GRANT PROPOSALS AND REVIEWS

1. As part of the course requirements you will write a research proposal on an evolutionary ecology topic of your choosing.

2. The research proposal will be written in a concise Sigma Xi format (I will supply the appropriate forms) and include a budget.

3. The proposal should be of an experimental nature; i.e., testing a specific hypothesis or hypotheses.

4. Each of you will be required to review, critique, and rank five proposals written by your classmates. Thus, each proposal will receive approximately five reviews. In addition, as part of the review process each of you will be given a budget of $2000.00 to appropriate to the five proposals in any manner so deemed. Reviews will go back to the investigator (anonymously). I will take into consideration your comments as part of the grading process.

5. I would encourage those of you actually involved in conducting the proposed research to summit your grant proposal to Sigma Xi.


SOME GUIDELINES FOR GRADUATE LED DISCUSSIONS

In leading a discussion, as well as discussing the paper as a class, the following points should be considered:

1. What is the main point of the paper(s)?

2. What is the big picture contribution of the paper? Are the ideas new and novel? Does it change the way we view the world of evolutionary ecology?

3. Any questions about the paper that would help you better understand the issues?

4. Are there interpretational, statistical, and/or methodological problems with the paper?

5. Are there new approaches/techniques involved that have led to the views presented?

6. Future directions? Unanswered issues?

GUIDELINES FOR UNDERGRADUATE DISCUSSIONS

This year I am requesting that each undergraduate in the class summarize the primary point(s) of each paper for that weeks readings – these will be handed in at the beginning of class each Friday. Summary’s can be in paragraph or list form.