Biology 103 Fall, 2002 Web Paper Notes

Start with something you're interested in, "surf", don't be afraid to get away from your initial question. Learn something.

Poke around enough to evaluate whether what you've learned is "mainstream" or "controversial", and know why.

Once you've learned something, figure out what the question is which what you've learned is the answer to.

Start paper with an assertion or question, organize presented information in relation to assertion/question, bring it together in conclusion in relation to introduction.

Try and get beyond giving "report" of what you've found. Be critical, think about connections to other things, worry about what YOU think/understand/wonder about. Is fine to end with new questions that new understanding raises.

Enjoy, learn from the "web paper" aspect of the assignment, rather than thinking of it as an additional burden. Do things a new way, rather than the old way with an extra obligation. Remember that you are helping others to better understand biology. See past papers for ideas about topics and style.

Be sure to include "additional information" in your web reference list, such as who/what is responsible for the material you're linking to. Use the title of the page as the link (see instructions).

Check your html document using a web browser (see instructions).

Re grades:

• 7 is fine
  
• 8 is better
  
• 9 is to aspire to
  
• 10 is to dream about

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Some general thoughts (20 October 2003)

• GET "beyond giving 'report' of what you've found". Think about it, react to it, question it, find some for you new ways of thinking in yourself and write about those.
• Do not rely too heavily on a single source.
• Avoid excessive use of quotations. Put things in your own words unless what you want to call attention to some particular way of saying things by some particular person.
• Be organized in your writing. Start with what you think is important, organize everything else in relation to that (leaving out what you may have learned that isn't relevant), conclude by showing how what you've talked about relates to what you started with. Do not write about your explorations but rather about what you've gotten from them.

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