Environmental Biology (Bio 206 )

Overview
Schedule & Readings
Lab & Field Schedule
Reaction Papers
Independent Projects
Policies

Reaction Papers

One of your tasks in this course is to do the readings carefully and discuss lectures and readings thoughtfully in class. In order to help you do the readings well and to facilitate discussion in class, you will write a short reaction paper approximately every other week on specified readings. These papers must be 2 pages, double-spaced (12-point font, standard margins). They should be well organized and carefully written.

These papers should be your reaction to, or assessment of, the reading assigned not a simple summary of the content of the reading. These papers can take a variety of forms including:

  • Grappling with things you don't understand
  • Something you agree or disagree with
  • How the reading relates to a personal experience you have had
  • How the reading relates to other readings in this or another class

You ought to be having a conversation with what you read. Think of these reaction papers as being a transcript of your conversation with a reading. The reaction papers will be scored according to how seriously you engage a reading and the rigor and clarity of your argument not whether you are "right" or "wrong," or whether you follow my own point of view. I want to see evidence that your are thinking about and interacting with the readings.

On the schedule I have indicated readings for which you should write a reaction paper. A reaction paper prepared for any particular reading will be accepted at the beginning of class on the day we are to discuss the reading. No late reaction papers will be accepted.