytical balance. The chemical is placed on the platform. The riders are moved across until the beam is pointing directly at the center mark. The exact weight can then be read by where the riders are on the beam. How to read a balance: The tip on each rider shows the reading of each beam. The upper beam shows weight in units of 10 grams. The lower beam shows weight in units of 1 gram. Each of the 10 short lines between the numbers on the lower beam shows weight in units of 1/10 gram (0.1 g). If the tip of the rider is pointing between 2 of the shorter lines on the lower beam, add another 0.05 grExample: What is the reading on the balance that is shown below?ams. Instructions: The tip of the rider on the upper beam is pointing to 30 grams (30 g). The tip of the rider on the lower beam is pointing between 8th and the 9th mark after number 6. Add the readings of both beams together to find the total weight. What is the total reading on the balance that is shown below?

Using the Metric System

Biotechnologists use the metric system to measure weight, volume, and length using decimals and whole numbers

Measurements of Length

1 kilometer (km)	= 1,000 meters (m)
1 meter (m)	= 100 centimeters (cm)
1 centimeter (cm)	= 10 millimeters (mm)

Measurements of Volume

1 cubic meter (m³)	= 1,000 liter (l)
1 liter (l)	= 1,000 milliliters (ml)
1 milliliter (ml)	= 1,000 micro liters (µl)

Measurements of Weight

1 kilogram (kg)	= 1,000 grams (g)
1 gram (g)	= 1,000 milligrams (mg)
1 milligram Example 1: How many centimeters are in 5 meters? Step 1: Find the heading “Measurements of Length” and find how many centimeters are in 1 meter. Step 2: Multiply that answer (100 cm) by the number of meters in the question: 100 cm x 5 meters = 500 cm There are 100 centimeters in 1 meter.  (mg) How many liters are in 2.4 cubic meters? Step 1: Find the heading “Measurements of Volume” to find out how many liters are in 1 cubic meter. There are 1,000 liters in 1 cubic meter. Step 2: Multiply that answer (1,000 l) by the number of cubic meters in the questions: 1,000 x 2.4 = 2,400 liters	= 1,000 micrograms (µg

Scientific Method

The scientific method is the process a scientist uses when conducting an experiment. Scientists use different systems, but they all have basically the same goal of experimenting, to produce a desired result. The scientific method outlined here is a basic process that has four steps.
One benefit of companies or laboratories to having a specific scientific method to follow is that it produces unbiased data that can be repeated. Data is simply the information that a scientist collects from their experiment. The scientific method is an important concept to understand for anyone who wishes to work in the scientific field
The first step in the process involves a hypothesis. A hypothesis is an educated guess that is made to answer a scientific question. The hypothesis must be testable, which means you must be able to perform an experiment to find out if the guess is correct or incorrect.
In order to form a hypothesis, the scientist must find a problem or a question that needs to be answered based on previous information or observation. A hypothesis can also be based on an entirely new idea that has not been tested before.
The second step is to plan the experiment. There are many steps needed to plan a successful experiment. It is always best to have collected data that is numerical, meaning it involves numbers.
The experiment should also be repeated several times. In an experiment, a single variable should be tested. A variable is the part of the experiment that can vary; it is the part that is being tested. In an experiment, an independent variable is tested to observe its effect on the dependent variable.
Control groups are also part of an experiment. A control is a part of an experiment that is conducted to make sure that the experiment was done right. It prevents factors from affecting the outcome of the experiment.
A positive control is a group of data that is predicted to give positive results. A negative control is a group of data that is expected to produce negative results because the group lacks what is being tested.
The third step is to conduct the experiment, collect and organize the data. The data is collected and organized using charts, graphs, and tables. During the experiment, the scientist makes observations and records the data
Later in the experiment, the scientist makes a final draft of all of the information that is collected. Computers are used to produce charts, graphs, and tables.
The fourth step is to make a conclusion that is based on all the data collected during the experiment. The scientist reviews all of the data that was collected and looks for the answer to the original question or hypothesis.
It is fairly common that the conclusion does not support the original question or hypothesis. This could be due to error during the experiment. Experiments are often repeated to ensure that the results are consistent and accurate.

