This assignment will allow you to explore an area of evolutionary biology that is particularly interesting to you and to present the results of this exploration in the form of a clearly reasoned review paper. By reading the primary literature and synthesizing it in the form of a review paper, you will gain experience in library research, critical evaluation, and writing. Evolution is a broad field with extensive primary literature. During the lecture portion of this course, it will not be possible to cover most topics in depth. The term paper will give you an opportunity to read and evaluate the primary literature in a field that has attracted your attention.
Library research for the paper is a vital part of the assignment. We may suggest a few references, but for the most part you will be on your own for literature research. If you have not used the library for literature reviews in biology before, please be sure to attend the training session that is scheduled for 3:00PM, 11 September. If you cannot attend the training session, let us know, and we will make other arrangements for you.
Instructions. Your term paper should develop and defend a claim (thesis) about a significant issue in evolutionary biology (see the section called Possible term paper topics for examples of possible topics). The main purpose of your paper will be to support this claim using data from the primary literature. Your claim may not be original, but your defense of it should be synthetic and should rely on integration of data from a variety of sources for support. Your paper should be 12-15 pages in length.
Note: We expect you to cite at least ten references in your paper, and at least four or five of them should be from the primary literature.