Assignment 1: Biology Article Due Week 5 and worth 120 points Use the Internet and / or the Strayer Learning Resource Center to research aspects of biology. Select an article from a magazine or newspaper that has something in it that pertains to biology. This will serve as the “target article” for this assignment. For instance, you can select an article about medicine, invasive species, nature, conservation, genetic technology, ecology, or any other topic that is related to biology. One purpose of this assignment is to help you become aware of how biology is related to your everyday life. Write a one to three (1-3) page paper in which you: Summarize the article in one (1) or more paragraphs, using your own words. Be sure to identify the article using an in-text citation in the body of the paper, as well as a reference in the reference section. Explain how the article relates to this course. Identify which biological concepts from the course and / or text are relevant to the topic covered in the article. Citing the course text, discuss the ways in which this course does (or doesn’t) provide background information to help you understand the article and the larger issues surrounding it. Explain why the article caught your attention. Relate the article to your life and to issues that are important to you. Discuss how or if the scientific knowledge about the topic covered in the article affects you directly or indirectly. Discuss your opinion on how research on this topic should be funded. State whether you think taxpayer monies should support research on this topic or whether such research in this area should be funded by the private sector. Rate the importance of research on this topic, relative to other areas of research. In addition to the target article, you should use at least one additional resource, such as your textbook or another article. You must have a reference section which contains an APA reference to your chosen article and all other sources. Additionally, you must provide in-text citations (in APA format) to your references in the body of the text. Integrate all sources into your paper using proper techniques of quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing, along with your in-text citations. Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: Use technology and information resources to research issues in biology. Write clearly and concisely about biology using proper writing mechanics. Grading f.

1. Assignment 1: Biology Article
Due Week 5 and worth 120 points
Use the Internet and / or the Strayer Learning Resource Center
to research aspects of biology.
Select an article from a magazine or newspaper that has
something in it that pertains to biology. This will serve as the
“target article” for this assignment. For instance, you can select
an article about medicine, invasive species, nature,
conservation, genetic technology, ecology, or any other topic
that is related to biology. One purpose of this assignment is to
help you become aware of how biology is related to your
everyday life.
Write a one to three (1-3) page paper in which you:
Summarize the article in one (1) or more paragraphs, using your
own words.
Be sure to identify the article using an in-text citation in the
body of the paper, as well as a reference in the reference
section.
Explain how the article relates to this course. Identify which
biological concepts from the course and / or text are relevant to
the topic covered in the article. Citing the course text, discuss
the ways in which this course does (or doesn’t) provide
background information to help you understand the article and
the larger issues surrounding it.
Explain why the article caught your attention. Relate the article
to your life and to issues that are important to you. Discuss how
or if the scientific knowledge about the topic covered in the

2. article affects you directly or indirectly.
Discuss your opinion on how research on this topic should be
funded. State whether you think taxpayer monies should support
research on this topic or whether such research in this area
should be funded by the private sector. Rate the importance of
research on this topic, relative to other areas of research.
In addition to the target article, you should use at least one
additional resource, such as your textbook or another article.
You must have a reference section which contains an APA
reference to your chosen article and all other sources.
Additionally, you must provide in-text citations (in APA
format) to your references in the body of the text. Integrate all
sources into your paper using proper techniques of quoting,
paraphrasing and summarizing, along with your in-text
citations.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size
12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references
must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your
professor for any additional instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the
student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the
date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in
the required assignment page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this
assignment are:
Use technology and information resources to research issues in
biology.
Write clearly and concisely about biology using proper writing
mechanics.

3. Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality,
logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing
skills.
Click
here
to view the grading rubric.
Points: 120
Assignment 1:
Biology Article
Criteria
Unacceptable
Below 60% F
Meets Minimum Expectations
60-69% D
Fair
70-79% C
Proficient
80-89% B
Exemplary
90-100% A
1. Summarize the article in one (1) or more paragraphs, using
your own words. Be sure to identify the article using an in-text
citation in the body of the paper, as well as a reference in the
reference section.
Weight: 20%
Did not submit or incompletely
summarized the article in one (1) or more paragraphs, using
your own words. Did not submit or incompletely identified the
article using an in-text citation in the body of the paper, as well
as a reference in the reference section.
Insufficiently
summarized the article in one or more paragraphs, using your
own words. Insufficiently identified the article using an in-text

4. citation in the body of the paper, as well as a reference in the
reference section.
Partially
summarized the article in one (1) or more paragraphs, using
your own words. Partially identified the article using an in-text
citation in the body of the paper, as well as a reference in the
reference section.
Satisfactorily
summarized the article in one (1) or more paragraphs, using
your own words. Satisfactorily identified the article using an in-
text citation in the body of the paper, as well as a reference in
the reference section.
Thoroughly
summarized the article in one (1) or more paragraphs, using
your own words. Thoroughly identified the article using an in-
text citation in the body of the paper, as well as a reference in
the reference section.
2. Explain how the article relates to this course. Identify which
biological concepts from the course and / or text are relevant to
the topic covered in the article. Citing the course text, discuss
the ways in which this course does (or doesn’t) provide
background information to help you understand the article and
the larger issues surrounding it.
Weight: 20%
Did not submit or incompletely
explained how the article relates to this course.Â
Did not submit or incompletely i
dentified which biological concepts from the course and / or
text are relevant to the topic covered in the article.
Did not submit or incompletely
discussed the ways in which this course does (or doesn’t)
provide background information to help you understand the
article and the larger issues surrounding it.
Insufficiently
explained how the article relates to this course.Â
Insufficiently i

