The News and Views Project
Biology 243: Comparative Animal Physiology
Fall 2007

The objective:
In this project, you will write two papers describing primary research articles - a summary and a commentary. In the summary, you will describe an article - its purpose, methods, results, and significance. In the commentary, you will write a critical analysis of an article. The differences between summary and commentary are described in the assignments below, and we will read several summaries and commentaries along with the associated research articles as the semester progresses.

Assignment 1 - Summary proposal.
Purpose: Your goal in writing this assignment is to propose a paper that you use for the project summary and commentary assignments . You should make a convincing case for why the paper you choose deserves to be evalauted.

Paper Selection:

• Your paper must be from the American Journal of Physiology. This journal has several different sections, so you should be able to find something interesting to you.
• Your paper should be current. Look for papers that are published within the past 5 years.
• Be sure that you select papers in a field that interests you; you will need to do additional reading in the field to understand it.
• Try to select papers that make important or controversial contributions to the field; it is hard to write an interesting summary of a boring paper.
• Check the instructions below in assignment 2, 3, and 4; if you don't think you will able to follow them, you might consider other papers.
• Read the FAQ at the bottom of this sheet.
  

Hand in:

• Research article: A copy of the paper. Print out a PDF version of the paper.
• Article process paper: A description of why you chose the paper (not to exceed two pages double spaced, 12 point font). This description should include:
  • Your process in finding the chosen article. Focus not on the specific steps you took, but rather on what criteria you used in narrowing your selection. Did you search for papers in a particular subject area? Papers that use a particular methodology or approach? Reference should be made here to other articles that you considered.
  • A very short synopsis of the paper.
  • An argument for why the paper is interesting, controversial, important, exciting, or groundbreaking.
• References:
  • At least two other research articles that you considered
  • At least four references that you will use to better understand the paper. At least three must be primary research articles. Be sure to use Proper citation format.
    

Assignment 2 - Summary
Purpose: In this assignment you write a detailed summary of the paper. The point here is to accurately describe and explain each research paper. The summary should not simply paraphrase the papers, the point is to explain the study. Your summary should address the following points:

• Hypothesis
  • Choose one key previous study and explain how it leads to the hypothesis or research question that is being addressed in the paper.
  • Indicate why is it important to test the hypothesis or answer the research question.
• Methods
  • Choose one aspect of the methodology explain it. You might focus on a particular method or technique or consider the model system that was used.
  • Indicate how the methods will test the hypothesis or address the research question.
• Results
  • Choose a representative figure or table and explain it in detail. Describe how the data in the figure or table support or contradict the hypothesis.
  • Indicate the significance of the results.

Your summary must address the above points, but may also contain additional material. Your summary must be written as a coherent essay, not as a list of responses to the above items.

Hand in:

• Summary process paper Describe your process in writing the summary. How and why did you choose to focus on the particular previous study, methodology, and figure? Did you consider other articles, methods, or figures? What aspects presented difficulties and how did you address them? The page limit is 1 page, double spaced (not 1.5), one inch margins, 12 point font.
• Paper summary The page limit is 2 pages, double spaced (not 1.5), one inch margins, 12 point font. Do not exceed the page limit. You will need to consult and cite other literature to effectively complete this assignment, and therefore you must include a references cited section. The references cited is not included in the page limit. Be sure to use Proper citation format. Please hand in a copy of the paper with your assignment. Also, please hand in Assignment 1 with Assignment 2. Use a folder to keep your work together.

Grading: The following criteria will be used to evaluate your paper.

• The summary clearly and accurately describes and explains the hypothesis, methods, and one figure or table. The paper is explained, not simply paraphrased.
• The summary demonstrates a deep understanding of the research field.
• The summary describes why the research is important and the significance of the results
• The summary effectively incorporates other sources, including primary sources.
• The summary is well-written and well organized. It follows the format and page limits described in the project assignment.

Assignment 3 - Commentary draft
Purpose: The goal of this assignment is to write a critical commentary on your chosen research article. This differs from the summary in that you must include your own interpretations, analysis, and criticism. Your commentary should discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the paper, using other research literature for support. It may also discuss the implications of the work and its possible impact on further work. Focus on the most exciting, important, controversial, or innovative aspects of the paper. You may use the same research article that you used in Assignment 2, although you may also choose a new article if you wish. If you decide to write on a new article, please have it approved by me before you proceed.

