Biological Anthropology Research Project

Use your curiosity, creativity and research skills to come up with an excitin" rel="nofollow">ing research question addressin" rel="nofollow">ing a specific topic in" rel="nofollow">in Physical Anthropology. After doin" rel="nofollow">ing your research, choose three peer-reviewed (scholarly) articles and/or books to read thoroughly. After annotatin" rel="nofollow">ing your sources, come up with an origin" rel="nofollow">inal thesis around which you will organize your PowerPoin" rel="nofollow">int presentation. Part 1: Annotated Bibliography and Thesis Statement (50 poin" rel="nofollow">ints, 3-4 pages total) This part of the project gives you a chance to read your sources carefully and critically. State your project thesis at the begin" rel="nofollow">innin" rel="nofollow">ing of your annotated bibliography. In your annotated bibliography, in" rel="nofollow">include the followin" rel="nofollow">ing for each source: ·Summary: What are the main" rel="nofollow">in arguments? What is the poin" rel="nofollow">int of this book or article? What topics are covered? If someone asked what this article/book is about, what would you say? ·Assessment: After summarizin" rel="nofollow">ing your source, evaluate it. Is it a useful source? How does it compare with other sources in" rel="nofollow">in your bibliography? Is the in" rel="nofollow">information reliable? Is this source biased or objective? What is the goal of this source? ·Reflection: Once you've summarized and assessed your source, you need to ask how it fits in" rel="nofollow">into your research. Was this source helpful to you? How does it help you shape your argument? How can you use this source in" rel="nofollow">in your research project? Has it changed how you thin" rel="nofollow">ink about your topic? Sample Project Topics & Research Questions (These are some suggestions: feel free to choose a topic from the list below or come up with your own idea. The more specific your topic, the better.) Topic Research Question The Evolution of Whales Why did whales evolve from wolves? Transitional Fossils: Tetrapods Why didn't tetrapods survive? Endangered Species: The Gorilla ........ Why are gorillas endangered? Kennewick Man Why is the case of Kennewick Man so controversial? Eugenics Why was Eugenics a tool of the Nazis durin" rel="nofollow">ing WWII? The Leakey Family Why are the Leakey's so important to Physical Anthropology? Genetics of Malaria Why is there still no cure for malaria? The Evolution of the Appendix Why do humans still have appendixes? Clonin" rel="nofollow">ing: The Case of Dolly Why was Dolly significant in" rel="nofollow">in the history of clonin" rel="nofollow">ing? Noncodin" rel="nofollow">ing DNA Why is noncodin" rel="nofollow">ing DNA helpin" rel="nofollow">ing us to understand human evolution?