Instructions for the assignment How you will be Graded The Rules

Instructions for the assignment

The purpose of this wiki is to provide a forum for evolving discussions of microbiology topics. Specifically, the goals are:

1. To write an article on a topic in microbiology
2. To develop skills in researching questions using peer-reviewed resources
3. To develop critical thinking skills through asking questions

You will choose a topic with a partner. You will become the class experts on this topic. Check with me before making a decision on the topic (to make sure its appropriate, managable and not overlaping with someone else). Your assignment will be to write a thorough and informative article for everyone to read and comment on. But this is not just a static article for us to read. This will be an ongoing assignment, as your article should address student's comments and questions throughout the semester. Your article will change continuously, as you improve it and add to it.

There are many interesting topics in microbiology, many of which we wont be able to cover in class. This is an opportunity to learn and write about the things YOU are interested in, and share it with others. The sharing part is key. Writing for a larger audience is different than writing for your professor. You will be answering your peer's questions (and mine) and writing for them. You will learn to be constructively critical of other's writing and of your own. Your peers will ask questions about your topic that you hadnt even thought of, helping you explore a topic to greater depth. Crititical thought and analysis is easier when you discuss something with others, and thats essentially what you will be doing here.

Here is how it will work.

1. Choose your topic.

2. Create a new wiki page. Write a paragraph or two introducing your topic. It should be sufficient to stimulate some discussion and questions.

3. The other students in the class will read it and ask questions about it. What specific things would you like to know about it? Is something confusing? Do you agree or disagree with what is written?

4. Address as many student questions or comments as possible in your article. Sometimes this wont be possible, so you (and I) will have to use your best judgement about what is reasonable.

5. When researching and answering questions, you must use peer-reviewed sources and they must be cited.

How you will be Graded

Both your article and your comments/questions on other articles will be graded. I expect you to actively participate.

25% of your grade is based on your comments and questions for other students

25% of your grade is based on your mid-semester progress. I will be looking for well researched answers to questions.

50% of your grade is on the final article

A few guidlines:

Your article should have new material every two weeks.

You should post at least 2 questions on 2 different articles (4 questions total) every two weeks. Feel free to post more.

There are a few deadlines to meet:

02/14: Introductory paragraph: Write and post your introduction to your topic.

03/20: Mid-semester Progress: I'll give you feedback on your progress so far (are you asking questions of other students, quality of your article, attempts to address questions and comments)

05/06: Final Article: The final version of the article should be complete. The writing should be polished, professional, and free of gramatical errors. It should be something you would be proud to hand in as a regular written assignment. It will be assessed for scientific accuracy and thoroughness, as well as quality of the writing and format.

The Rules

1. You must cite your sources. For your articles, these should be peer-reviewed articles, reviews, or textbooks. For adding content to the "fun" pages, you can also use websites (place a link), but try to verify that the websites are legitimate, such as the CDC.
2. There are additional pages you can contribute to, so please do! (Classroom questions, micro news etc). This is your wiki so the more you use it, the more discussions you have, the more you will get out of it.
3. Play nice. Malicious editing will not be tolerated. Besides, I can see all the changes that are made and who makes them.
4. Lets try to stick to microbiology related topics. Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, while interesting, are not likely related to microbiology.