Science Essay on evolution theory

The documented analogy essay worth 20% of your grade You must run a full near-final draft of this assignment through Turnitin.com for originallity check to receive any credit. Purpose: To understand and apply simplicity in non-fiction writing •To use science to explain an abstraction through analogy •To produce a framed essay--the abstraction as the frame; the science as the evidence in the interior supporting essay Writing Tenets: Humanity, Vitality, Clarity and Simplicity Simplicity—logical, linear sequencing from the first thing the reader needs to know, step by step building all the information (fact and opinion) so that the reader will understand the point. Clarity—Newness/Freshness seen in lack of clichés, lack of triteness, lack of dependence on numbers/data; ideas, concepts clearly lead reader to the insight; wording chosen for understandability and precision; complete lack of insider or "elite group" jargon. Vitality—an aliveness that keeps the reader reading through specific details doing helpful work and strong, content-heavy active verbs. Humanity—a connection between the author, the audience, and the subject matter through our shared humanity. Instructions: You MUST choose your scientific theory, principle, or process before Thursday. Some pretty helpful sites: SciNet (though it has advertisements and pop-ups) And The USGeological Survey search engine site is good for earth sciences information. The Encyclopedia of Life This is a three week assignment, designed to give you time to research your scientific theory, principle, or process, and to find documentation for the information you will quote and paraphrase (all need citing) in your essay. You must cite all the quoted and paraphrased information. You will need a "Works Cited" page (or "Literature Cited" or "References" or "Cited References"—depending on the style sheet requirements for your chosen discipline). Since this is a "hard science" essay—either natural or physical science—you should use some version of the Sequenced Citation System (Number System—JChemEd/ACS or AIP are the most common, although half the Biology-type sciences use the number system) or the Name and Year System (CSE—the rest of the Biology-type sciences and Geology/AGU—are the most common) for your citations. You will need no less than four cited (4) sources on your Works Cited page. ("Cited" means you have referenced in your text either quoted or paraphrased information from a source.) A maximum of two of these can be web-based sources. The rest of your sources (at least two—preferably more) should be from reliable, peer-reviewed scientific publications in the field. All sources can have been electronically retrieved documents. ABSOLUTELY NO CITATIONS FROM ENCYCLOPEDIAS OF ANY KIND EVER IN A COLLEGE-LEVEL PAPER. Use encyclopedias as starting points only. They are much too generic for citations in an academic paper. Confer with Barbara Oldham in the WVC Library. Barbara is our research and reference librarian. She is a wonder. She can help you on your search and help you with your documentation.201 Science Analogy Documented Essay Minimums: • Use the hard science (from a natural or physical science—no soft/social sciences) Theory, principle or process (the concrete) as an analogy for understanding a philosophical stance (the abstract). Do this as the transition (at the end of the essay) from the Science to the end frame. • Employ and correctly cite no fewer than four (4) sources. o NO FEWER THAN 2 PEER‐REVIEWED SOURCES!! o No more than 2 web pages o All sources can be electronically retrieved texts • Sources cited in text must match cited sources listed in End Notes. • Format the essay as a Manuscript: o Double spaced text, 1” margins o Single spaced heading normal to this course (English 201 w/Howard) o Science requirements for Running Header o End Notes as required by your discipline’s style sheet. (Works Cited; Cited References; References; References List; etc.— Name/Year system or Numbered System with discipline‐specific detail) • Submit the completed science portion of the essay to Turnitin.com for an originality report. (If you run the entire science/analogy essay through, even better.) You must submit your completed full framed essay analogy paper to Turnitin.com no less than 72 hours before the deadline. • You must have a full peer review of the entire science portion (the entire essay, even better) no later than 48 hours before the deadline. (Two or three peer reviews would be best.) Works Cited: CSE(Council of Science Editors) Reference The Science Essay Analysis Sheet Look for: Lead Remember that a framed essay will contain at least two—one for the science and one for the frame. (How, where, when, why does the essay start as it does) End Remember that a framed essay will contain at least two—one for the science and one for the frame. (How, where, when, why does the essay end as it does) Points of Support How many, what order, where are controlling ideas. Must begin with the least the reader must know and build on and from that knowledge to a deeper and more specific knowledge and then finally to the point—the thesis/insight. Logical sequencing is highly necessary here. Analogy How is the science used as an analogy for a more difficult concept? Do the science and the other concept parallel each other—i.e. is the sequence used to explain the science the basis for the explanation of the other concept? Transitions How does the author create them? Where does the author place them? Thesis A framed essay will contain at least two—one for the science, one for the abstraction. Where is it, why is it an insight, and how does it affect reader/subject/author relationship. Thread Consistency of word choice, approach to topic and detail chosen to simplify the complex concept; the vocabulary of the science used to support the analogy that then explains the abstraction—the insight. Simplicity The third major tenet of good writing and essential to science writing. Is the logical sequence of fact and opinion simplified? If so, how was this accomplished? Humanity Connection between author and audience through text—use of shared experience, personal experience, 1st person, people as vehicles, writing like a person not like a machine. Vitality Aliveness in the text—content-heavy active verbs; specific detail doing helpful work. Clarity Understandability by intended audience(s) on first read. Newness and freshness in wording. Lack of jargon or elitism. Use of numbers supports text rather than replacing text Documentation: Mark all information in this essay that needs source citation. Check all documentation for accuracy and for appropriateness for the discipline. The Tools: Verbs (active constructions, not passive ones) Nouns (the best word to name with as little help as possible) Adverbs (only when the active verb NEEDS the explanation) Adjectives (only when the noun—or phrase—NEEDS the help) Punctuation (correct and useful only—check particularly with the documentation. Be very, very picky) Sentences (variety, rhythm, stress) Science: Deductive 70-90% of Text Philosophy:Inductive 10-30% of Text Thread: 100% of Text Analogy One single connection between two unconnected, seeminly unrelated things
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