 

Combating Disease in biology

Medical biotechnology is a growing field that plays a huge role in the healthcare industry. Many career opportunities are available in the areas of research, development, and manufacturing of products in medical biotechnology.
These three areas in medical biotechnology address the common goal of prevention and treatment of diseases]
One of the fastest growing areas within medical biotechnology is drug discovery and development. A drug is a chemical that changes the affects of the molecules or proteins that are related with the cause of a disease.
Scientists and laboratory technicians research the causes of a disease and then use tools of biotechnology to find a way to fight that disease. Often, nature is the beginning of a scientist's search to finding a new drug. Many drugs use items found in nature, sometimes in plants or animals without making many changes
One simple example of a drug that was found in nature is penicillin. Penicillin is an antibiotic, a substance that kills or slows the growth of bacteria. Penicillin was the first antibiotic found in nature and used successfully to treat bacterial infections. Penicillin made a big difference in the number of deaths and amputations caused by infected wounds during World War II.
Before the discovery of penicillin as a medical treatment, many people died from simple accidents such as a cut. The person would catch a bacterial infection from the cut, which would work its way through the person's body and cause them to die. It's easy to see that penicillin has had a huge impact in the medical field
Many biotechnology companies are focusing on better ways to diagnose, prevent and treat diseases. Due to biotechnology, strep throat can be diagnosed in just minutes, whereas before it would take days.
Since strep throat is diagnosed so rapidly, people can begin receiving treatment right away. New treatments for diseases are constantly being discovered and applied, making medical biotechnology an exciting field to work in.
 Saving the Environment:
The newest area where biotechnology is being put into practice is for saving energy and the environment
Biotechnology companies have responded by expanding research and development in these areas. This is an exciting field to work in because as it expands, there will be an increasing amount of career options.
Environmental biotechnology addresses many topics, such as cleaner water, soil, and air, new non-polluting fuels, and new materials that are biodegradable. It is clear to see that there are many opportunities within this area of biotechnology.
A rising concern for fuel pollution has sparked a drive for research and development of alternative non-polluting fuels that replace gasoline.
The government is recognizing the potential for these alternative fuels and is giving incentives to those who are undertaking research and development in this area. These new alternatives are being discovered and tested
(X) true=A growing amount of research is being done in finding alternative non-polluting fuels that replace gasoline.

Renewable resources such as crop waste from corn stalks, grasses, and wood chips can be used to create a cleaner fuel
(x)=Crop waste is being used as a source for alternative fuels.
Biotechnology laboratories are creating enzymes that turn the crop waste into bioethanol. This bioethanol may one day replace gasoline.
Biodegradable plastics and materials are also innovative products of biotechnology. These materials are created from biodegradable and mostly renewable resources. A material that is biodegradable has the ability to be broken down by other living things.
These new products address the issues of former plastics and materials that are made of non-renewable resources and are not biodegradable. Some of the new materials that can be made are fabrics, plastics, and packaging materials.
(x)=
Biotechnology is also being applied to address the problems of toxic chemicals, pollutants and oil spills.
Natural products are being developed to clean up these hazards in the water, soil, and air. Both plants and bacteria are being used to develop better methods of cleaning the pollution and waste in the water, air, and soil.
(x) true = Bacteria are being used to develop better methods of cleaning up pollution and waste.
 These areas within biotechnology are expanding and offer exciting career opportunities.
 Bioethanol is a product of biotechnology that may be an alternative to gasoline
 

