1. Assignment Overview
Topic: What does it take to be a species? Your short opinion paper challenges you to take what you’ve learned about species concepts and speciation and evaluate a real-life example from nature. The example involves what are known as the limnetic and benthic species pairs that occur in a small number of British Columbia Lakes (for example in two lakes on Texada Island). The two members of the species pair in each Lake are reproductively isolated in nature, but can produce viable and fertile offspring in captivity. The limnetic forms in different lakes evolved multiple times, as have the benthic forms. Note that although the limnetics and benthics are referred to as species pairs, they and a number of other forms are formally recognized as part of a single species, Gasterosteus aculeatus. This taxonomy doesn’t really match our understanding of the benthic and limnetic system.
Your assignment is to present an opinion about how the limnetic and benthic populations should be designated, distinct species or not, based on one of the species concepts listed below. Your opinion must include a clear statement about whether limnetics and benthics that occur together in a lake should be recognized as distinct species, and also, whether limnetics in different lakes should be considered one or more species, and whether benthics in different lakes should be considered one or more species.
You will have the opportunity to explore more details of this system as you work on your assignment.
Learning Outcomes: As a capstone for your work interpreting and writing about scientific literature throughout the term, the SOP contributes to ensuring you are able to:
Interpret primary scientific literature and evaluate the merit of the research.
Demonstrate scientific writing skills (i.e., writing that is clear, concise and precise).
Express an opinion based on your evaluation of the literature, and justify this opinion using strong arguments supported by evidence.
Identify and connect the general evolutionary concepts taught in lecture with the evidence that supports them.
Length: Absolute maximum of 700 words (excluding the title and references section and any direct quotes, but including in-text citations). Papers over the word limit will be subject to penalties described in the course Word Policy. There is no minimum length for the paper, but there are content requirements, and we suggest writing at least 600 words. You will include your word count in the comment box when you submit your paper on Canvas.
Due date and submission: Your SOP is due on Friday, April 15th 2022, by 10 PM. Submit the final version of your paper as a pdf on Canvas. You must submit on time whether or not you have received the Turn-it-in score (see below; if need be, you can later communicate with your TA about the Turn-it-in score). The penalty for late assignments will be to lower the grade by 10% each day. (That is, an SOP that was graded at 75% will be given a 65% if submitted 6 hours late, 55% if submitted 30 hours late late, etc.)
Turn-it-in Submission: Before submitting your paper to Canvas, submit your paper for assessment on Turn-it-in (TurnItIn.com). Login details and additional instructions are in the Canvas module for the SOP. You will include your originality score in the comment box when you submit your final SOP on Canvas.
Grading: Your paper counts for 15% of your grade for the course. You will be marked according to the rubric provided with the SOP assignment materials. This rubric is similar to the rubrics we’ve applied to your writing assignments in tutorials. If you have any questions, please ask your TA.
2. Guidelines on Structure and Style
A short opinion paper (a.k.a., position paper) presents your opinion about an arguable issue. The goal is to convince your audience that your opinion has merit. The most convincing papers have clear arguments supported by evidence. We have been working on the skills for the SOP all semester, and your TA will be grading your SOP, so keep in mind the writing feedback and guidelines you have received from them through the term.
Your paper should include the following:
Introductory paragraph: A few sentences to give an overview of the topic. The introduction should provide brief background for your thesis.
Thesis statement (within the Introductory paragraph): A one-sentence statement of your opinion of the topic with a brief overview of the evidence you will use.
Argument paragraphs (minimum of 2, usually 3-4): Each paragraph presents one piece or line of evidence and explains how the evidence supports the thesis statement. Do not use direct quotes[1]; put the ideas in your own words.
Conclusion: A short paragraph or brief statement that summarizes your opinion based on the arguments presented (do not simply restate your thesis statement).
Make your writing clear and direct. Each paragraph should have a clear message, the basic idea of which should be stated in the first sentence (the topic sentence). The topic sentence not only reveals the main point of the paragraph right away (this is not a mystery novel!), but it also helps the reader understand the purpose of the subsequent sentences. Avoid unnecessary jargon or complexity, but be precise. Avoid too many acronyms, especially rarely used ones, as that forces the reader to translate each time they see it. The scientific papers that have the most impact on a field are often those that are simply and clearly written, as the readers feel they are learning quickly from them. (See also our writing tips.)
Because you have a tight word limit, you will need to write concisely in order to present clear and complete arguments. Give yourself enough time to revise and edit your draft.
3. Completing your Assignment
(A) Introduce yourself to the topic.
