Now that you have reviewed the endangered local species and are knowledgeable of their importance, you will choose 1 out of the five species you want to save. You will construct an argument as to why your species should continue to receive funding and you will then get to see if others decided on the same species as you or not.

Post Requirements

This assignment requires two posts, each completed individually. You will not be able to see the replies of other people in your group until after you have posted your response. Before you write your first post, you will need to identify

First Post – Due Thursday

  1. Title your post with the name of the species you prioritize in saving. As a reminder, these are the five species from the SoftChalk that you can choose from:
    • Southern sea otter
    • Monterey pine
    • Mountain lion
    • Southwestern willow flycatcher
    • Delta smelt
  2. Write a paragraph stating your argument for saving your selected species and explaining why it should be prioritized over the other species.
    • Based on the information from the SoftChalk, what is the single most compelling reason to save this species? You can pick one of the following factors to argue priority for your species: biological characteristics, urgency of threat, ecosystem roles, economic considerations, and/or socio-cultural values. Be as specific as possible when you describe the top reason and explain how it supports your argument that this species should be prioritized.
    • Identify one outside source of information(website or article, not the Softchalk) about your selected species. What additional information did you learn from this source that supports your argument for why this species should be prioritized? 
    • Be sure to paraphrase all information from the SoftChalk/outside source and cite the sources fully, including in-text citations and a full reference list (with a link to the original source) at the end for full credit. (We will be learning about how to cite sources next week, so for this week do your best –  you won’t be penalized if your citations are not formatted properly.)

Second Post – Due Sunday

  1. You will need to respond to one classmate’s post.Try to respond to someone that selected a different species from what you selected in your first post and that hasn’t yet received a response.
    • Evaluate the credibility of the outside source of information that they cited in their post. Explain if you think this source is reputable using the CRAAP Test. (CRAAP is an acronym for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose.) For each category, address at least one bullet point from the table below in your explanation.

Currency refers to the timeliness of the information.

  • When was the information published or posted?
  • Has the information been revised or updated? If so, when?
  • Is the information current or out-of-date for your species? 

Relevance refers to the importance of the information for your needs.

  • Who is the intended audience?
  • Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)? How do you know?
  • Is the information useful for your argument?  Does it contain information specific to your species and/or related to its conservation status? 

Authority refers to the source of the information.

  • Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?
  • What are the author’s credentials or organizational affiliations given?
  • What are the author’s qualifications to write on the topic?
  • Is there contact information, such as a publisher or e-mail address?
  • Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source? 
    Examples: .com (commercial), .edu (educational), .gov (U.S. government), .org (nonprofit organization), .net (network)

Accuracy refers to the reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content.

  • Where does the information come from?
  • Is the information supported by evidence? How do you know?
  • Has the information been reviewed or refereed? If so, how?
  • Can you verify any of the information using another source?
  • Does the language or tone seem biased and free of emotion? How do you know?
  • Are there spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors?

Purpose refers to the reason the information exists.

  • What is the purpose of the information? To inform? Teach? Sell? Entertain? Persuade?
  • Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
  • Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?

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