Nutrition of the world

The career opportunities in biotechnology are rapidly expanding due to growing interest in the many applications the field offers. One of the areas where biotechnology may have some positive effects is in feeding the world.
A huge problem in the world today is people being unable to grow or find enough food to sustain a healthy quality of life. Many people in developing nations face the risk of both malnutrition and starvation. The resources of biotechnology are being applied to help lessen the world's food shortage. Biotechnology is improving old methods to produce faster, better results.
To understand some of the new advanced methods of biotechnology, it is necessary to understand the methods that have been in use for long periods of time. One of the areas where biotechnology has been present for the longest amount of time is in agriculture.
Agriculture is the practice of planting, growing, and harvesting plant and animal crops for useful purposes. Some of the useful purposes are developing healthier food, crops, and animals.
In agriculture, the practice of crop rotation to maximize soil fertility has been used for thousands of years, and is still being used today. Crops are rotated in a yearly planned sequence.
Some of the benefits of crop rotation are that it reduces the soil erosion, guards the quality of water by avoiding excess amounts of chemicals or nutrients, and it reduces the natural cycles of insects, diseases, and weeds that are controlled by pesticides. With crop rotation, less fertilizer and pesticides are used, which in turn saves the environment because of less pollution.
For several thousand years, the products in bread and cheese have been created from biotechnology. A living organism, yeast, is used to make bread rise. The yeast eats the sugar in the bread and releases a gas, carbon dioxide. The gas that is released causes the bread to rise.
Cheese is made by using a living organism, lactic bacteria, which keeps milk from spoiling while it ages. Keep in mind how bread and cheese are made the next time you eat a sandwich.
Some believe that biotechnology has created foods that are safer and better. Foods can be improved in flavor and nutrient content, and made safer by reducing allergens and pollutants that naturally occur.
Foods that are altered by biotechnology are referred to as genetically modified organisms (GMOs). A genetically modified organism is an organism that has been produced using genetic engineering. This means that it may contain DNA from a different organism.
For example, corn has been genetically modified to reduce the effects of a caterpillar that kills corn plants. A gene from a bacterium has been added that fights off the caterpillar.
Selective breeding has been used in agriculture for thousands of years to produce the desired characteristics. To explain selective breeding the example of corn will be used. Thousands of years ago, corn was very different in color and size. The kernels were not much bigger than sunflower seeds and brown in color.
What began to happen was the farmer would choose the kernels that were better, larger kernels for example, and select those to keep and plant the next season. With selective breeding, the process takes several generations. That is why today we know corn as having big, juicy yellow kernels.
Now, with biotechnology and genetic modification the process of refining crops to produce the desired results is vastly shortened.
Rather than waiting several generations of selecting the crops with the desired characteristics and planting those the next season, genetic modification offers the convenience of producing the desired characteristics in one generation. The process of genetic modification is much more precise than selective breeding.

 

Profile

Profile:
 

