ASSIGNMENTS

Textbook readings – Reading assignments are listed in the course schedule, and will be posted on the course website. Read the assigned sections of the text before the class period for which it is assigned. Lectures will presume that you have read the assignment, and exams may cover material from the reading assignments whether or not it is not covered explicitly in lecture.

Discussions – Six times during the semester you will be assigned to read a popular essay or journal article from the primary literature. We will devote one class period to discussing each article. Before each discussion, you will be required to submit a pre-discussion report that includes a short summary of the article, responses to questions that will be given to guide your reading, and questions or comments that you have about the article; due by email at 10 p.m. on the Wednesday before each discussion (email to: welcha@unc.edu). Constructive participation in these discussions is required and will be graded. During the semester, each student will be responsible for helping to lead one discussion. Details on how to write pre-discussion reports and how to lead and participate in discussions will be given in class. Material covered in discussions is likely to appear on exams.

Research proposal – The major writing assignment in this course is a research proposal. For the proposal, you must select a topic covered in class, and meet with the instructor to approve your topic. Your proposal should present an interesting question in evolutionary biology, describe a system in which to study one aspect of the question, and explain in detail a feasible experiment. We will discuss in class the specific requirements for a successful research proposal. You will be graded on your final draft of the proposal, your “review” of a proposal written by another student, and your participation on a mock “review panel”.

Computational problems – During the semester you will be assigned four take-home problem sets, which will include computations and simulations of evolutionary processes. Some of these problems will require you to use computers and online resources.

Exams – There will be three exams in this course – two midterm exams and a comprehensive final exam. Exams will include a variety of question types, including multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions. Each exam will also include a section of problems drawn from a study guide that you will receive at least a week before the test. The final exam will be held Friday, May 2 from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Article review (grad students only) – In addition to the activities described above, graduate students will be required to write a review of an article from the primary literature. The student will select an article related to a topic covered in class or in the textbook, which must be approved by the instructor and cannot be related to the student’s research proposal. The student will write a detailed “peer review” of this article, summarizing the research and determining the strengths and weaknesses of the methods, analyses, conclusions, and presentation. Details on how to review an article are available from the instructor. Due April 28.