Bio 291
Student Seminar Abstract Guidelines
Abstracts should be submitted by email no later than Mon 11/9/15.
As in a scientific conferences, abstracts will be compiled & distributed to you so everyone can read a summary of your talk in advance of hearing it.
Abstract Description:
Your abstract should be a short (250-300 words) summary of your seminar topic and the information you will present. You should start with a brief statement introducing your topic, and indicating why your topic is of interest to biologists and, if applicable, other groups (citizens, politicians, etc.). You should then summarize the key insights that you have uncovered in your literature research. For example a sentence might read: “One study demonstrated that rats injected with Retinal Pigment Epithelium produced from hES cells performed much better on visual performance tests than did untreated rats.” The final statement(s) of your abstract should succinctly state the main conclusion(s) of your research.
Abstract Format:
Your abstract should be accompanied by a talk title and a list of 4-5 references used, formatted as indicated below. Note: This is just a list of references, not your annotated bibliography.
All items on the abstract page should be type-written. The abstract should be single-spaced and written in 10-12 pt font. Larger (14 pt) font should be used for the talk title.
Your abstract page should look like this:
Your talk title
By: Your name
Your abstract goes here, in paragraph form.
References:*
Lund, R. D. & Wang, S., Klimanskaya, I., et al. 2006. Human Embryonic Stem Cell-
Derived Cells Rescue Visual Function in Dystrophic RCS Rats. Cloning and Stem Cells.
.
Vol. 8, pp 189-199.
Abstract Grading
Abstracts are worth 100 points and will be graded based upon the following criteria:
20 pts: Properly formatted & submitted
80 pts: Concise, comprehensive and informative summary of research (provides good level of detail)
10% penalty per day if late

Bio 291
Annotated Bibliography Guidelines
An annotated bibliography of 5 peer-reviewed articles used in your research is due 11/13/15.
If you do not know what a peer-reviewed article is, please come see me for an explanation.
What is an Annotated Bibliography?:
An annotated bibliography is more than just a list of sources. In an annotated bibliography, each source citation is followed by a brief summary of the article’s content and evaluation of the article’s value. This summary and evaluation is the “annotation”. The purpose of the annotation is to provide information on the content, relevance, and overall quality of the article cited. For more information on annotated bibliographies, see Cornell’s very useful website: http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/skill28.htm#what
The Assignment:
You are to provide a bibliography that includes citations and annotations for 5 peer-reviewed research articles you used for your research. At the top of your annotated bibliography, provide the following information:
“ Title of Your Research Seminar or Topic ”
An Annotated Bibliography
Your name
Biology 291, Fall 2015
Each citation should be in a standard format that includes authors ’ names, publication year, article title, journal name, volume, issue (if applicable), and pages. You may use the citation style format provided in the example below or any format used in a scientific research article you have read.
Keep the format consistent throughout your bibliography.
Each citation should be followed by an annotation. Annotations should be around 4-5 sentences, and must be 100-150 words in length An example of an annotated bibliography is below.
Grading guidelines (100 pts total)*:
For each of the 5 sources:
Quality and appropriateness/relevance of articles cited: 5 pts
Quality and informative value of annotations: 10 pts
Proper citation, format, grammar, spelling and presentation: 5 pts
10% per day late will be deducted from assignments turned in after the due date
The following is an example of an annotated bibliography entry, taken from Cornell’s website:
Waite, L. J., Goldschneider, F. K., & Witsberger, C. (1986). Nonfamily living and the erosion of traditional family orientations among young adults. American
Sociological Review, 51, 541-554.
The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the
National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, selfsufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes as a result of nonfamily living.