Personal skill

You are about to experience a process that will put you in the driver's seat of your success. Whether you want to make more money, have better relationships, start a new career or just lose a few pounds, The Personal Skills Map will show you what you need to know in order to accomplish these or any other goals you may have.
You may have seen or tried one or more of the other success programs being marketed today. They all have one thing in common-they focus on a goal and tell you how to get there.
These other programs assume that if you “do as they do” you will be successful too. The problem with this “cookie-cutter” approach is that they don't know you. They don't know where you are today, so how can they give you directions to where you want to go?
For example—all of us, at one time or another, have taken a trip and gotten lost. What do you do? You stop and ask for directions…..Look at a map….call the person at your destination. The first thing they will ask is “where are you now?” Only then can they tell you how to get where you are going. The Personal Skills Map offers a way to discover where you are now and shows you how to get to where you want to go.
You will begin by discovering for yourself “where you are now” in fourteen critical areas with the use of The Personal Skills Map. On the Personal Map, these fourteen categories are divided into three sections. In the first section of the profile you'll look at the eleven personal skills that have been shown to dramatically improve your ability to get “where you want to go”.
In the second section of the Personal Profile you'll discover which of the three communication styles you prefer to use. Finally, in section three of the Personal Profile, the personal change category will show how important change is to you. This is the “heart” of The Personal Skills Map. No other program on the market today offers this key process for reaching success.
Next, you'll look at the “change” process and learn an easy way to make change exciting and fun. Then you'll select some “goals” that you want to pursue and will learn an easy way to reach your destination. Finally, you will learn how to “activate” the eleven skill areas that will drive you toward your goals.
The Personal Skills Map provides an opportunity for you to describe how you think, feel, or behave in specific situations and how you describe yourself and your present behavior. Answer each item individually indicating if the item is most descriptive (M), sometimes descriptive (S), or least descriptive (L) of your characteristic thoughts, feelings, or behaviors.
The results of the instrument will be meaningful only if you respond as honestly and accurately as possible in describing your present behavior. The Personal Skills Map is not a test, and there are no right or wrong answers. Respond by describing yourself and your behavior as you really are and how you actually think, feel, or behave, not as you would want to be or how you think you "should" be. Make a response to all of the items
You are now ready to start. Just four easy steps—begin by responding to the statements that make up The Personal Skills Map and discover “where you are now,” make change fun, set definite goals with plans, and develop your 11 critical skills. Let's begin.
You are about to being the process of Personal Skills Mapping. A map is only as accurate as the person surveying the territory, so respond to the items with the attitude of self-honesty and objectivity. Your results will be helpful and personally meaningful to the extent that your responses are accurate and self-objective reflections of your current thoughts feelings and personal behaviors.
The Personal Skills Map does not attempt to measure how you are as a person or how you should be. The process of Personal Skills Mapping makes it possible to suggest and design personally meaningful training and learning experiences that will aid you in becoming more effective in your personal and career development. Specific instructions for responding to The Personal Skills Map items are listed on the next screen.
Step 1: Focus on one setting, such as "work" or "school", when you answer these questions.
Step 2: Select the one answer that is most descriptive of you at “school” or "work" by selecting the corresponding check box of the answer or by pressing “M” for “Most of the time”, “S” for “Some of the time”, or “L” for “Least of the time”, followed by the enter key or by selecting the “Next” button.
Step 3: Upon completing all items, you will receive the results of The Personal Skills Map, along with an interpretation of what these results mean to you.

The results that you have plotted on each of the fourteen scales are shown on the map; your raw scores are changed to standard scores. You can now see how your scores compare to a general sample in the U.S. The results that you have are your map or guide for you to consider in further improving yourself, your personal skills are changeable, and you are able to change and grow. As you change, your Personal Skills Map will be strengthened. Your Personal Skills Map scores cannot be thought of as fixed or frozen “traits” or “factors”. Think of your results as self descriptions of your current level of personal skills, and look at your skill strengths. Then consider the skill areas that you want to change and are willing to more fully develop or improve.
 

Personality

Everyone has heroes or people in life whom they admire. Take a moment to think about your heroes. They could be someone famous like a sports figure or rock star, or maybe it's someone close to you like a relative or a teacher. Once you have a person in your mind, think about what it is about that person that makes you think so highly of him or her. Chances are the reason you look up to your hero is because they have reached some level of success in life.

Now think about how your heroes reached that level of success. No matter what background your heroes come from, heroes all have one thing in common: Personal responsibility is what got them to where they are today. Personal responsibility is the one thing that separates the successful from the unsuccessful. The great thing about personal responsibility is that it's something you control. You decide for yourself your personal responsibility and the kind of life you want to live.

It all starts with one small piece of logic: Change your thinking, change your life.

You may not even realize it, but your thoughts control your actions. You make many decisions every day that have an impact on your life, sometimes right away, sometimes further down the road. Have you ever heard anyone use the expression, “It's all mental” when talking about playing a sport? It seems strange that a physical activity could be mental, but ask any professional athlete and they'll agree. In order to do anything well, you have to believe that you can and fill your mind with positive thoughts.

