You can be tested on material in assigned readings from the text even if the material is not covered in lecture. Usually such material will be straightforward descriptive examples. You will not be tested directly on recommended readings but they will help you understand the lecture material. Other supplementary readings as assigned during lectures will be available at the reserve desk in the library. One page critique of a peer s essay.
Problem sets to be done in informal study groups but written up separately.
One of the objectives of this course is to familiarize students with recent scientific findings in the field of evolutionary biology and to encourage students to critically think about these findings. You will be evaluated on the clarity and brevity with which you can summarize the scientific findings of the paper, and how well you can summarize the importance of the findings to the existing research in the area. This will of course require you to investigate other papers on the topic and relate these to your main topic paper. You will need to reference a minimum of 5 other papers in your essay as they relate to specific points that you are addressing in your essay. The final and perhaps most challenging aspect of the critique is to assimilate the findings and attempt to convey your thoughts on new research initiatives in the area.