Reader requirements: interest in marine animals and experience reading academic science journals.
Course Information
Instructor: Prof. Daniel Rittschof
Sensory physiological principles with emphasis on visual and chemical cues. Laboratories will use behavior to measure physiological processes. (Given at Beaufort.)
Student Writing Assignment
What are students writing? Journal article.
For whom? Academics and other interested professionals in the field.
Where would such writing typically be found? Academic journals in the field of Marine Physiology.
Why would someone usually read it? Because they were doing research in a similar area or field.
See examples of bios of possible readers for this course
Schedule
Student – Reader Interactions
Students work individually or in pairs to write a scientific report on original research (journal article)
Intro meeting – Share with reader:
- One paragraph describing a recent experience in the field
- Personal statement
Presentations
- late Nov: students will do powerpoint presentations of their research for the class.
- optional for students to practice their talks with their reader beforehand
- By Nov 23: Students send whatever they have for draft to reader; Get feedback and meet with reader to discuss draft by Dec 3.
Giving Feedback
Giving feedback is the activity around which the entire project is designed. You may have considerable professional experience giving feedback on writing — whether to colleagues, employees, or other contexts — or perhaps this is an fairly novel experience. Given the aims and nature of the Reader Project, we are hoping that our volunteers engage with student writing in a particular way–one that is quite different from what is conventionally done in other contexts.
The primary aim of the project is to help students really understand what it means to write for readers, rather than as a school assignment. Think about the following when you give feedback, whether in writing or in real time:
- Respond as a reader rather than as an editor. (They can get basic editorial help from others.) Focus on sharing your reactions to the draft as a user of such writing. What are you thinking as you read? More