SCI 115 – Assignments and Rubrics
Assignment 1: Biology Article
Due Week 5 and worth 120 points
Use the Internet to research aspects of biology.
Select one (1) article from a magazine or newspaper that has something in it that pertains to biology. This
will serve as the ―target article‖ for this assignment. For instance, you can select an article about
medicine, invasive species, nature, conservation, genetic technology, ecology, or any other topic that is
related to biology. One purpose of this assignment is to help you become aware of how biology is related
to your everyday life.
Write a one to three (1-3) page paper in which you:
1. Summarize the article in one (1) or more paragraphs, using your own words. Be sure to identify the
article using an in-text citation in the body of the paper, as well as a reference in the reference section.
2. Explain how the article relates to this course. Identify which biological concepts from the course and /
or text are relevant to the topic covered in the article. Citing the course text, discuss the ways in which
this course does (or doesn’t) provide background information to help you understand the article and the
larger issues surrounding it.
3. Explain why the article caught your attention. Relate the article to your life and to issues that are
important to you. Discuss how or if the scientific knowledge about the topic covered in the article affects
you directly or indirectly.
4. Discuss your opinion on how research on this topic should be funded. State whether you think taxpayer
monies should support research on this topic or whether such research in this area should be funded by
the private sector. Rate the importance of research on this topic, relative to other areas of research.
In addition to the target article, you should use at least one (1) additional resource, such as your textbook
or another article. You must have a reference section which contains an APA reference to your chosen
article and all other sources. Additionally, you must provide in-text citations (in APA format) to your
references in the body of the text. Integrate all sources into your paper using proper techniques of
quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing, along with your in-text citations.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
•
Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all
sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your
professor for any additional instructions.
•
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s
name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in
the required assignment page length.
Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and
language and writing skills, using the following rubric.
Points: 120
Criteria
1. Summarize
the article in one
(1) or more
paragraphs,
using your own
words. Be sure
to identify the
article using an
in-text citation in
the body of the
paper, as well as
a reference in
the reference
section.
Weight: 20%
2. Explain how
the article
relates to this
course. Identify
which biological
concepts from
the course and /
or text are
relevant to the
topic covered in
the article. Citing
the course text,
discuss the ways
in which this
course does (or
doesn’t) provide
background
information to
help you
understand the
article and the
larger issues
surrounding it.
Weight: 20%
Assignment 1: Biology Article
Meets
Minimum
Unacceptable Expectations
Fair
Proficient
Below 60% F
60-69% D
70-79% C
80-89%
Did not submit or
incompletely
summarized the
article in one (1)
or more
paragraphs,
using your own
words. Did not
submit or
incompletely
identified the
article using an
in-text citation in
the body of the
paper, as well as
a reference in the
reference section.
Did not submit or
incompletely
explained how
the article relates
to this course.
Did not submit or
incompletely
identified which
biological
concepts from the
course and / or
text are relevant
to the topic
covered in the
article. Did not
submit or
incompletely
discussed the
ways in which
this course does
(or doesn’t)
provide
background
information to
help you
understand the
article and the
larger issues
surrounding it.
Exemplary
90-100%
Insufficiently
summarized the
article in one or
more
paragraphs,
using your own
words.
Insufficiently
identified the
article using an
in-text citation in
the body of the
paper, as well as
a reference in
the reference
section.
Partially
summarized the
article in one (1)
or more
paragraphs,
using your own
words. Partially
identified the
article using an
in-text citation in
the body of the
paper, as well as
a reference in
the reference
section.
Satisfactorily
summarized the
article in one (1)
or more
paragraphs,
using your own
words.
Satisfactorily
identified the
article using an
in-text citation in
the body of the
paper, as well as
a reference in
the reference
section.
Thoroughly
summarized the
article in one (1)
or more
paragraphs,
using your own
words.
Thoroughly
identified the
article using an
in-text citation in
the body of the
paper, as well as
a reference in
the reference
section.
Insufficiently
explained how
the article relates
to this course.
Insufficiently
identified which
biological
concepts from
the course and /
or text are
relevant to the
topic covered in
the article.
Insufficiently
discussed the
ways in which
this course does
(or doesn’t)
provide
background
information to
help you
understand the
article and the
larger issues
surrounding it.
Partially
explained how
the article
relates to this
course. Partially
identified which
biological
concepts from
the course and /
or text are
relevant to the
topic covered in
the article.
Partially
discussed the
ways in which
this course does
(or doesn’t)
provide
background
information to
help you
understand the
article and the
larger issues
surrounding it.
Satisfactorily
explained how
the article
relates to this
course.
Satisfactorily
identified which
biological
concepts from
the course and /
or text are
relevant to the
topic covered in
the article.
Satisfactorily
discussed the
ways in which
this course does
(or doesn’t)
provide
background
information to
help you
understand the
article and the
larger issues
surrounding it.
Thoroughly
explained how
the article
relates to this
course.
Thoroughly
identified which
biological
concepts from
the course and /
or text are
relevant to the
topic covered in
the article.
Thoroughly
discussed the
ways in which
this course does
(or doesn’t)
provide
background
information to
help you
understand the
article and the
larger issues
surrounding it.
3. Explain why
the article
caught your
attention. Relate
the article to
your life and to
issues that are
important to you.
Discuss how or if
the scientific
knowledge about
the topic
covered in the
article affects
you directly or
indirectly.
