Module code

BIO-6008B

Formative/Summative

Summative

Item number

001

Item title

On BB: {001}{BIO-6008B-18-SEM2-B}

Weighting

30% of total mark for the module

Submission format

The work should be submitted as a PDF through the Blackboard submission system.

Submission date

See BB

Additional submission requirements (if any)

n/a

Word Limit/Guide

1200 - 1500 words

Referencing Style

Harvard (Link to guidance on referencing)

Expected number of references

>10 references from academic sources (no websites)

Are figures expected?

Strongly recommended

Are tables expected?

Optional

Should the text be divided into named sections?

Yes

Assessment description

• The principal aim is to critically evaluate how a published paper addresses a hypothesis or question in the subjects of conservation or evolution.

• Find a good (recent) paper in a high-impact journal (e.g. Conservation Biology, Molecular Ecology, Conservation Genetics, PNAS, Nature, Nature Ecology & Evolution, Nature Communications, etc).

• Read other papers on this topic

• Describe your chosen paper in 1200 - 1500 words, using the following sections:

– Title (with directly underneath in 11pt font the reference of the paper you are describing)

– Introduction

– Hypothesis/objectives

– Material and Methods (explain the experimental design and methods used to generate and analyse the data)

– Results

– Discussion and interpretation of the results (with suggested improvements or alternative interpretations based on your wider reading).

– References

(You can further subdivide these sections if appropriate)

Marking criteria

For the marking criteria to be used please see ‘Marking form for essays v3.docx’

Formatting

Font

Arial 11 pt

Justification for main text

Left or fully justified

Line spacing

1.15 or 1.5

Headers or footers

Student number in Header. Page number in Footer.

Other links

Coursework submission guide

Submission regulations (including information on word limits and lateness penalties)

Information on extensions