TOPICS ON SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES
BIOL/ENVIR/FISH 478

Winter 2001

Course website: http://courses.washington.edu/susfish

Instructor: Julia K. Parrish            Teaching Assistant: Chris Boatright
    221-5787 office phone                 office: 323B  phone: 221-6832
    jparrish@u.washington.edu       cpb@u.washington.edu
    office hours by appointment          office hours:  Thursday 9am-10am, or by appointment

Course email: susfish@u.washington.edu

COURSE SYLLABUS
Date            Speaker        Assignment

10-Jan          Hilborn   
      
17-Jan          Naylor   
      
24-Jan          Jackson        Discuss/pick a paper topic
      
31-Jan          Annala          Final approval of topic
      
7-Feb           McCay          Bibliography due (15 refs min.)
      
14-Feb          Hall               Bibliography returned; Paper Outline due
      
21-Feb         Brown           Outlines returned
      
28-Feb        Vincent
      
7-Mar          Block            Draft Papers due
      
14-Mar         Mace           Drafts returned
      
FINAL                             Final Paper due

COURSE EXPLANATION AND EXPECTATIONS
Topics on Sustainable Fisheries is a discussion course linked to the Bevan Series on Sustainable Fisheries, an international speaker series every other Winter Quarter in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences.  During this course, we will be exploring marine conservation issues connected to natural resource exploitation and management.  This exploration will take two forms.

First, each speaker has provided us with selected readings, which are posted on the web at WEB ADDRESS.  There is a link from our course website.  We expect that you will have read each week’s readings IN ADVANCE of our discussion section, and the week’s seminar.  Class discussion will focus on the readings.  Because you will be graded on your participation in these discussions, it is wise not to slack off and attempt to fake your way through the conversation.  As we move through the quarter, our discussions may broaden to incorporate points and issues from previous speakers, as well as linked ideas and issues not strictly covered in the readings.  Be prepared to speak up!

Second, each speaker will present a public seminar which all students are required to attend.  After a brief introduction from a UW faculty member, the speaker will speak for 45-50 minutes.  Immediately following the seminar will be a question and answer period, allowing the audience (this includes you!) a chance to ask the speaker particular questions which occurred to them before or during the seminar.  EACH OF YOU SHOULD COME TO THE SEMINAR PREPARED TO ASK QUESTIONS.  You should also bring a notebook with you so that you can TAKE NOTES as questions occur to you, and/or torecord points of interest which you may wish to pursue further in the formof your paper.

Within the first month of the quarter, you will all be required to choose a paper topic.  This should be a subject covered by the readings, the speakers’ seminars, or something related to the former, which PARTICULARLY INTERESTS YOU.  This is important, because you will be spending quite a few hours tracking down articles and books on the subject, to provide you with the background reading material necessary to write your paper.  DON’T PANIC (too much) at this point.  We will be providing you with detailed instructions for how to research and write the paper.  You will also have three intermediate assignments designed to move you inexorably towards your paper:

• Bibliography – A minimum of 15 references, the majority of which will be peer-reviewed scholarly articles found in scientific journals such as Science, Conservation Biology, or Marine Biology.  Other acceptable references may be books or book chapters.  In some cases, additional reference material may include unpublished government reports or policy papers from non-governmental organizations; material from the Web, material from news sources such as a local or national paper.  These latter references MUST BE OKAYED by your TA.  The bibliography assignment is designedto make you spend the research time finding out what is known about yourtopic.  With these articles under your belt, you will be well on theway to becoming an expert on the issue.  Logistics of bibliography productionwill be provided in advance.

• Paper Outline – All good writers start with an outline, and so willyou.  All of your papers will have the same basic format: Introduction, Main Text Body in sections as appropriate, Conclusion.  Within thisvague format, each paper will vary depending on the topic chosen.  Inorder to organize your thoughts, you will write a detailed outline.  Logistics of outline writing will be provided in advance.

• Draft Paper – Working from the outline, all good writers go through several drafts.  You will only be required to produce one rough draft.  The GREAT benefit of a draft, other than it forces you to start writing more than 48 hours before your paper is due, is that it gives you a chance toget constructive feedback on your writing AND on your content.  Trustme, this step WILL IMPROVE YOUR GRADE.  Logistics of draft and finalpaper production will be provided in advance.

To begin with, you should just concentrate on topic selection. 

Grading
Your grade will be determined according to the following:
Participation      50
Bibliography      25
Paper Outline    25
Draft Paper       50
Final Paper      150
Total               300

If you turn in assignments late, without checking in first or providing a legitimate excuse (e.g., doctor’s note), we will deduct 2% of the total assignment grade for each extra day – weekends count.