Once you've learned to change your thinking, you're ready to change your habits and your life. There's nobody else who can claim responsibility for your success or take the blame for your failures. It's all up to you. As soon as you lose sight of this truth, you fall into a dangerous spiral of Procrastination=Blame=Victim Thinking. We've all been there before. It's when we procrastinate, or put off doing something until it's too late. As a result, we let someone down. That person gets upset with us so we find someone or something else to blame and claim that we are just the victim in the situation. When we use this thought process, we are no longer in control of our own lives.

As you work through each skill building unit you may have feelings of doubt or discomfort. That's a good thing! It means that you are going out of your comfort zone and applying yourself. Remember, in order to change your life, you have to first change your thinking. Any kind of change is difficult at first, but the more you apply your new thought process, the bigger the changes you'll see in your life.
GOAL:
Your ability to set and reach your goals is what this program is all about. A goal is something that you want and try to achieve or reach. A goal gives an aim or a purpose for doing something. Goal setting is the very first step you must take in order to meet with success. Without the ability to set a goal, a person is simply adrift in a boat with no direction in mind. Goals provide a way of steering the boat.

People may get by for a while without any goals, but just getting by will catch up to those who live their lives this way. Why? It's simple. Without a clear set of goals, people must just accept whatever happens to them, good or bad. In time they become stuck without a way of making positive or good changes in their lives.I,for one, do not want to live my life this way. I want to set goals, work hard, and reach my goals so that I can choose my own life. Only through setting and reaching goals in my life can I create choices for myself. I can have some effect on how things will turn out for me.
      Perhaps nothing is more important to your success in life than your ability to set, manage, and reach your goals. This program puts the focus on your view of your ability to set clear goals and then to manage yourself to reach your goals. Personal Responsibility puts the attention where it belongs – on you. It is your responsibility or job to set, manage, and reach your goals.
Personal responsibility is your own ability to be accountable or responsible to yourself. It is a duty to yourself to follow through on a goal. When you are accountable to yourself, something good happens. You are in charge of your success, not someone else. You can only blame yourself if you fail. You are the only one who can decide not to fail the next time.

Procrastination is putting something off and not doing it until later.

Did you ever put off a job you were given? yes or no?

When you do this, you set in motion a process in which procrastination leads to blame and blame leads to victim thinking or feeling sorry for yourself. Procrastination is a habit – a bad habit. As with all habits, you can change if you see reason to change.
This program is a test of your ability to set and reach goals and to learn to take responsibility for them.

Procrastination=Blame=Victim Thinking
It provides you with information about your ability to set and reach your goals. This program also has another test in which someone who knows you can say what he or she thinks of your skill at setting and reaching your goals. This gives you information on what others think of your abilities in this area. We hope this information will give you a better understanding of yourself as it relates to your ability to set and reach goals.
Some of the skills included in the self test you are about to take are:
Goal Setting – which is your view of your ability to set clear, specific and reachable goals.
Values Congruence – which is your opinion of whether your goals match your values.
Achievement Drive – which is your opinion of your desire and level of effort you make to reach your goals.
Self-Control – which is your view of your ability to handle your feelings and emotions in difficult life situations.
Self-Management – which is the degree to which you manage your time, talents, and abilities and target these on clear goals.
Personal Responsibility – which is your level of desire to take full responsibility for reaching your goals.
You cannot blame someone else for your failure to reach your goals. These are just a few of the skills this test will measure. Let's see how you do.
 This instrument measures how you see yourself in setting and reaching your personal goals. As you begin the process of assessing your current skills and behaviors, respond to each item with honesty. Your responses will be meaningful and helpful to the extent that they accurately describe yourself. Keep in mind that you should answer each question as you truly are, not how you think you should be. Remember, if this exercise is going to help you, you need to be painfully honest about yourself. Carefully read the instructions for completing the Personal Responsibility Map and then score yourself for each item
To answer the following questions, select the one answer that indicates how descriptive the statement is of attitudes, skills, and behaviors. Select the corresponding check box of the answer or by pressing “M” for “Most of the time”, “S” for “Some of the time”, or “L” for “Least of the time”, followed by the enter key or by selecting the “Next” button.
Although similar and interrelated, each of the 120 items on the Personal Responsibility Map differs in some degree from all other items. Respond to each item individually, and select the answer that best represents your attitude or behavior

