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For this assignment, please choose a claim about the evolution of human behavior
For this assignment, please choose a claim about the evolution of human behavior as your
thesis, then write an essay evaluating it. Using multiple sources, you will argue whether and to
what extent the statement is true, laying out evidence and arguments for and against it.
For the thesis, choose one of the following two options:
A. A claim from one of these two documentaries, following the same instructions as in
the midterm essay assignment.
The Human Spark (PBS 2009), Episode 3 “Brain Matters” (on Blackboard)
Evolution (PBS 2001), Episode 6, “The Mind’s Big Bang”
B. An observation of your interest about the evolution of human behavior. In this case,
using the textbook as one of the sources is required.
If you don’t want to do the essay on a documentary but have trouble coming up with a
topic of your own, please let me know and I’ll share some suggestions with you.
Like the midterm, the assignment is due in two stages:
● Thesis and Sources: due Thursday, May 2.
25% of the essay grade, 1–2 pages (300–500 words), double-spaced.
● Research essay: due Thursday, May 9.
75% of the essay grade, 4–5 pages (1000–1500 words), double-spaced.
The essay will be structured approximately as follows:
1. Introduction and Thesis (1 paragraph, 1 point).
The very beginning is the statement of your interest and your main claims. Write a few
sentences explaining why you believe what you are researching is important in light of
what we have covered in class. Then, state openly your thesis: the specific claim you are
evaluating and learning more about. The thesis is the focus of your entire essay. You
can also briefly announce what conclusion you have reached. Are you coming out in
favor of the thesis or not? If it depends, on what?
2. Sources (1–3 paragraphs, 1 point).
Introduce the reader to the sources of information you are using in evaluating your
thesis. You are using at least three: the textbook or the documentary, and at least two
others. Spend a few sentences explaining how each of the sources holds evidence
relevant to your thesis. There are several ways to find reliable sources for your paper:
○ The most direct way to locate scholarly sources is to use Google Scholar
(https://scholar.google.com). You can search on any bit of information you are
interested in, such as a concept or a name of the researcher.
ANTH / PSY 2520 Final Essay
○ You can use the textbook as a source if it addresses your topic. Also, the
textbook cites many original research articles. If one seems relevant, you can
locate the full citation under References, then look for it online.
○ At the bottom of Wikipedia articles there is a list of references. While article text is
not necessarily reliable, it needs to be corroborated by reliable sources.
○ Useful information can often be found on websites of universities, research
centers, and museums. These usually have domains that end in .edu or .org.
○ Popular science writing accessible to the general audience appears in magazines
such as Scientific American or New Scientist, and in Science sections of major
daily newspapers, such as Guardian or New York Times.
○ Finally, you can visit the university library.
3. Evaluation (1–2 pages, 3 points).
In this, the longest section, you get to present your evidence and evaluate it. Lay out
various sources and other pieces of evidence, and explain how they support or
challenge the thesis. Do not worry if various sources point in different directions, this is to
be expected. In fact, identifying and pointing out contradictions improves your essay. Do
not just yet try to compare the evidence or address any differences, this will come
shortly. First you need to present what each source of information says on its own.
4. Analysis and reflection (1–3 paragraphs, 1 point).
Now you can proceed to compare and contrast what the different sources are saying. If
you do not believe you know enough to resolve some uncertainties, be open about that,
and suggest what further evidence you may seek to clarify your insights. If you are sure
enough to commit to conclusions, go ahead and do so, but do also try to come up with
some problems with them. It is more important to demonstrate how you can argue
with yourself than to exude certainty one way or the other. Better to be unsure and
clear why that is than to be sure and obscure.
5. Synthesis and conclusion (1–2 paragraphs, 1 point).
At the end, repeat what the aim of your paper was, and summarize your results. Outline
briefly your reasoning process: what evidence you used and either how it supports what
you are concluding, or why it is inconclusive. Keep in mind that any claims you are
offering are tentative and can be both strengthened and challenged with further
evidence. If you can, end by suggesting how one may be able to follow up on your work.
Additional 3 points are given for writing, including essay clarity, organization, completeness,
grammar, and spelling, for a total of 10 points.
Good luck! Looking forward to reading all the essays.
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