BIOL3100 Assignment 1 Guidelines

BIOL3100 Assignment 1 Overview

Assignment Objective

The BIOL3100 Assignment 1 entails writing a minireview article on a selected prokaryote, which can be either a bacterial or archaeal species or genus. The objective is to clearly define the chosen organism and explore the insights gained from three research papers focusing on thematic topics covered in lectures 1-8.

Themes Suggestions

Several themes are suggested for the minireview, although students are free to select alternative themes if desired. Some of these include:

  • Symbiosis

  • Biosynthesis

  • Genome sequence and implications of the sequence

  • Ecological role(s) of the organism

  • Potential industrial applications of the organism

Expectations and Sources

Students are expected to base their minireview primarily on primary literature, including research journal articles only. It is strongly advised against using websites, magazines such as Scientific American and New Scientist, or textbooks.

Structure of the Minireview

The minireview should comprise the following components:

  1. Title: Informative and concise.

  2. Abstract (100-200 words): A brief summary of the material discussed in the minireview.

  3. Main Body: Structured with specific headings:

    • Introduction – Provides background relevant to the chosen prokaryote.

    • Research Highlights – Secretary for three primary research papers relevant to the themes chosen.

    • Conclusions and Future Directions – Synthesizes findings and suggests future research avenues.

  4. Reference List: A list of all works cited throughout the minireview.

Detailed Section Breakdown

Introduction

  • Purpose: The introduction must furnish relevant background information that aids in understanding the chosen prokaryote, encompassing its environment, energy and carbon acquisition methods, and the significance (ecological or industrial) that it holds.

  • Citations: To achieve a good score, students should reference more than three journal articles, exhibiting ample knowledge of the prokaryote studied.

  • Defining Themes: Ensure clarity in defining the thematic focus for the research highlights section.

Research Highlights

  • Focus: This is the core of the minireview, concentrating on three papers that enhance the understanding of the chosen prokaryote.

  • Content Requirements: Each paper discussed must be succinctly summarized, describing what the authors did (methodology and experimental design), what they found, and the implications of these findings toward understanding the prokaryote.

    • Example: A paper may highlight that sequencing the genome of a bacterial parasite revealed missing genes essential for key metabolic pathways. This could imply reliance on parasitism due to the absence of these genes.

  • Flow and Cohesion: Ensure that the section reads seamlessly rather than as three disjointed reports.

Conclusions and Future Directions

  • Summary: This section must encapsulate the findings from the research highlights while synthesizing the information from the three papers.

  • Identification of Limitations: Discuss the current gaps in understanding the prokaryote and suggest potential future research directions.

Layout, Presentation, and Writing Style

  • Marks Allocation: Marks will be assigned based on logical presentation, clear scientific language, heading structure, adherence to length and format requirements, and proper spelling and grammar.

  • Naming Convention: Students should adhere to binomial naming conventions in italicizing the prokaryote's name.

Citing and Referencing

  • Citations in Text: Follow appropriate formats for referencing. For example:

    • One author: (Segal, 2015)

    • Two authors: (Gordon and Taylor, 2020)

    • Three or more authors: (Jain et al., 2019)

  • Reference List Format: References should be organized alphabetically by the surname of the first author, with exact formatting as specified, such as:

    • Rochlin, M.W., Itoh, K., Adelstein, R.S. and Bridgman, P.C. (1995). Localization of myosin IIA and B isoforms in cultured neurons. J. Cell Sci. 108, 3661-3670.

  • More than 10 Authors: Only list the first ten authors followed by et al.

  • Use of Endnote: Endnote is available from the University library for citation management and must be properly checked for correctness.

Marking Guidelines and Rubric

The following rubric outlines the levels of achievement as it pertains to different sections of the assignment. Each area includes a percentage weight contributing to the overall grade:

  1. Title and Abstract (10%): Clarity and informative nature.

  2. Introduction (20%): Relevance and sufficiency of information.

  3. Research Highlights (40%): Number of papers, clarity of presentation, and integration of findings.

  4. Conclusions (15%): Quality of synthesis and identified future directions.

  5. Layout (5%): Logical structure and use of headings, figures, etc.

  6. Grammar and Style (5%): Correctness in language and flow between sections.

  7. References (5%): Appropriateness and format of references.