The Personal Responsibility-Achieving Academic and Career Goals program is a positive way to the self-assessment or self-test of skills that are important for your success. The purpose of this self-test is to provide you with a map or guide for your personal growth and change. By understanding the results of your test you may become more aware of your strengths as a person and identify areas for possible change and growth. The test provides a self-assessment of your present level of skills in areas related to setting and reaching goals. The results may be used in planning skill-building activities that will help you in reaching your goals.
In the section that follows, the major scales are identified and explained in terms of your idea of your strengths or change areas. Once you are aware of your skill strengths and have identified areas for change, you can develop a learning and training plan to improve your ability to achieve academic and career goals.
A score in the enhance level (top of profile) may be considered a current skill strength.
A score in the strengthen level (middle of profile) shows an average or expected level of skill development.
A score in the develop level (bottom of profile) can be thought of as a need to make changes and to learn and develop new skills in that skill area.

The results that you plot on the twelve scales of the Personal Responsibility Map are a map or guide that you may consider to further develop your personal and career goals.
Your personal skills related to setting and reaching goals are changeable, and you are capable of learning new skills. As you change, develop, and learn, your skills will be strengthened.
Your scores on the Personal Responsibility Map scales must not be thought of as fixed or stuck personal “traits” or “factors.”
Think of your results as your current level of personal skills, and focus on your skill strengths. Then consider the skill areas that you want to change and are willing to develop more fully.

The first six scales measured—Goal Setting, Self-Efficacy, Values Congruence, Achievement Drive, Supportive Environment, and Self-Esteem—deal with goal reaching ability.
Goal Setting is the ability to set goals.
Self-Efficacy is a belief in your ability to actually reach stated goals.
Values Congruence is the finding of your values and testing whether your values are true to your goals. Goals are more likely to be reached when values are true to your goals.
Achievement Drive is the desire to reach your goals.
Supportive Environment refers to people around you willing to support and help you and encourage you to go after your goals.
All of these key factors tie together to give you some idea of your goal reaching ability.
The last six scales measured, Self-Control, Self-Management, Problem Solving, Resiliency, Self-Improvement, and Personal Responsibility all relate to self-management skills or ability to manage yourself related to personal responsibility.
Self-Control measures your ability to control yourself and act in a responsible way.
Self-Management is the skill of using your time, talents, and abilities to reach your goals.
Problem Solving is the ability to work through roadblocks and to use creative thinking skills to reach your goals.
Resiliency is the ability to work through issues or problems and to cause bottom-line results to happen.
Self-Improvement measures your openness to change and desire to learn new skills to improve yourself.
Personal Responsibility is your ability to set clear goals and take full responsibility to reach them
Your results show your present skills in key areas of setting and achieving goals. You have found skill strengths and skill changes that may serve as a map or guide for your future improvement. The use of skill strengths is necessary to further achieve your potential for setting and achieving academic and career goals. If skill changes were shown on your profile, you may want to try learning new skills in these areas. You will need to select the areas you want to develop and work on those areas
The profile you have just completed shows how you and others see your skills and abilities in reaching goals. The overall assessment can serve as a basis for your future training and development. Understanding what good goal setting and goal reaching skills are and how your abilities match them helps you make your training more meaningful. The following will give you more information about the skills necessary for success in reaching your goals.

