HOW TO CONTRIBUTE A MODULE

1. Visit http://www.big-bio.org/ and select Register from the menu.

This option may be a part of the menu bar:

Or you may have to open the drop-down menu on the top right:

2. After entering your email, you will receive an activation link to your account.

You’ll see the below message:

And receive an email like the below:

If you do not receive an email within 10 minutes, check your spam folder.

Not there? Contact BIG BIO support (contact@big-bio.org).

3. After clicking the activation link you will be asked to set your username and password.

4. Then we’ll ask for some basic demographic information.

Fields with an asterisk must be filled out. This information will help us get and maintain funding and will not be publically available.

5. Once this information is complete, click Next.

You should see the below:

6. Login to your account using your chosen username and password.

After successfully logging in, you should see your dashboard:

1. From your dashboard, click on Apply to be a Contributor.

2. The application is simple. All you need to do is upload your CV and provide a brief description of a module you’d be interested in building.

3. Submit the application!

After submitting you should see the below from your dashboard:

Admins will review your application and approve the account. Once you’ve been accepted as a contributor, your dashboard will look like this:

1. Visit the Contributors folder and familiarize yourself with the resources there.

We’ve chosen to store our module resources on Google Drive to enable us to offer suggestions and edit collaboratively. If you do not have a google account you likely have one through your institution. If not, you will have to create one.

You can find the list of modules currently being developed, the design guide, the templates for your module, and all previous modules in this folder.

2. Decide which module you want to build.

If you submitted this module idea when you applied to be a contributor, your name should be in the module assignments spreadsheet.

If you don’t see it, check that there is no other similar module in the list and add yourself. Email contact@big-bio.org with any conflicts or questions.

3. Think about where it fits.

Which of the completed modules should precede your module? Do you need to make some other preliminary modules to get to this point? Will you be able to explain it in under 15 minutes? Do you need to break your idea into smaller pieces?

4. Determine the title, key definitions, and primary concepts of your module.

Add the key terms to the module assignments spreadsheet so that others can get a better idea of what your module is about.

5. Add the module templates to your Google Drive.

Since this folder is view-only, you will need to copy all of the template elements from the Contributors folder to your own drive to begin working on your module. Please do not download these files, as formatting will be inconsistent if not edited through Google Slides and Docs.

You should then be able to see the files in your own drive:

Move them to a folder named after your module.

All the work you do should be in this folder so the admins can see changes you make during the submission process.

You can rename the files within the folder for clarity.

6. Organize your presentation.

Your module will take longer than you think, so you should plan on taking ten minutes or less for all slides. I’d recommend a maximum of 20 slides, although since most of your slides should be image based you may need a few more than normal. Keep in mind that slides with very little text make for much more engaging presentations, especially when being filmed, so if you can explain something with a picture instead, do it. For this reason, it might be easier to figure out what you're going to say if you gather the images you'll use before making your slides.

Right now we don’t have hard and fast guidelines about intellectual property on slides, but as our operation grows larger we will likely have to replace content that includes the figures of others, so if you have time you should try to make your own figures. Feel free to use diagrams from other contributors modules (with their permission). If you can’t create your own images, please acknowledge the source at the bottom using the subtitle text as demonstrated in the template slides.

7. Make your slides.

The template slides use the custom theme Big Bio. Please do not change the fonts or colors or use another theme without consulting an admin. We want all of our materials to have a standardized design for consistency.

8. Make your worksheet.

The worksheets are designed for the students/viewers to complete while watching the module.

On the first page list all the key terms that the students should understand by the end of the module. The second page should have a number of concept questions. These should be the broad ideas your module should get across, not specific problems (save those for the quiz). The third page should have definitions of the key terms and answers to the concept questions.

9. Make your quiz.

10. Mark your module as ready for filming.

Mark your module as finished on the module assignments spreadsheet.

1. Login to your BIG BIO account using your Username and Password.

2. From the drop-down menu select Dashboard.

3. Click Create a new Module.

4. You will now be prompted to enter in your Module Title, Collaborators, Module Summary, Supplemental Notes and Resources, and Acknowledgments.

5. You will also need to upload your module Presentation and associated Worksheet (files must have specified extension).

6. Select which Key Terms best describe the content of your module

7. Enter the DOI numbers of papers associated with the module’s content.

8. Once you have filled out all required fields, click Submit.

Back on your Dashboard page, you should see the module you submitted with Status Pending. You can make sure your information looks correct by clicking the Preview link. Once the content has been approved by an admin, your module Status will change to Approved.

9. After approval, share your module folder with contact@big-bio.org so that we can make suggestions before filming.

Once we're satisfied, we'll work with you to set a filming date.