The commentary should not be simply a summary of the paper. Instead it should critically analyze the paper. Your commentary should only include whatever summary of the paper that is needed to make effective comparisons and analysis. It should not include large sections of summary without critique and analysis. Your commentary need not cover every aspect of the paper. Choose what is more important, exciting, interesting, or controversial and write about it. Some tips for making arguments in an essay are here. Your grade will primarily be based on the quality of your critical analysis and the clarity of your presentation of this analysis to the reader.

Hand in:

• Commentary process paper. Describe your process in writing the commentary. How and why did you choose to your focus? Did you consider alternative approaches? What aspects presented difficulties and how did you address them? How does your commentary differ from the summary written in Assignment 2? The page limit is 1 page, double spaced (not 1.5), one inch margins, 12 point font.
• Commentary draft. The page limit is 4 pages, double spaced (not 1.5), one inch margins, 12 point font. Do not exceed the page limit. You must include a references cited section and this is not included in the page limit. Be sure to use Proper citation format. You may include graphs, drawings, figures, etc. and these are not included in the page limit. Please hand in a pdf copy of the research paper with your assignment. Also, please hand in Assignment 2 with Assignment 3. Use a folder to keep your work together.

Grading: Excellent commentaries will show the following characteristics:

• Analysis
  • Connections between different parts of the article are assessed.
    • purpose and hypothesis
    • hypothesis and experimental design
    • results and conclusions
  • Interpretations and conclusions of the article are subjected to rigorous analysis.
  • Both strengths and shortcomings of the article are considered.
  • Scientific reasoning is used as the basis for judgments.
  • Judgments reflect an appreciation of other relevant work.
• Argumentation
  • The essay makes a novel claim.
  • The claim has implications beyond the article itself.
  • The claim contributes to the ongoing scientific dialogue.
  • The claim reflects synthesis of the article and other primary literature.
  • The essay is organized and focused.
  • The entire essay forms a coherent argument.
  • Citations are carefully selected to address the essay's claim.
  • Arguments draw upon data from the article itself.
  • Arguments draw upon data from other primary sources.
    

Assignment 4 - Commentary final paper.
Revise your commentary based on feedback from your draft. It is important that you think broadly about this revision rather than simply "fixing" the original. In my comments, I will often make suggestions that refer to a particular passage in your writing. It is your responsibility to apply such suggestions across the entire essay. Also, consider whether a reoganization or shift in focus would improve the essay. You will be graded on both the quality of your revised essay and the care with which revisions were made.

Hand in:

• Revision process paper Describe your process in writing the revision. What changes did you make and why? Did you consider other approaches to the revision? How has the revision strengthened the essay? The page limit is 1 page, double spaced (not 1.5), one inch margins, 12 point font.
• Revised commentary The page limit is 4 pages, double spaced (not 1.5), one inch margins, 12 point font. Do not exceed the page limit. You must include a references cited section and this is not included in the page limit. Be sure to use Proper citation format. You may include graphs, drawings, figures, etc. and these are not included in the page limit. Please hand in a pdf copy of the research paper with your assignment. Also, please hand in Assignment 2 and 3 with Assignment 4. Use a folder to keep your work together.

Assignment 1 - 5%
Assignment 2 - 25%
Assignment 3 - 20%
Assignment 4 - 50%

Deadlines and conflicts:  Work in this class that is handed in late will be penalized 1/3 grade per day. For example, a B+ will become a B.

Frequently asked questions:

• Can I use the same paper for the summary and the commentary?
  • Yes.
• Who is the audience for my writing?
  
  • Write you paper so that it can be understood by members of the Biol 243 class assuming that they have access to the research articles. Rather than simply repeating what is in the paper, try to explain it so that it is understandable to members of the Biol 243 class. Assume the audience has a basic understanding of physiology but may not be familiar with the intricacies of a particular research area.
• Suppose I agree with the authors of the paper, how can I add my own analysis in the commentary?
  • What is interesting, exciting, innovative, curious, or controversial about the papers? What further work should be done? What is the impact of this work on the field? Why is this a strong paper? What makes it better than other papers in the same research area?
    
• How can I possible summarize an article in only two pages?
  • Choose what is important. You need not discuss every aspect of the paper. Instead, focus on the important aspects of the paper. As you begin to develop your own analysis of the paper, try to develop an "angle" or "theme" for your analysis and focus your writing accordingly.
    
• I am not an expert, how can I possibly comment on a scientific paper written by professional biologists?
  • Become an expert! You can't succeed at this assignment without reading and thinking about the topic. Also, remember that you will not be asked to present this work at a conference with the authors of the papers in attendance. So this is a relatively low-risk exercise. Take a small risk here and you'll have some experience when it does come time to present your opinions in a public forum.

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