+1 862 207 3288 LITERATURE REVIEW: Each student is required to write a six-page paper reviewing
the literature on a preapproved topic in behavioral ecology. The paper should be
double-spaced and written in 12pt Arial font. A minimum of 10 papers from the scientific
literature should be cited in the body of your review paper. Make the paper tell a story
rather than being a list of observations made by other studies. In other words, you
should not have a series of paragraphs, each summarizing one paper. Instead,
integrate findings from different papers to illustrate key concepts. Each chapter in your
textbook is a good example of a well done review. The literature review is 10pts.
Tips for writing the literature review
1. Approach the topic by following Tinbergen’s four questions: function,
causation, development, and evolutionary history.
2. If you cannot find information to address one of those questions, then state
that that information is missing and propose a way to fill in the gap.
a. E.g., Research examining what stimuli elicit the behavior is currently
lacking. However, in other organisms, extended daylight hours cause
hormone X to be released in higher quantities, which directly effects
an individual’s probability of showing this behavior (REFERENCE). In
my study organism, this mechanism could be tested by following the
protocol of REFERENCE. In short, animals could be kept in captivity
where the length of daylight can be controlled…
3. Clearly state the objective of the review.
a. Good objective – The objective of this review is to examine why
extra-pair copulation is more common in polygamous birds.
b. Poor objective – The objective of this review is to examine extra-pair
copulation in birds with regards to Tinbergen’s four questions.
4. Cite at least 10 references: Use only peer-reviewed journal articles (e.g., do
not cite Wikipedia as a source). If you are unsure, ask me.
5. Paraphrase text; do not use quotation marks.
6. Lay out the framework (make an outline) before you begin writing.
a. Introduction/background – provide an overview of the behavior that
you are examining. This is also where you will give your objective.
b. Main sections – four subsections (use subheadings); each focused
on a different question.
c. Conclusion – pull the ideas together; highlight information that is
needed to better understand the behavior (even if the function has
been examined in details, there will still be some gaps in knowledge).
7. Writing.
a. For clarity, check that each paragraph has a topic sentence and that
all sentences within that paragraph directly relate to that topic. End
with a concluding thought or summary sentence.
b. Use simple, concise language.
c. Define all scientific jargon.
d. Check punctuation and sentence structure (especially watch for
sentence fragments and run-on sentences).
e. It is helpful to ask a friend to read your paper before turning it in.
Note that you need to provide a literature cited section, but this does not count
towards your six pages.