Weight: 20%
4. Discuss your
opinion on how
research on this
topic should be
funded. State
whether you
think taxpayer
monies should
support research
on this topic or
whether such
research in this
area should be
funded by the
private sector.
Rate the
importance of
research on this
topic, relative to
other areas of
research.
Weight: 15%
5. Writing /
Support for
ideas.
Weight: 5%
6. Writing /
Grammar and
mechanics
(5%)
Did not submit or
incompletely
explained why
the article caught
your attention.
Did not submit or
incompletely
related the article
to your life and to
issues that are
important to you.
Did not submit or
incompletely
discussed how or
if the scientific
knowledge about
the topic covered
in the article
affects you
directly or
indirectly.
Did not submit or
incompletely
discussed your
opinion on how
research on this
topic should be
funded. Did not
submit or
incompletely
stated whether
you think
taxpayer monies
should support
research on this
topic or whether
such research in
this area should
be funded by the
private sector.
Did not submit or
incompletely
rated the
importance of
research on this
topic, relative to
other areas of
research.
Never uses
reasons and
evidence that
logically support
ideas
Serious and
persistent errors
in grammar,
spelling, and
punctuation
Insufficiently
explained why
the article caught
your attention.
Insufficiently
related the
article to your life
and to issues
that are
important to you.
Insufficiently
discussed how
or if the scientific
knowledge about
the topic covered
in the article
affects you
directly or
indirectly.
Partially
explained why
the article
caught your
attention.
Partially related
the article to
your life and to
issues that are
important to you.
Partially
discussed how
or if the scientific
knowledge about
the topic
covered in the
article affects
you directly or
indirectly.
Satisfactorily
explained why
the article
caught your
attention.
Satisfactorily
related the
article to your life
and to issues
that are
important to you.
Satisfactorily
discussed how
or if the scientific
knowledge about
the topic
covered in the
article affects
you directly or
indirectly.
Thoroughly
explained why
the article
caught your
attention.
Thoroughly
related the
article to your life
and to issues
that are
important to you.
Thoroughly
discussed how
or if the scientific
knowledge about
the topic
covered in the
article affects
you directly or
indirectly.
Insufficiently
discussed your
opinion on how
research on this
topic should be
funded.
Insufficiently
stated whether
you think
taxpayer monies
should support
research on this
topic or whether
such research in
this area should
be funded by the
private sector.
Insufficiently
rated the
importance of
research on this
topic, relative to
other areas of
research.
Partially
discussed your
opinion on how
research on this
topic should be
funded. Partially
stated whether
you think
taxpayer monies
should support
research on this
topic or whether
such research in
this area should
be funded by the
private sector.
Partially rated
the importance
of research on
this topic,
relative to other
areas of
research.
Satisfactorily
discussed your
opinion on how
research on this
topic should be
funded.
Satisfactorily
stated whether
you think
taxpayer monies
should support
research on this
topic or whether
such research in
this area should
be funded by the
private sector.
Satisfactorily
rated the
importance of
research on this
topic, relative to
other areas of
research.
Thoroughly
discussed your
opinion on how
research on this
topic should be
funded.
Thoroughly
stated whether
you think
taxpayer monies
should support
research on this
topic or whether
such research in
this area should
be funded by the
private sector.
Thoroughly rated
the importance
of research on
this topic,
relative to other
areas of
research.
Rarely uses
reasons and
evidence that
logically support
ideas
Numerous errors
in grammar,
spelling, and
punctuation
Partially uses
reasons and
evidence that
logically support
ideas
Partially free of
errors in
grammar,
spelling, and
punctuation
Mostly uses
reasons and
evidence that
logically support
ideas
Mostly free of
errors in
grammar,
spelling, and
punctuation
Consistently
uses reasons
and evidence
that logically
support ideas.
Free of errors in
grammar,
spelling, and
punctuation
7. Writing and
Information
Literacy /
Integration of
Sources
(5%)
Serious errors in
the integration of
sources, such as
intentional or
accidental
plagiarism or
failure to use intext citations.
Sources are
rarely integrated
using effective
techniques of
quoting,
paraphrasing,
and
summarizing,
using in-text
citations
Sources are
partially
integrated using
effective
techniques of
quoting,
paraphrasing,
and
summarizing,
using in-text
citations
Sources are
mostly
integrated using
effective
techniques of
quoting,
paraphrasing,
and
summarizing,
using in-text
citations
Sources are
consistently
integrated using
effective
techniques of
quoting,
paraphrasing,
and
summarizing,
using in-text
citations
8. Information
Literacy /
Crediting
Sources in APA
(5%)
Lack of citations
and/or lack of
reference section
and/or citations
don’t correspond
to listed
references
In-text citations
and references
are given, but
not in APA
format
Mostly shows
correct use of intext citations
with matching
references using
APA-format
Consistently
shows correct
use of In-text
citations with
matching
references using
APA-format
9. Information
Literacy /
Research (5%)
Quantity and/or
quality of sources
are unacceptable
Target article
and/or
supporting
citations are of
poor quality
Partially shows
correct (or
approximately
correct) use of
in-text citations,
with matching
references using
APA-format
The target article
is of good
quality, but the
quality of other
sources cited is
questionable.
The target article
is of good quality
and any other
resources are of
sufficient quality.
The target article
selected is of
good quality and
any other
resources used
are quality.
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