ESSAY PROMPT: (exactly 3 pages, no more no less)
Life on Earth has evolved in the presence of rhythmic light-dark cycles. Synthesize information highlighting whether biological rhythms (circadian and circannual) are adaptive. What happens when these rhythms are disrupted experimentally?
3 pages double-spaced, with default document margin settings. 3+ references (cited in text and at end of the paper); not included in 3-page limit. •Figures to aid explanations. (Could draw by hand, or by computer. must be own figures – original work)
GUIDELINES: Given the question = how to structure the essay?
What happens, backed up with RELEVANT evidence DEVELOP into a coherent story (creativity is encouraged as long as it doesn’t detract from the essay).
Start with a THESIS STATEMENT, then build up relevant ideas around that on the page. If the thesis statement is not broad enough to cover key topics, consider revising it.
WRITE FOR THE READER. Gear the writing not just toward us, but toward people with a general background in biology. The best essays give an overview of what we know about a particular topic, and then go on to illustrate how research has shaped or changed our view.
ASK THESE QUESTIONS while writing
Are the sentences grammatically correct?
Does this sentence follow logically from what has been just written?
Does it set up the next sentence well?
Is any information being left out, or added superfluous information that could affect the interpretation of what has been written? (perhaps the most important)
Read each phrase/sentence/paragraph you have written, and determine if it would make sense to someone else
DEFINE KEY TERMS (such as circadian rhythm, SCN – don’t assume that the reader knows it)
Is the paper just listing facts without illustrating how they link together or how they are relevant to the topic as a whole?
Is the essay appropriately subdivided? (It should not be a continuous “stream of consciousness”; rather, it should have clear subdivisions with appropriate headings).
ESSAY COMPONENTS:
Title
Introduction: includes a general overview and a statement of purpose (thesis statement)
Body PARAGRAPHS: EACH paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that outlines what that paragraph will contain – use experimental evidence to support facts when appropriate
Conclusion: integrates information given in the essay; looks toward the future based on current knowledge (NOT just a list of what was written)
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