5. dentified which biological concepts from the course and / or
text are relevant to the topic covered in the article.Â
Insufficiently
discussed the ways in which this course does (or doesn’t)
provide background information to help you understand the
article and the larger issues surrounding it.
Partially
explained how the article relates to this course.Â
Partially i
dentified which biological concepts from the course and / or
text are relevant to the topic covered in the article.Â
Partially
discussed the ways in which this course does (or doesn’t)
provide background information to help you understand the
article and the larger issues surrounding it.
Satisfactorily
explained how the article relates to this course.Â
Satisfactorily i
dentified which biological concepts from the course and / or
text are relevant to the topic covered in the article.Â
Satisfactorily
discussed the ways in which this course does (or doesn’t)
provide background information to help you understand the
article and the larger issues surrounding it.
Thoroughly
explained how the article relates to this course.Â
Thoroughly i
dentified which biological concepts from the course and / or
text are relevant to the topic covered in the article.Â
Thoroughly
discussed the ways in which this course does (or doesn’t)
provide background information to help you understand the
article and the larger issues surrounding it.
3. Explain why the article caught your attention. Relate the
article to your life and to issues that are important to you.
Discuss how or if the scientific knowledge about the topic

6. covered in the article affects you directly or indirectly.
Weight: 20%
Did not submit or incompletely
explained why the article caught your attention.Â
Did not submit or incompletely
related the article to your life and to issues that are important to
you.
Did not submit or incompletely d
iscussed how or if the scientific knowledge about the topic
covered in the article affects you directly or indirectly.
Insufficiently
explained why the article caught your attention.
Insufficiently
related the article to your life and to issues that are important to
you.
Insufficiently d
iscussed how or if the scientific knowledge about the topic
covered in the article affects you directly or indirectly.
Partially
explained why the article caught your attention. Partially
related the article to your life and to issues that are important to
you.
Partially d
iscussed how or if the scientific knowledge about the topic
covered in the article affects you directly or indirectly.
Satisfactorily
explained why the article caught your attention. Satisfactorily
related the article to your life and to issues that are important to
you.
Satisfactorily d
iscussed how or if the scientific knowledge about the topic
covered in the article affects you directly or indirectly.
Thoroughly
explained why the article caught your attention. Thoroughly
related the article to your life and to issues that are important to
you.

7. Thoroughly d
iscussed how or if the scientific knowledge about the topic
covered in the article affects you directly or indirectly.
4. Discuss your opinion on how research on this topic should be
funded. State whether you think taxpayer monies should support
research on this topic or whether such research in this area
should be funded by the private sector. Rate the importance of
research on this topic, relative to other areas of research.Â
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely
discussed your opinion on how research on this topic should be
funded.
Did not submit or incompletely
stated whether you think taxpayer monies should support
research on this topic or whether such research in this area
should be funded by the private sector.Â
Did not submit or incompletely
rated the importance of research on this topic, relative to other
areas of research.
Insufficiently
discussed your opinion on how research on this topic should be
funded.
Insufficiently
stated whether you think taxpayer monies should support
research on this topic or whether such research in this area
should be funded by the private sector.
Insufficiently
rated the importance of research on this topic, relative to other
areas of research.
Partially
discussed your opinion on how research on this topic should be
funded.
Partially
stated whether you think taxpayer monies should support
research on this topic or whether such research in this area
should be funded by the private sector.

8. Partially
rated the importance of research on this topic, relative to other
areas of research.
Satisfactorily
discussed your opinion on how research on this topic should be
funded.
Satisfactorily
stated whether you think taxpayer monies should support
research on this topic or whether such research in this area
should be funded by the private sector.
Satisfactorily
rated the importance of research on this topic, relative to other
areas of research.
Thoroughly
discussed your opinion on how research on this topic should be
funded.
Thoroughly
stated whether you think taxpayer monies should support
research on this topic or whether such research in this area
should be funded by the private sector.
Thoroughly
rated the importance of research on this topic, relative to other
areas of research.
5. Writing / Support for ideas (5%)
Never uses reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.
Rarely uses reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.
Partially uses reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.
Mostly uses reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.
Consistently uses reasons and evidence that logically support
ideas.Â
6. Writing / Grammar and mechanics
(5%)
Serious and persistent errors in grammar, spelling, and
punctuation.
Numerous errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Partially free of errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

9. Mostly free of errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Free of errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
7. Writing and Information Literacy / Integration of Sources
(5%)
Serious errors in the integration of sources, such as intentional
or accidental plagiarism or failure to use in-text citations.
Sources are rarely integrated using effective techniques of
quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing, using in-text citations.
Sources are partially integrated using effective techniques of
quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing, using in-text citations.
Sources are mostly integrated using effective techniques of
quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing, using in-text citations.
Sources are consistently integrated using effective techniques of
quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing, using in-text citations.
8. Information Literacy / Crediting Sources in APA (5%)
Lack of citations and/or lack of reference section and/or
citations don’t correspond to listed references.
In-text citations and references are given, but not in APA
format.
Partially shows correct (or approximately correct) use of in-text
citations, with matching references using APA format.
Mostly shows correct use of in-text citations with matching
references using APA format.
Consistently shows correct use of In-text citations with
matching references using APA format.
9. Information Literacy / Research (5%)
Quantity and/or quality of sources are unacceptable.
Target article and/or supporting citations are of poor quality.
The target article is of good quality, but the quality of other
sources cited is questionable.Â
The target article is of good quality and any other resources are
of sufficient quality.
The target article selected is of good quality and any other
resources used are quality.Â