Biology of the Vertebrates Video Project
Video Assignment
The objective of the video assignment is to produce a 3-5 min. video that tells a scientifically accurate and compelling story about some aspect of the biology or evolutionary history of a vertebrate species or group or that illuminates a major concept used in this course. The target audience is people who don’t necessarily have any background in biology such as peers outside this course or family members.
Deadlines and grading
Sept 10: Groups posted on course website
Sept. 24: Deadline to submit topics for approval (5 pts)
Oct. 8: 1 page synopsis of project and initial source list due (10 pts)
Deadline to petition to submit project in alternative format
Nov. 18: Final video due (65 pts)
The final video will be evaluated based on the scientific accuracy of the script, effectiveness of the visuals, success in reaching the target audience, and technical execution.
Dec. 4: Evaluations of 5 videos from other groups due (10 pts)
We strongly encourage groups to schedule a meeting with either the TA or one of the course instructors before beginning to film their video to review their script and plans for graphics.
Group assignment: Individuals will be assigned randomly to groups of 3-4; groups will be posted here no later than Sept. 10. We encourage you to get in touch with each other immediately to start brainstorming about possible topics for the project.
Topic approval: Send an email to the TA Beth Timpe and copied to all group members, which includes the following information (one email/group): brief description of the topic your group proposes to research links to sources you have found so far names of all group members This email must be sent no later than Sept. 24. We strongly encourage you to send this email as early as possible, in case your topic needs to be changed or focused before approval can be given. Groups that do not receive approval will have 48 hours from the time they are notified or until the deadline (whichever is later) to submit a revised topic. Full credit will be given only to groups that receive approval for a topic submitted on or before Sept. 24.
Synopsis and source list: Think of the 1 page synopsis as a plot summary of the story you will be telling in which you summarize the main points that you will make in the video. Sources may be listed in any format, so long as complete information is included. Any source that is scientifically accurate is acceptable. For some topics, you will want to use the primary or review literature. For other topics, popular articles or websites may provide adequate information. Any group that thinks their project would be more effectively presented in some form other than video may petition for permission to use an alternative format. This petition should include a brief description of the rationale for requesting an alternative format and a description of the final product the group proposes to produce. All of these items must be submitted electronically in a single pdf document to Beth Timpe, no later than 5 pm on Friday, Oct. 8. No credit will be given for assignments received after this deadline. However, all groups must receive feedback on their synopsis prior to submitting their video. Thus, even if your group does not meet the deadline, you are still required to complete the assignment.
Final project submission: All groups must submit the following 3 items by 5 pm on Nov. 18: 1) final video. The final video should have a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels and be in an M4V file with H.264 video and AAA-LC audio. The video must be Creative Commons compliant (see http://creativecommons.org/), meaning that it must not contain material copyrighted by others, unless the material is used in accordance with the fair use exemption. 2) script: text of the script 3) summary of the major contributions of each group member. As science is done more frequently in collaborative groups, it is becoming standard to indicate the specific contributions of each individual to the overall project.
Additionally, each individual must submit the following by 5 pm on Nov. 18: 4) Confidential rating of the relative contributions of their group members using the following options: (a) everyone contributed more-or-less equally, (b) one person did substantially more work than the others, or (c) one person did substantially less work than the others. This information will be used to calculate the individual multiplier for each group member, which can range from 0.8-1.1. The final video grade assigned to an individual will be determined by multiplying the individual multiplier by the total points received by the group (of 80 possible group video points) and then adding the points for video evaluations.
Evaluations: Each individual will be assigned five videos to watch and evaluate critically. Evaluation forms will be made available here, and these evaluations must be submitted electronically no later than 5 pm on Thursday, Dec. 4. These evaluations will be shared with the producers of the video you evaluate.
Resources: Video acquisition: The library has 4 cameras (2 FLIP, 2 Canon Powershot) with video shooting capabilities. These cameras can be checked out for 2 days at a time and specific days may be reserved in advance. For groups that anticipate using these cameras, we strongly encourage you to make reservations sufficiently far in advance to ensure availability.
Video editing: The Learning Commons (1st floor of library) has 4 iMacs equipped with iMovie. They can be reserved by calling 860.486.1187.
Examples of possible topics: How is a basilisk lizard able to run across water? Why do some fish change sex from male to female while others change sex from female to male? How will global climate change affect turtles with temperature-dependent sex determination? Why can (some) garter snakes eat highly toxic newts?
Sample videos:
