For this assignment, you will write a summary and critique of a recently published paper of your choosing from the primary literature.  The paper should have a publication date of either 2007 or 2008.  The purpose of this assignment is several fold:  to give you experience in carefully reading some literature in evolutionary biology, practice at analyzing the literature, and an opportunity for feedback on your writing before embarking on the term paper.

Choose a topic related to evolutionary biology (see list of sample papers or term paper tips for getting started). This may be the same topic you choose for your term paper, or different. Use an electronic database to locate one paper from the primary literature related to this topic.  This paper must contain original data collected by the authors, i.e. it should not be a paper based on commentary, or on reviews of primary literature.    You must receive approval of your choice of paper from your W instructor before you begin, either in person, or by e-mail or phone.  Include a copy of the complete citation and abstract with your request for approval.  (It is NOT sufficient to send a link to this information.)

Your assignment is to address all of the following in 750-1000 words:

• state the main research problem addressed in the paper and place it in context
• briefly summarize how the data were collected
• briefly summarize the results of the paper.  A good test of how much detail to include in the summary of methods and results is to ask which information is needed to understand the conclusions and critique.
• briefly discuss the conclusions and their significance
• *critique the study.  Some questions you may want to address are: Are the methods sound?  Do the data show what the researchers say they show?  Are there alternative interpretations that are also consistent with the data?  Are there additional experiments that should have been done or that could be done to extend these results?  What are the strengths of the paper?  If the study is well designed, explain why.  You should focus on scientific merit in this section, not on the presentation of data or on your feelings about the paper.
• correctly cite this paper and any other references you use.

Note: Completing this assignment in fewer than 1000 words will be challenging.  You will need to edit carefully and write concisely.

Checklist: Before handing in your paper, ask yourself:

Is the thesis (i.e. main claim) of your paper clearly stated?

Has your paper been carefully proofread? (It helps to have a friend read it, or to read it out loud.)

Does it have a title?

Did you keep a copy (both electronic and paper)?

Have you cited other people’s work properly, both in the text and literature cited?