Project 1 of the poster project · 20 points · due Friday 25 September

This is the first milestone of the poster project. Your team has an assigned clade. This first step should help you decide what to say about it. You should expect written feedback within one week.

This first submission should be limited to one page.

Submit as a PDF by email.

Template

You do not need to copy the headings below, but I will be looking for these items.

1. Title and Authors

Give your project a title and include the authors’ names.

2. The question (≈100 words)

The evolutionary question your poster answers. This should start to narrow down something interesting about your clade.

Compare:

✗ “The evolution of Bromeliaceae.” A topic. There is no claim here, and no way to be wrong.

✓ “Did CAM photosynthesis evolve once in Bromeliaceae and enable the radiation into epiphytic habitats, or did it arise repeatedly after those habitats were already occupied?” A question with two competing answers and an obvious kind of evidence that would separate them.

Then state your expectation, however provisional. Totally fine if this changes.

3. Why it matters (≈100 words)

Why should others care about this? Connect it to something outside the clade such as a fundamental evolutionary process or an applied problem.

4. Evidence (≈150 words)

Do you have some evidence to back up your intial claim from literature you read? Aim to cite three to five papers. We will use the referencing style of the American Jorunal of Botany outlined later, but just be consistent for now.

5. Plan

A short statement on who is doing what between now and the first draft on 23 October. Create some accountability.

Rubric

Criterion Strong — full credit Adequate — about half Weak — little or none
Title (2) Both title and names present Only one or title not related Absent.
Question (5) A reasonably narrow question with a stated working answer. A subject area only. No claim that could be argued for or against. Absent.
Significance (5) Signifance stated. Asserts importance, but leans on “understudied”. Absent.
Evidence (5) Three or more references retrieved from relevant sources Sources not from relevant primary literature Absent.
Plan (3) Plan for working together established Section present but not clear how individuals will work together Absent.

Total: 20 points.