Subject Guides: PSYC 372: Animal Behavior: Write Your Evolution Essay

Nadine Anderson, Behavioral Sciences and Women's & Gender Studies Librarian

she/her/hers

Contact:

4021 CASL/1153B ML
nfanders@umich.edu

Subjects: Anthropology, Behavioral and Biological Sciences, Criminal Justice, Faculty Resources, Food Studies, Integrative Studies, LGBTQ Studies, Psychology, Sociology, Women's & Gender Studies

Writing Your Whale Evolution Essay

Sections

1. Introduction: summarizes what you will write and puts it into context

Start the introduction with background that contextualizes the paper's main research questions (posed by Dr. Dolins in your assignment description)
End the introduction with a thesis statement, which outlines the main points of the paper and how you will address them

2. Body: presents the main points of the paper, with each paragraph representing one aspect of the paper's main focus. Prioritize and organize your main points and paragraphs to logically build your evidence and answers to a compelling conclusion. Each paragraph should include a topic sentence, evidence, analysis, and a transition sentence:

The topic sentence summarizes the paragraph's main idea
Use evidence from the virtual Whale Evolution exhibit, the articles Dr. Dolins listed and linked to in your assignment description, and your own research sources to build your evidence and answers to the research questions posed by Dr. Dolins
Analyse your evidence to show how it makes you think about the research questions posed by Dr. Dolins
Include a transition sentence at the end of each paragraph to connect what you discussed in that paragraph with the main idea of the next paragraph

3. Conclusion: summarizes what you wrote and what you learned

Restate the research questions from the introduction in different words
Briefly summarize your main points or arguments and pull them together to answer the research questions posed by Dr. Dolins
End with a strong, final statement that ties the whole essay together and makes it clear the paper has come to an end
No new ideas should be introduced in the conclusion, it should only review and analyze the main points from the body of the paper (with the exception of suggestions for further research)

4. References list: a list of the sources you cited

Cite your sources in APA Style
Format your References list in APA Style

For more writing help, contact the Writing Center and make an online appointment to meet with one of their consultants.