The review paper is an individual assignment and should be at least 5 full pages and no more than 10
pages long, not including the cover page, references, tables, and figures. It should be typed with
double-spaced lines, 12 pt. font, and side margins no larger than 1 inch. You must use a traditional font
such as Arial or Times New Roman.
The review paper must contain at least five scientific papers published in the primary literature, i.e.,
published in peer-reviewed journals. At least three of the references must be of original research. You
can identify an original research paper because it contains a methods section. Other references can be
review papers, which summarize other people’s work but do not contain original results. Review papers
are a good way of obtaining background information, but again, your review paper should focus on
explaining and interpreting original research papers. References from secondary and tertiary literature,
such as textbooks, encyclopedias, blogs, personal websites, etc., will NOT be accepted. All topics must
focus on the genetic aspect of the subject. 2. Introduction
Introduce the topic of the research and its relevance. Include necessary background
information.
3. The main text of the review
Remember that this is not a research paper; therefore, sections such as “Materials and
Methods” or “Results” will not be present. You are encouraged to use subheadings to
provide clear links between the different sections and guide the reader through your review.
Write all abbreviations in full on first use and use the abbreviation after that.
Experimental Evidence: Describe important results from recent primary literature articles
and explain how these results shape our current understanding of the topic.
Point out and address any controversies in the field.
Use figures and/or tables to present your synthesis of the original data or to show key data
taken directly from the original papers.
Citations should be included at the end of each paragraph or whenever appropriate.
4. Conclusions
The conclusions section should summarize the topic discussed and describe future
directions, including your opinions and questions that remain in the area, e.g. potential
treatments.
Keep it brief (~ ½ page).
5. References
Choose one of the following three styles: APA (American Psychological Association),
MLA (Modern Language Association), and Chicago/Turabian. The key is consistency.
Make sure all your references are formatted and cited using the same style. The most
important aspect of the references is to select only peer-reviewed publications,
including research and review articles and books.