We suggest you read at least two popular sources to help provide context and explain why there is so much interest in resolving questions about the evolution of limnetic and benthic sticklebacks. Because these species pairs are threatened by changes to the small lakes in which they reside, they species are listed as endangered under Canada’s Species at Risk Act.
You can find various popular articles and blog posts about limnetic and benthic sticklebacks, including here:
https://www.molecularecologist.com/2014/08/05/how-many-genes-does-it-take-to-make-a-new-species/ (Links to an external site.) (links to an external site)
(B) Read and make notes on your primary sources.
You may want to start by reading Taylor and McPhail (1999), an early paper discussing the evolutionary origins of the limnetic and benthic pairs, and a second paper, Rundle et al., (2000). These two papers are included in the SOP module.
Make notes, being careful to use your own words, and note any questions you have.
(C) Decide on a species concept and its application to this case.
The Species 1 lecture will focus on species concepts, so you may wish to wait until after that lecture to tackle the assignment. Many additional sources can help you to explore species concepts. For this assignment, we are asking you to choose one species concept, either:
the biological species concept, or
the phylogenetic species concept, or
the genotypic cluster species concept
and then evaluate how your chosen concept applies to the case of the limnetic and benthic ‘species pairs’. Note that there are different definitions for some of these concepts, and you should make it clear which you are using.
(D) Search for and read additional relevant sources.
To build your understanding of the system and develop your opinion, you will want to read other sources, and consider these in developing your arguments. You must include at least two additional sources from the primary literature[2]. These could be on the sticklebacks, or on other similar examples, or related to the species concept or other evolutionary concepts that are relevant for supporting your argument. You may cite reports and other sources, but these must be in addition to the two additional papers from the primary literature. The number of additional references isn’t as important as the information you take from the references, and how you use it.
(E) Decide on an opinion and outline your arguments.
Your opinion must include a clear statement about:
whether limnetics and benthics that occur together in a lake should be recognized as distinct species, and also,
whether limnetics in different lakes should be considered one or more species, and whether benthics in different lakes should be considered one or more species.
Your arguments/ logic should be consistent across these decisions. Your argument should be based on your assessment of the available evidence, interpreted in light of your chosen species concept. You must not take the opinion that the case is ambiguous, though you may suggest additional data that would support your opinion. There is more than one way to earn high marks (i.e., there is not one best answer); your paper will be assessed based on the strength and clarity of the arguments – so focus on doing a good job of presenting and explaining evidence. Your opinion should be based on your understanding of the research and application of the species concept, as well as additional scholarly sources relevant to the case (e.g. primary articles, secondary review articles, other textbooks), which you will then cite and reference in your paper. You will support your opinion with at least two arguments (two lines of evidence). Your arguments should not be based on the conservation consequences or implications, but on the criteria that are relevant to recognizing species. You may choose to comment on the conservation consequences in your paper, but note that this is not an explicit requirement.
(F) Draft your Short Opinion Paper
Ensure that you articulate and defend your opinion using evidence from the sources you’ve identified.
4. A reminder about giving credit and plagiarism
Please review the course guidelines about giving credit to your sources and avoiding plagiarism (see also the post-tutorial assignment for Tutorial on Sargent’s paper about flower asymmetry & diversification).
5. Formatting checklist:
Use 12-point font and double-space your main text. Left justify (like this document).
Do not include a title page.
Do not include your name on the document (we grade your essays with names hidden on Canvas).
Include a descriptive title at the top of your essay (don’t call it “SOP paper for 336”).
Follow the course citation guidelines for both in-text citations and for the references section.
Your References section can be single spaced.
You do not need to include a cover page, but be sure to include an informative title that is helpful to the reader (not “336 SOP paper”) at the top of your paper.
Include citations from at least two more sources from the primary literature, beyond the two papers provided.
Don’t forget to include a word count for the main text, including the in-text citations, but excluding the title and the references section.
A note on species names: When you first discuss a particular species in a paper, you should include their scientific name (genus and species names) in italics, with the generic name capitalized and the species name not. For example, ‘Gene expression in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is…’. From the second mention onward, you can either abbreviate by shortening the genus name, e.g., ‘Reduced gene expression in O. mykiss occurred when…’ or use the common name. In cases where abbreviating the genus name causes ambiguity (e.g., papers about two genera that both begin with O.), then the genus name is typically spelled out fully throughout.
[1] One exception: You can use direct quotes if you are referring to an author’s definition of a term or concept, in order to convey their words precisely.
[2] The “primary literature” refers to published scientific papers that present new results and conclusions. Commentary and science journalism are not primary literature.
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