Biology 3998

Fall 2008 – Section 1

Organize your information.

Ø Your seminar should be scientific in nature and should be based on primary references (original research published in refereed journals). Don't simply report the results of peoples' research, but indicate how the science was done. Data and experimental methods should be a major part of your seminar.

Ø The information you collect should be organized into the following sections:

Introduction

Ø A brief description of your topic, indicating why it is an important and interesting topic

Ø Your thesis statement

Ø Outline of where you plan to go in the talk (say what you are going to say)

Body

Ø Background information to catch your audience (of undergraduate seniors) up to speed. This will include vocabulary, descriptions of important processes, and basic methodological techniques used. You should also consider including a brief history of the research done in the field.

Ø Your story is persuading the audience of support for your thesis. Use the information you have collected as evidence – this will include describing the methodological setup of important studies and their results (figures and/or tables)

Ø For most topics there is still debate among scientists about how and why certain things happen. You should present all sides of the story, and then provide your own interpretation and evaluation of that information. Describe to the audience why you feel like the research supports your thesis.

Conclusions

Ø Summarize your findings and the support for your thesis (say what you have just said)

Ø Discuss further questions that need to be answered in order for your topic to be more fully understood

Modified from L. Shannon