Principles of Evolution Class

First (Minor) Student PowerPoint Presentation: 

Day  Date

 F     2/17      Minor Student PowerPoint Presentations

(1) Each student must select a geological period from the List provided in class. You may not use a presentation on a topic which you have or are using for another class as a paper, project, or presentation. The purpose of this presentation is to briefly introduce this topic to your classmates. Useful things to include in this brief introduction to the geological period would be (1) how it got its name, (2) the years of its span of time, (3) a map of the positions of the continents and oceans at the time, (4) descriptions and photographs (or illustrations) of example organisms, marine and terrestrial, from this geological period, (5) descriptions and photographs (or illustrations) of the climate regimes and biomes/habitats present at the time, (6) descriptions of any major evolutionary changes, e.g., major extinctions or major adaptive radiations, and their causes, if known. If you selected a topic other than a time period, see Dr. T. for suggestions for content.  

(2) Prepare a PowerPoint presentation on the topic.  Include a title slide with the title, your name, “Prepared for Principles of Evolution,” and “Austin Peay State University Biology Department” at the beginning of the presentation.  Include a second slide with brief abstract which summarizes the presentation.  Include a slide or slides with a list of 3 (minimum) current references other than our textbook which provide additional information on the subject at the end of the presentation.  (Professional journal articles, books and Internet sites are examples of appropriate references.)

(3) Prepare a one page handout to accompany the presentation which can be distributed to your classmates on the day of your presentation.  The handout should contain appropriate information on the taxon, including your abstract and your list of references, so that the handout may be used as summary of your presentation.   (The instructor will make copies of your handout for you if you submit them a week in advance of your presentation.)

(4) On the day of the Student Presentations, be prepared to make a 3 to 5 minute oral presentation which summarizes the information contained in your presentation to your classmates.  Presentations which are too short or too long will receive a lower grade.
 

Principles of Evolution Minor Student PowerPoint Presentation Grading System

Length Between 3 and 5 Minutes                                           5 pts.                                                        

Quality of Information Content                                               60 pts.

PowerPoint Presentation Visual Quality                                20 pts.

Oral Delivery Quality                                                               5 pts.

Handout Format Correct                                                         5 pts.

Handout Qualtiy                                                                      5 pts.

Minimum of Three Appropriate References                            5 pts.

Total Points                                                                         100 pts.

Second (Major) Student PowerPoint Presentation: 

Day  Date

  M    4/23      Major Student PowerPoint Presentations
  W    4/25      Major Student PowerPoint Presentations (continued)

(1) Each student must select a topic related to the subject matter of the course. Obtain approval for the topic from the instructor.  Feel free to inquire of the instructor about appropriate topics.  You may not  use a presentation on a topic which you have or are using for another class as a paper, project, or presentation.   

(2) Prepare a PowerPoint presentation on the topic.  Include a title slide with the title, your name, “Prepared for Principles of Evolution,” and “Austin Peay State University Biology Department” at the beginning of the presentation.  Include a second slide with brief abstract which summarizes the presentation.  Include a slide or slides with a list of 7 (minimum) current references other than our textbook which provide additional information on the subject at the end of the presentation.  (Professional journal articles, books and Internet sites are examples of appropriate references.)

(3) Prepare a one to two page handout to accompany the presentation which can be distributed to your classmates on the day of your presentation.  The handout should contain appropriate information on the topic, including your abstract and your list of references, so that the handout may be used as summary of your presentation.   (The instructor will make copies of your handout for you if you submit them a week in advance of your presentation.)

(4) On the day of the Student Presentations, be prepared to make a 9 to 11 minute oral presentation which summarizes the information contained in your presentation to your classmates.  Presentations which are too short or too long will receive a lower grade.

Principles of Evolution Major Student PowerPoint Presentation Grading System

Topic Approval                                                                        5 pts.

Topic Appropriate                                                                   5 pts.

Length Between 9 and 11 Minutes                                         5 pts.                                                        

Quality of Information Content                                               40 pts.

Information Content Appropriate to Course and Topic          10 pts.

PowerPoint Presentation Visual Quality                                20 pts.

Oral Delivery Quality                                                               5 pts.

Handout Format Correct                                                         5 pts.

Handout Qualtiy                                                                      5 pts.

Minimum of Seven Appropriate References                            5 pts.

Total Points                                                                         105 pts.