Assignments and Grading Policy
• Class participation 5%
• Study Questions (3 assignments @ 5%) 15%
• Lab Reports (6 assignments @ 5%) 30%
• Field Trip Analysis or Alternative Paper 5%
• Project Proposal 15%
• Major research paper #1 15%
• Major research paper #2 15%
• Oral presentation of project 5%
• Total possible points (after drop): 100%
You may drop the score for either the lowest Lab Report, the lowest Study Question, or the Field Trip Report/Alternative Paper. However, you can only drop an assignment that has been completed and turned in. There is no extra credit available in this course.
Deductions for Late Assignments
Late assignments will be accepted up to one week after they are due (but not afterwards). However, the total points available for an assignment will be reduced by 10% per day (e.g. a paper 2 days late is worth 80% of its original points). Medical exceptions to this policy require a written statement from a medical professional.
Readings
Readings will be posted on the Marine Biology II website and at the FISH/OCEAN library. See the Assignments page for references or links.
Major Research Papers 1 & 2
You will complete a major research project, consisting in part of two major research papers. These papers are each limited to 10 pages, exclusive of references, figures, etc. In each paper, you must apply the material covered in one or more lecture or lab, to develop and cogently present an original analysis of a relevant issue or question in Marine Biology.
The topic and scope of paper #1 must be presented in the form of a graded project proposal, which is subject to approval by the instructors. Paper #2 is an extension of Paper #1, which incorporates significant improvements in presentation and scientific content, and which substantially enlarges the scope of the analysis in Paper #1. Specific areas for improvement will be discussed in the student-instructor conferences (see the Syllabus for details).
Note that Paper #1 is a complete, finalized research paper – the most fully developed and clearly thought-out presentation of the subject matter that you can produce. It is not a rough or incomplete draft. Paper #2 is a full revision of the first version. This means that a substantial enhancement of both content and presentation is required for this paper. For Paper #2, you will be graded on the improvement of the final version relative to the Paper #1, with emphasis on the aspects identified in the student-instructor conferences. A paper that is a minor modification of Paper #1 will not be given full marks, even if it was graded highly in its original form.
Oral Presentation
You will also give a short scientific talk on your research project, summarizing the questions or hypotheses you sought to address, the rationale of your analysis, the conclusions of your analysis and ideas for future work.