Goal Achievement Potential (Scales 1-6)
Scale 1: Goal Setting – having clear, written goals with plans and target dates for reaching them.
Scale 2: Self-Efficacy – the view of possibilities or extent or amount to which people's goals are viewed as within their possibilities (ability to do), given their skills and abilities.
Scale 3: Values Congruence – having a healthy balance between personal values, beliefs and desired goals.
Scale 4: Achievement Drive – the level of desire, effort and work done to reach goals.
Scale 5: Supportive Environment – the amount to which friends, family or peers (fellow students or employees) value good work and help a person reach goals.
Scale 6: Self-Esteem – the amount that people value themselves and feel worthy or good enough to enjoy success in reaching their goals.
Scale 7: Self-Control – the ability to handle feelings and emotions in difficult life situations.
Scale 8: Self-Management – the degree to which people manage their own time, talents (skills) and abilities and use these to set and reach their goals.
Scale 9: Problem Solving – the ability and willingness to work through roadblocks or setbacks and to use good thinking skills to reach their goals.
Scale 10: Resiliency – the ability to work through activities and cause things to happen to get things done.
Scale 11: Self-Improvement – the amount to which people are open to change, to learning and to looking for ways to improve themselves or become better at something.
Scale 12: Personal Responsibility – the level of effort or work people are willing to make in setting clear goals and then accepting full responsibility for reaching them
Goal Setting: The ability to have clear, written goals with plans and target dates for reaching them. Scores on this scale show current feelings about the ability to set goals and target dates for reaching them. A high score (skill to enhance) shows the ability to have a clear focus on where one wants to go, to create target dates to complete goals, to develop or create and use written ways to achieve goals, and set high goals. A low score (skill to develop) shows a lack of ability to set clear goals, make target dates to complete them, develop and use written ways to achieve goals, and to set high goals
Self-Efficacy: The view of possibilities or extent or amount to which people's goals are viewed as being within their possibilities (abilities to do), given their skills and abilities. Scores on this scale show current feelings about the ability to reach goals. A high score (skill to enhance) shows consistency in seeking higher goals, understanding potential or possible abilities, belief that goals are possible to reach, and a positive view of abilities. A low score (skill to develop) shows a lack of desire to seek higher goals, a lack of understanding of potential (capable of becoming), a belief that goals are not attainable (or possible), and a negative view of abilities.
Values Congruence: Having a healthy balance between personal values, beliefs, and desired goals. Scores on this scale show current feelings about the balance between personal values, beliefs, and desired goals. A high score (skill to enhance) shows that values are in agreement with targeted goals, and an acceptance of personal duty or responsibility for thoughts and actions related to goals. These individuals have ability to freely give of self and be honest and sincere when dealing with others. A low score (skill to develop) shows a lack of a healthy balance between personal values, beliefs, and desired goals. Values and goals do not seem to be in agreement. There is no desire to take personal responsibility for thoughts and actions. These people do not give freely of self and lack an honest and sincere approach to other people.
Achievement Drive: The level of desire, effort, and willingness to work toward goals. Scores on this scale show current feelings about the level of desire related to reaching goals. A high score (skill to enhance) shows a high drive and desire to reach goals, to get things done, an ability to respond well to difficulties, and give whatever level of energy is needed to reach goals. A low score (skill to develop) shows a low desire to reach goals, a lack of desire to get things done, a lack of ability to respond or act well to difficulties, and a lack of effort needed to reach personal goals.
Supportive Environment: The amount to which friends, family, or peers (fellow students or employees) value good work and help a person to reach goals. Scores on this scale show current feelings about how friends, family, and peers value high levels of achievement or success and their desire to help others reach their goals. A high score (skill to enhance) shows someone who has friends and family that are successful, has family members and friends that help reach goals, is a strong team player, and lives and works in a place where reaching goals is important. A low score (skill to develop) shows a person who lacks friends who are successful, lacks family members or friends who support them, is not a strong team player and lives and works in a place where reaching goals is not valued or important
Self-Esteem: The amount to which people value themselves and feel worthy, or good enough, to enjoy success in reaching their goals. Scores on this scale show current feelings about or belief in self and feelings of being good enough to reach goals. A high score (skill to enhance) shows an ability to handle difficult tasks, an ability to use personal strengths in solving problems, an ability to accept personal duty or responsibility for success or failure, and a clear understanding of one's own abilities. A low score (skill to develop) shows a lack of ability to handle challenging or difficult tasks, lack of an ability to use personal strengths when solving problems, lack of personal duty or responsibility for success or failures, and lack of a clear understanding of one's own ability
