Introduction:
With today’s access to information, It can be hard to differentiate between credible and non-credible news sources, especially due to the controversy and politicalization of some scientific topics. In this activity, You will need to find a credible news article or video And record a short (7-10 minute) Oral presentation on what you learned through the article. The news item you select should be related to a topic that we have covered in class this semester (Human taxonomy, The scientific study of life, Cells, The energy of life, Photosynthesis, Respiration and fermentation, DNA replication, Sexual reproduction and meiosis, Patterns of inheritance, Eve, Aleutian, and diversity of microbial life, Evolution and diversity of plants).
General instructions:
1. Find a credible scientific news article related to the courses content.
A. The article needs to have been published within the past three years.
2. Create a slideshow presentation
A. You can use PowerPoint, Google slides, or Prezi
B. Referred to the presentation requirements provided later.
3. Create speaker notes for the presentation. Speaker notes must be for a oral video of (7-10 minutes).
Finding an article from a Credible source:
1. Scientific journal articles- These can be very data-heavy And hard to read, But are the best source for original information.
2. Scientific magazine articles- These are usually easier to read than scientific journal articles, But they are often factual and credible (depending on the magazine). Some good options include Scientific American, National Geographic, and Smithsonian.
3. Some news articles- You have to be very careful, Because there are a LOT of biased and non-credible news sites online. NPR is a good option if you want to go this route.
4. Information published on websites Is NOT Allowed for this assignment. You can use websites to find journals, magazines, or news articles, but you are not allowed to use blogs, opinion sites, social media, etc. your source.
Presentation requirements:
REQUIRED INFORMATION: Your PowerPoint presentation must include at minimum the following required elements:
1. Title slide: Name of your topic
2. Article introduction: Provide the title of the article you were presenting on, and the citation information (Use APA format).
3. Information slides: Provide slides with information on the topic. The slides can include background information on the topic, Interesting applications of the information, Ongoing research being conducted on the topic, Discussing controversy on the topic, Etc.
4. Citation slide(s): Use APA format to cite all sources (Including images) You used in your presentation.
*** The most important thing is that the information MUST come from credible sources, and should be based on scientific facts. It should NOT Include opinions (Unless you are discussing both sides of a controversial topic, which should also include scientific information in support of both sides of the controversy.***
SLIDESHOW FORMAT GUIDELINES:
1. All slides should have the same background design. Do NOT change background designs throughout the presentation.
2. The background should be minimal and not distracting to the viewer.
3. Each slide should have a maximum of six bullet points. Each bullet point should have a maximum of six words Do NOT use complete sentences. Do NOT overwhelm the viewer with excessive amounts of written information. The purpose of a slideshow is to supplement the information you are presenting verbally. It should NOT be able to act as a standalone resource.
4. Each slide should have at least one, but no more than three, relevant pictures included on it, with the exception of the title slide and citation slides, which do not require pictures.
5. Use an easy to read font And use the same font throughout the entire presentation.
6. The minimum font size used should be 20 point.
7. Written information should be paraphrased (Use your own words). Do NOT copy and paste information directly from another source.
