Write an argumentative-expository, evidence-based research essay of 2000 – 2200 words in the field of Biology. This is an academic paper aimed at an academic audience. Essays under 2000 words are considered incomplete and will receive a grade of zero. Find a biological topic that interests you and relates to your CEL project. Find a journal most appropriate for your review, which identifies your target audience. You will be writing your essay for this journal and audience. I expect fifty percent new content relative to material delivered to your CEL partner. Do not reuse a previous essay, and this cannot be an essay to be used for a different or future course. The dominant theme will be Biology, however, if needed up to 30 percent content can come from another discipline, such as medicine or environmental science. The 70/30 split should be represented in your reference section. For example, if you have 40 references, about 30 of those should be from peer reviewed Biology journals. All facts and information cited must come from peer-reviewed journals and not the internet. A Valuable Read Make your science essay a valuable read for your reader. The most remarkable and satisfying papers are those that change the reader’s mind, perspective, or way of thinking. These are the argumentative style essays rather than desсrіptions providing content, like the Wikipedia information. In an argumentative essay, the author persuades and convinces their readers based on a logical order of evidence, leading to a likely and compelling conclusion. An argumentative essay does not need to be aggressive or combative; rather, it requires insight and reflection on a particular problem you have identified, and thoughtful construction and linking of a logical sequence of statements or ideas. I understand this is hard work, as it will require a considerably higher degree of reflection and critical thinking. However, the final product of an argumentative essay is tremendously more satisfying, as it connects the author’s mind and thoughts with those of their reader. As with most endeavors, novelty has tremendous value to an audience, and writing a science essay is no exception. The more current your citations are, the more value your essay will have to its readership. However, keep in mind that new ideas, carelessly selected, can negatively impact your scientific narrative. In addition to novelty, adding depth to your essay will add value. All scientific areas of research have an origin, and usually with a little work it is possible to trace the origin in a literary database. For example, if your topic relates to the role of the beaver as a keystone species in the Carolinian forests of Ontario, then citing the first paper establishing the concept of the keystone species (by Robert Paine in 1966), even though that paper was not on beavers, will add depth and robustness to your essay. Adding depth to your essays adds value, as it connects your thesis with the broader body of scientific knowledge that has greatest influence in the field under investigation. Cover letter to the editor In addition to your essay, you must provide a short (about 300 words) cover letter to the journal editor. Providing a cover letter to the editor is standard practice when submitting a manusсrіpt to a scientific journal. The purpose of the cover letter is to make a brief argument to the editor as to why your essay will be of interest and value to the readers of their journal. I have made some suggestions above as to how to add value; however, I welcome in your cover letter any additional insights into how you accomplished this in your essay. Your letter will be addressed to me, as the fictious editor for all journals considered. This letter will help me understand the value of your essay, which also might not be apparent given my expertise is in evolutionary ecology, which might be different from the area on which you choose to focus. Links to sources on essay writing For a general overview and refresher from high school of the essay, see the Wikipedia page “Essay” and the thesis statement. More importantly and with better insights into the expository essay structure, visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab. Also, read about the argumentative essay, which, according to the Purdue school of thought, has more pre-writing exploratory research than the expository one.
