GGR305: Biogeography Winter 2022 Research Question and Critical Reading Assignment (Due 10 pm on Feb 3rd, Worth 15% of final mark) A. Goals of this Assignment 1. Work through the formulation of a term paper question. 2. Familiarize yourself with a search strategy to effectively research your topic. 3. Identify and review relevant scholarly articles. The scope of the term paper and library research approaches were discussed more thoroughly in class. B. Suggested Approaches to Formulating a Term Paper Research Question 1. Focus on one taxon (species, genus, etc.) investigating how it has changed overtime: what physical and biological limiting factors impact its distribution throughout its biological history; how has the distribution changed over time; and what are the hypotheses explaining these changes For example: How has the distribution of the horse changed overtime 2. Focus on a specific location investigating what plants, mammals, birds, invertebrates, or other taxonomic group are currently present: how has this changed over a given time period (i.e. since the last glaciation); what are the physical conditions of this location; how have these conditions changed over time; and what is the impact of these changes on the taxa of interest For example: How has the vegetation of Southern Ontario changed since the last glaciation and have these changes impacted on taxonomic diversity 3. Focus on humans’ impact on a given taxa or the diversity in a particular location. For example: How have humans impacted the biota of New Zealand since the first Polynesians arrived 4. Another approach of your choosing (prior approval suggested). C. For this Assignment Basic requirements: Your assignment should be typed, and use 12 pt Times font (or similar), double-spaced. Make sure your name and student number are on your assignment. You do not need a cover page. Do not use direct quotes. Marks will be deducted if you use direct quotes to answer any of the questions listed under item number 3 below. GGR305: Biogeography Winter 2022 Tasks and questions to answer: 1. Provide the research question you plan on addressing in your term paper. This research question is the foundation for your paper and must be sufficiently clear to ensure appropriate focus for your research. It should be stated in one sentence. (10 pts) See section B above for suggestions about appropriate topics. 2. After using your key words/phrases to search scholarly article databases, provide the full reference for at least five articles relevant to your research question. Please follow APA style. (10 pts) See here for appropriate style here. (you only need to follow APA style for references, not the rest of your assignment format) 3. For one of the five articles you identify, please read it carefully and answer the following questions (make sure it is clear which article you have selected to answer the questions). You cannot use a review paper to answer these questions; make certain that the article is a primary source. In other words, it involves some type of data (e.g. field observations, samples of material, computer simulated data) that is analyzed and does not just provide a summary or reflection of other scholarly papers. A. What is the research question(s) that this paper is trying to answer (10 pts) B. How is the research question addressed In three to five sentence please identify the type of data used (field observations, samples of material, computer simulated data, or something else) and how the data were analyzed. In other words, what methods were used in the paper. (15 pts) C. In three to five sentences, please explain why you think this paper was published (addressing a basic gap in knowledge, testing a new hypothesis, applying an existing hypothesis or theory in a new situation, or something else). This information may be stated in the introduction of the paper and/or be your interpretation of the paper’s contribution. (15 pts) D. In one paragraph, describe the major findings or conclusions of the paper. (20 pts) E. In one paragraph, explain how this paper is relevant to the question you are researching for your term paper. You must justify your choice/explanation by providing a logical rationale. (20 pts)
