Portfolio #2: Ecological/environmental science mini-literature review
Objective:
Create a mini-literature review, in which you survey, synthesize and critically assess the scholarly literature on a specific topic, in order to analyze the existing research and demonstrate an understanding of your topic’s scholarly context.
What to do:
In 4-6 pages, survey, synthesize, and critically assess the most relevant scholarly, peer-reviewed research that best answers your research question. Begin your discussion by explaining the central ecological or environmental problem or question at stake in the topic you’ve identified; then identify the dominant themes and patterns that emerge when you analyze your sources as a group (review the “Assessing Individual Sources” tab in the “Assessing and Synthesizing sources matrix” for criteria to consider when assessing each individual source; review the “Synthesizing a group of sources” tab in the same document for criteria to consider when analyzing or synthesizing your sources as a whole.) Spend time discussing the ways the research was conducted, what makes the research credible, and the broader implications of your findings.
Remember that literature reviews answer two key questions: what do we know and what do we still NOT know but need to from analyzing this group of sources? Your thesis/main idea in the paper should address these two questions, and the body of the essay should focus on expanding on these key points. Try to integrate your assessment of individual articles to explain why certain things are known or not known.
Portfolio #2 requirements:
4-6 page paper, excluding references, title page and abstract. 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, standard 1” margins on all sides. The entire paper, including citations, should be formatted in APA style.
Sources:
Use at least 4 scholarly sources in this paper. We anticipate that you will use the sources you identified in your annotated bibliography, but you are not required to use them. You may also use an unlimited number of grey and reliable background/news sources, but they will not count towards the scholarly source requirement.
Peer review Prep Sheet:
Submit this prep sheet along with the peer-review draft you turn in on Canvas for the peer-review session. Address the following questions:
1. What is your main purpose for the essay: what specific points or arguments are you trying to make? Why are these arguments important?
2. What specific steps did you take in the process of [researching, writing] this paper? What led you to do those things? Use your notes in your research notebook to reflect upon your process.
3. Which of these steps were valuable, helpful, and/or productive for you? Why?
4. Which of these steps were not helpful, productive or valuable? Why?
5. Give direction to readers on how to give targeted feedback: what is the status of the paper (unorganized, rushed draft? polished, getting-close-to-final draft?) Which parts are you most proud of? Which parts are you most unsure of? What specific questions would you like your peer-reviewers to answer?
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