Modern Synthesis Concept and Map

For the culminating assignment, there are TWO PARTS. You are going to begin generating a list of relevant concepts and organizing them before constructing a preliminary map. What is a concept map? It is a graphical representation of the various component of a concept or bit of knowledge.

For this assignment, you are going to use the Mukherjee readings from The Gene to map out the following question: What is the Modern Synthesis?

Here are a few guidelines and helpful hints.

• Begin by generating a list of relevant concepts and begin organizing them according to how they relate and by their importance.
• Once you’ve squared away what the important concepts of the Modern Synthesis are, you need to determine a way to best graphically organize them in your concept map. How are you going to show that this particular concept is more important and relevant than another? You could rank them hierarchically and have more a flow chart feel, or (like the one above) you have more a gestalt. In that case, some of your concept bubbles, or squares, or whatever shape you decide would need, in some way, to register importance.
• Remember that science does not evolve in a linear fashion, so avoid depicting this in your concept map. You should have multiple intersecting lines.

Useful link: http://www.schrockguide.net/concept-mapping.html