Field overview

Write a comprehensive "Field Overview" section for your perspective paper, providing the necessary background and context for your chosen topic.

Instructions

1. Length: Approximately 2.5 pages.
2. Content Requirements:
   • Thoroughly define and explain fundamental concepts and terminology, offering more depth than in the introduction.
   • Provide a comprehensive summary of the current state of the field, including recent breakthroughs and ongoing research.
   • Analyze major debates or points of contention in detail, presenting various viewpoints objectively.
   • Discuss the relevance and potential impacts of the topic more extensively.
3. Research:
   • Use a minimum of 5-7 peer-reviewed sources.
   • Include both seminal works and recent publications (within the last 3-5 years) to show the evolution of ideas.
4. Writing Style:
   • Maintain an objective tone, presenting information without bias.
   • Use clear, concise language appropriate for an audience with a basic understanding of computational biology.
   • Properly cite all sources using the APA format.
5. Organization:
   • Use descriptive subheadings to structure your overview logically.
   • Ensure smooth transitions between different aspects of the field.
   • Develop each subtopic more fully than in the introduction, providing greater depth and breadth.
6. Synthesis:
   • Identify trends, patterns, or themes in the research you've reviewed.
   • Discuss how different studies or approaches complement or contradict each other.
7. Conclusion:
   • End with a brief paragraph that ties the overview to your specific perspective topic, setting the stage for your argument.

Detailed Rubric

Your Field Overview will be evaluated based on the following criteria.

Criterion	Points	Description
Key Concepts	30	Clearly defines and explains fundamental concepts and terminology. Provides accurate and concise explanations. Uses appropriate scientific language.
Current State	30	Comprehensively summarizes current understanding and major developments. Highlights recent advancements and ongoing research. Demonstrates awareness of cutting-edge work in the field.
Major Debates	30	Identifies and describes main points of contention or debates. Presents different viewpoints objectively. Shows understanding of complexities in the field.
Relevance	8	Effectively explains the significance of the topic. Discusses potential impacts on computational biology and related fields. Demonstrates the topic's importance in the broader scientific context.
Research Quality	8	Uses appropriate and diverse sources. Includes both seminal works and recent publications. Demonstrates thorough research and understanding of the literature.
Writing Quality	8	Writing is clear, concise, and well-organized. Uses proper grammar and spelling. Maintains an academic tone throughout.
Citations and Formatting	6	Properly cites all sources using APA format. Adheres to submission guidelines for formatting. Includes a complete and correctly formatted reference list.

Detailed rubric

1. Key Concepts (30 points)
   • 30-27: All relevant concepts clearly defined and explained; appropriate use of technical terms.
   • 26-24: Most key concepts covered; explanations mostly clear and accurate.
   • 23-20: Some important concepts missing or poorly explained.
   • 19-0: Many key concepts missing or incorrectly explained.
2. Current State (30 points)
   • 30-27: Comprehensive, up-to-date summary of the field; includes cutting-edge research.
   • 26-24: Good overview of current state; may miss some recent developments.
   • 23-20: Basic summary of current state; lacks depth or misses important recent work.
   • 19-0: Outdated or inaccurate representation of the current state.
3. Major Debates (30 points)
   • 30-27: Clearly identifies and explains major debates; presents multiple viewpoints objectively.
   • 26-24: Covers main debates but may lack some nuance or balance.
   • 23-20: Mentions debates but lacks depth or misses important perspectives.
   • 19-0: Fails to identify major debates or presents them inaccurately.
4. Relevance (8 points)
   • 8-7: Clearly explains significance and potential impacts; strong connections to broader field.
   • 6-5: Good explanation of relevance but may lack some depth or connections.
   • 4-3: Basic explanation of relevance; lacks strong connections or implications.
   • 2-0: Fails to adequately explain relevance or makes inaccurate connections.
5. Research Quality (8 points)
   • 8-7: Excellent range of high-quality, relevant sources; balance of seminal and recent works.
   • 6-5: Good variety of sources; may slightly favor older or newer publications.
   • 4-3: Adequate sources but lacks diversity or misses some important references.
   • 2-0: Poor selection of sources; overreliance on outdated or non-peer-reviewed materials.
6. Writing Quality (8 points)
   • 8-7: Exceptionally clear, concise, and well-organized; free of grammatical errors.
   • 6-5: Generally clear and well-organized; minor grammatical issues.
   • 4-3: Some clarity or organization issues; several grammatical errors.
   • 2-0: Poorly written; numerous grammatical errors; lacks clear organization.
7. Citations and Formatting (6 points)
   • 6-5: Perfect APA citations and formatting; complete and correct reference list.
   • 4-3: Minor citation or formatting errors; reference list mostly correct.
   • 2-1: Several citation or formatting errors; incomplete or poorly formatted reference list.
   • 0: Major citation or formatting issues; missing or severely flawed reference list.

Additional guidance

Remember, the goal of this section is to provide a solid foundation for understanding your perspective. Take your time to research thoroughly and present the information clearly and logically.

1. Start with an Outline: Before writing, create a detailed outline of your Field Overview. This will help you organize your thoughts and ensure you cover all necessary points.
2. Use Topic Sentences: Begin each paragraph with a clear topic sentence that introduces the main idea. This helps with organization and makes your writing easier to follow.
3. Explain Technical Terms: When introducing a new concept or technical term, always provide a brief, clear explanation. Don't assume your reader knows all the terminology.
4. Use Transitional Phrases: To improve flow between paragraphs and sections, use transitional phrases like "Furthermore," "In contrast," "Similarly," or "However."
5. Avoid Jargon and Acronyms: While some technical language is necessary, avoid excessive jargon. Always spell out acronyms on first use.
6. Be Concise: Aim for clarity and brevity. Avoid unnecessarily complex sentences or repetition.
7. Use Evidence: Support your statements with evidence from your research. This often involves citing relevant studies or quoting experts in the field.
8. Revise and Edit: After writing your first draft, set it aside for a day, then return to revise. Look for areas to improve clarity, flow, and accuracy.

Tips for Success

• Critically evaluate your sources, ensuring they are reputable and relevant.
• Have a peer review your work for clarity and comprehensiveness.
• Revise and refine your overview to ensure it provides a solid foundation for your perspective.

Common feedback

1. Instead of using headings like "Key Concepts" or "Molecular Dynamics", use assertion statements like, "Molecular simulations are invaluable for novel drug targets".
2. In-text citations should be in the format of: (Maldonado et al., 2024).
3. Ensure that your writing is academically formal.

4. When talking about other methods or packages, it is crucial that provide each with an individual citation. It is better to add a citation than leave it out. For example,

   There are many MD simulation packages such as AMBER (CITE), NAMD (CITE), and GROMACS (CITE). 5. Always remember to ask yourself, "What value does this sentence have here?" and "Would the reader be able to understand the perspective without this sentence"?