Student Presentations:

There will be three dates this semester for student presented primary literature. Each student will do one presentation working with another student partner. Each presentation date has a theme 1) Genes for Behavior, 2) Mechanisms of Behavior, 3) Evolution of Behavior. While these three topics are not completely separable in many studies, students should choose the area most suited to their own interests.

Working in pairs, choose a primary literature paper of interest to you that fits within the theme for your presentation date. Post this paper on the website (by emailing it to renns@reed.edu) with the names of the student presenters 1 week before the presentation.

Also post 2 "discussion questions" (again, email these to renns@reed.edu) one week before the presentation. These questions should be answerable with only the reference you have provided. These questions should be questions that do not have a right or wrong answer, but rather should stimulate discussion among students.

Presenters should be prepared to moderate a short (5-7 min) discussion centered on these points. The presentation will be an 8-10 minute power point presentation (~ 5 slides). The presentation should include any background that is necessary to fully understand the results of the paper. The presentation should include figures taken (or adapted) from the paper. It is not necessary to present ALL results in the paper. The presentation should include your evaluation of the results and conclusions. Does the data support the authors' claim? Does the data challenge previous understanding? It is not necessary to choose an "earth shattering" publication, it is not even necessary to choose a particularly excellent publication. If you choose to use the presentation to critique a paper it should be done on sound scientific grounds.

Please post your power point presentation to the courses server before 8:00 a.m. the day of you presentation, and before 5:00 p.m. the night before if you want to be sure that all of the graphics work. Presentation may NOT be brought to class on a USB flash drive.

Students who are not presenting are expected to choose 2 of the papers that will be presented. Carefully read these papers and answer both Discussion questions for both of the chosen papers. Your answers to these questions should be typed prior to class. You will be expected to note any changes of opinion during the presentation and discussion and hand these in as you leave. It is completely acceptable to work in small groups to discuss these papers prior to class but each student should write their own response (not more than a few sentences). Please feel free to read more than two of these papers. Also please feel free to join in the discussion based on the presentation even if you have not read the paper.

Presentation Theme Presentation Date Post .pdf and Discussion Questions
Genes and Behavior Sept 27th Sept 20th
Mechanisms of Behavior Nov 1st Oct 25th
Evolution of Behavior Nov 27th Nov 20th