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NEUR 128 and 130

The College Writing Center is your main resource for your Response Papers.  For your first paper, you are required to work with Writing Center tutors.  Use the online scheduler to make an appointment.

Comparative Review

  • Write a single 1,000–1,200 word film review for The Stentor of both Iris/Still Alice and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (all are on Course Reserve in the library).
  • Note: It would be completely unethical for you to read reviews of these films before writing your own.
  • Provide either a positive or negative recommendation to see this film and support your opinions using your summer readings, Chicago trip, and your own personal experiences with neurologies such as Alzheimer’s and stroke, if any.
  • Examples of movie reviews
  • You are required to get your draft to one of the Writing Center tutors at least one week before it is due.
  • The best-written essay(s) will be submitted to Eukaryon for publication.

Argument: The Ethical Brain

  • Respond to Michael Gazzaniga’s support for neuroethics — do you agree (fully or in part) or disagree?
  • Your paper should be 1,000–1,200 words and you should consult and cite 3 to 5 appropriate sources; remember to use APA style.

News and Views

  • Play the role of a journalist-scientist
  • Convey the story of an exciting new biomedical discovery recently published as a primary (research) article; use the same paper chosen for the Capsule and Medical Mysteries assignments
  • 1,000 to 1,200 words
  • Jargon-free
  • Include a figure depicting a relevant biological model
  • Provide in-text citations to primary article, review articles, books, or other sources (7 to 15 references is typical)
  • Two sample News and Views from Nature:

Narrative Response Paper

  • Imagine yourself as a neuron. Choose a part of the brain that is impacted by either Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.
  • Choose a person from the PBS Video series The Secret Life of the Brain as your host.
  • Tell the story of your life (from birth as neuron until your death) as part of the person you chose, living a long and productive life but ultimately dies from Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.
  • Your final paper should be 1,000 to 1,200 words, and append a list of the neuroscience topics you touched on detailing your neuron autobiography.
  • You are encouraged to get your draft to one of the Writing Center tutors at least one week before it is due.
  • The best-written narrative essay(s) will be submitted to Eukaryon for publication.

Internal Monologue

  • Write an internal monologue
  • The film The Diving Bell and The Butterfly (on Course Reserve in the library) provides an example
  • Guidelines how how to write an internal monologue
  • You are encouraged to get your draft to one of the Writing Center tutors at least one week before it is due.
  • The best-written monologue(s) will be submitted to Eukaryon for publication.