Goal: To learn about one primate species, and improve scientific communication by teaching the class about that species in an engaging and helpful way.
Format: Wiki page about your species, with information in required categories.
Task: Write an informative description of that species (500-700 words, not counting Works Cited).
Your entry must be in your own words, do not copy and paste from any website or you will fail for plagiarism.
Guidance:
1. Look below to your assigned primate species. There are three types of primates (Prosimians, Monkeys, and Apes) so the species are grouped accordingly. Please look at your assigned species, and what taxonomic group it belongs with.
- Hint: Do not refer to your species by the wrong taxonomic name (so if it is an ape, do not refer to as a monkey and vice versa).
2. Good places to start your research:
3. Try to strike a journalistic yet conversational tone that entertains and engages the reader. This assignment is about scientific communication to a public audience, so try to inform the other students, yet also entertain (within professional boundaries).
4. Include information in all rubric categories (see below for rubric). The major focus should be on the species’s characteristics, as well as what makes it different than other species.
5. Find at least two photos of the species to post on the Wiki entry, and cite your photos in addition to your other sources. Please label which citations are for your photos.
6. Works Cited: You must cite at least three educational sources (zoo, National Geographic, or University websites like the ones listed above are acceptable resources). See above for good starting points for research. Do not use Wikipedia or other “online encyclopedias”! Do not even LOOK at Wikipedia! You will use online sources, but use reliable academic sources, such as zoo, National Geographic, or university (.edu) websites for full credit.
Conservation pages, Encyclopedia of Life, Animalia, Joe’s Monkey Facts, etc. are not considered educational sources in that approved list for a reason: they are not fact-checked for accuracy.
7. Your photo citations are in addition to these three sources, and need to be labeled as “photo source”.
8. I do not care what citation format you use–just be sure to include page links for internet sources. If you use a direct quote, include quotation marks and an in-text citation.
9. Recommended Format: Ariel 12 point font (Canvas default), single spaced. No indentation, rather add one space between paragraphs (much like these instructions).
Be sure to proofread and spell-check. If you have problems formatting, do not worry too much about it. Sometimes the Canvas wiki program gets fussy, it’s more important that your content is good and readable. Be sparse in your use of colored fonts, to maintain readability.
10. Post: Go to your assignment list above and click the link for the species. Click Edit to post your entry on your assigned wiki page by the due date.