Self-Control: The ability to handle personal feelings and emotions in difficult life situations. Scores on this scale show current feelings about the ability to handle feelings and emotions when experiencing a stressful event. A high score (skill to enhance) shows an ability to calm down quickly after upsetting events, deal with strong emotions like anger, to work well under stress and pressure, and to have an ability to relax and renew or recharge personal energy. A low score (skill to develop) shows a lack of ability to calm down quickly after upsetting events, an inability to deal with strong emotions like anger, an inability to work well under stress and pressure, and lack of the ability to relax or recharge and renew personal energy
Self-Management: The degree to which people can manage their time, talents (skills), and abilities and use these to set and reach their goals. Scores on this scale show current feelings about the ability to manage time, talents, and abilities and use these skills to reach goals. A high score (skill to enhance) shows an ability to complete work tasks on time, to be organized and to use good work habits, to use time well, and to work on several projects at the same time with good results. A low score (skill to develop) shows a lack of ability to complete work on time, lack of organization in work habits, an inability to use time well, and an inability to work on several projects at the same time and get good results.
Problem Solving: The ability and willingness to work through roadblocks or something in the way and to use good thinking skills to reach their goals. Scores on this scale show current thinking on the ability to work through roadblocks and solve problems related to reaching goals. A high score (skill to enhance) shows an ability to deal with problems, to make decisions quickly, to create several choices for solving difficult problems, and to help in group problem solving or decision making efforts. A low score (skill to develop) shows a lack of ability to deal with problems, an inability to make decisions quickly, a lack of ability to see several choices for solving difficult problems, and an inability to help in group problem solving efforts
Resiliency: The ability to work through activities and cause things to happen, to get things done. Scores on this scale show current thinking on the ability to work through tasks related to goals and to successfully reach goals. A high score (skill to enhance) shows an ability to look at results more than how to do it, to do things rather than let them happen, to be able to cut out clutter and get things done, and take a bottom-line, get-it-done approach. A low score (skill to develop) shows a lack of ability to look at results more than how to do it, an inability to do things before they happen, an inability to cut out clutter and get things done, and that this person is not a bottom-line, results-driven person.
Self-Improvement: The amount to which people are open to change and to learning, and to looking for ways to improve themselves or become better at something. Scores on this scale show current thinking on the ability to improve self, learn new skills and adapt to change. A high score (skill to enhance) shows an ability to spend time and energy on self-improvement (to better oneself), to want to learn new things, to be open to finding new ways of thinking and acting, and be willing to change. A low score (skill to develop) shows a lack of ability to spend time and energy on self-improvement (to better oneself), a lack of desire to learn new things, an inability to find new ways of thinking and acting, and lack of ability to adapt to change
Personal Responsibility: The level of effort or work people are willing to make in setting clear goals and then accepting full duty or responsibility for reaching them. Scores on this scale show current feelings about the ability to work towards a goal and take full duty or responsibility to reach that goal. A high score (skill to enhance) shows someone who can be depended upon to complete a job, complete difficult tasks without someone telling them what to do, accept personal responsibility for getting results, and be chosen by others when they want to get things done. A low score (skill to develop) shows a person who cannot be depended upon to complete jobs, to complete difficult tasks without someone telling them what to do, to accept personal responsibility for getting results, and a person who is seldom chosen by others when they want to get things done
You have completed the Personal Responsibility Map
 

biology

A huge problem in the world today is people being unable to grow or find enough food to sustain a healthy quality of life. Many people in developing nations face the risk of both malnutrition and starvation. The resources of biotechnology are being applied to help lessen the world's food shortage. Biotechnology is improving old methods to produce faster, better results.
To understand some of the new advanced methods of biotechnology, it is necessary to understand the methods that have been in use for long periods of time. One of the areas where biotechnology has been present for the longest amount of time is in agriculture.