Others

Position Paper 1: Are we still evolving?

Origins of Human Diversity, Fall 2016

Assignment:

Darwinian Evolution is the leading scientific theory regarding the development of new species.  We understand the process as decent with modification brought about by selective pressures in the environment that lead to differential reproductive success.  Some people argue that humans have adapted to a point that is beyond the selection process and are no longer evolving or under the pressures of natural selection.  Others argue that because we modify a natural material or state in everything we do and/or build, is that we are still integrated into nature and subject to natural laws such as evolution and natural selection.  Consider this statement and select one of the following positions to defend in your paper.

1. Humans and everything we do are parts of nature and therefore subject to all natural laws and processes, including evolution and natural selection.

Or

1. Humans have elevated themselves above nature and have developed adaptive means to remove themselves from some natural processes such as evolution and natural selection.

Tips for Success:

• Clearly state why you support the position you are defending
• Provide three arguments that support your position
• Support each of your arguments with evidence from the textbook and lectures
• Provide a clear conclusion that summarizes your position
• Proofread!

Submission Instructions:

• You must submit final papers to the D2L “Position Paper 1” Dropbox folder
• You must submit papers before 8:00 am on 9/9/2016
• You must submit Microsoft Word Documents (.doc or .docx), OTHER FORMATS WILL NOT BE GRADED

Formatting Instructions:

• Single space headers (Name, date, title, etc…)
• Times New Roman 11 or 12 point font
• Double space content
• 1” margins
• 700-750 word requirement (10% penalty for not meeting or exceeding the word limit)
• Provide a word count at the end of your paper (5% penalty for failing to include a word count)
• Headers and Works cited do not count towards your word limits

Citation Requirements:

• You must provide in text citations
• Works Cited Page
• APA Style for citations.
• You do not need a cover page or abstract

Do not use direct quotations

Project Overview

This week, you were introduced to six analytical perspectives for analyzing media. These perspectives form the foundation for your Media Analysis Project (MAP). Over the next three weeks, you will analyze a visual work from any media (print, film, television, Internet), of your own choosing.

Due Date

Your final project is due in Week 05. There will be individual assignments along the way. The week they are due is noted in the time line below.

Time Line
Week
Assignment
Topic Selection
Thesis and Outline
Final Paper

Requirements
Your analysis must encompass all six perspectives. This will be a detailed analysis consisting of 6-8 written pages. You must also use four credible academic sources in addition to the media itself. All sources must be cited in-text as well as on a reference page using standard APA format. Information on using APA is available on the Online Library which is accessible through the Resources tab. Your final paper must include proper mechanics (clear, concise, and complete sentences and paragraphs), proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

1.    A researcher runs a study and discovers no difference between his conditions. He is worried that he is committing a Type II error. How can he adjust his study to reduce the risk of making this error?
2.    A researcher hypothesizes that eating 5 small meals a day will lead to better overall health than eating fewer, larger meals a day. How should this researcher design her study? What would the conditions be? What would be the DV?
3.    A researcher hypothesizes that people who are given a nap after a lecture will retain more information from that lecture than people who are not allowed to nap. Is this a good hypothesis? Why or why not?
4.    A researcher wishes to investigate the effects of moderate exercise on the joint mobility of arthritis suffers. He asks for volunteers from a retirement community and randomly divides them into an exercise group and a no exercise group. Is this study likely to answer his research question? Why or why not?
5.    A group of researchers is testing the effectiveness of a new mathematics textbook. They have students study the textbook and then take an exam. They discover that all of the children score very poorly on the exam. Should the researchers reject the textbook? Why or why not?
6.    A researcher is interested in understanding the relationship between paying volunteers for their work and the volunteers’ satisfaction with their experience. He runs a simple experiment in which he either pays volunteers $20 for a half hour of work carrying boxes into a soup kitchen or does not pay the volunteers. Is this the best design to answer his question? Why or why not?
7.    A researcher runs a study in which she investigates the differences in scientific literacy of students from different school systems. She claims that certain school systems cause their students to be better consumers of scientific work. Is this a valid conclusion? Why or why not?
8.    A professor is interested in how students’ enjoyment of his course correlates with test scores. In order to study this, he distributes a questionnaire aimed at measuring the students’ enjoyment as the last page of the final exam. Is this an ethical study? Why or why not?
9.    A researcher is interested in the effect of taking vitamin supplements on college-aged women’s overall health. What would be the best research design to use for this question?
10.    A researcher hypothesizes that persistent iron deficiency in women leads to cognitive deficits that affect logical thinking as well as reading comprehension. What is the best research design to study this question?