SA #1

Source Analysis: North American Birds Will No Longer Be Named for Racists — or AnybodyElse

Expectations:
This course will have regular source discussions throughout the semester. You will be asked to review/read texts, films, maps, websites, or objects. You will analyze these sources to produce reasonable interpretations. You will submit a copy of each SA to me by email on the date that it is due, but I also encourage you to create a digital copy of this analysis as a record for your ePortfolio. Also, I will assign 2-3 of you to co-lead a discussion about the SA. For students to get credit for the source analysis sheets as a part of their ePortfolio, they must be in class for the discussion.

Source Summary:
For each source you are assigned, please provide a one-paragraph summary of 3-5 sentences. Remember, a summary is a brief overview of what the source is about—the main point or idea of the source. If I have assigned two sources to you, you may summarize each source separately. Or else, if you recognize a connection between the two sources, you can incorporate your summary into a single, slightly longer, paragraph.

The American Ornithological Society recently announced its decision to rename approximately 150 North American birds currently named after human beings. The move aims to replace names associated with colonial explorers and individuals whose views are now considered objectionable, shifting focus to the birds' appearance or habitat. This initiative reflects a broader call for a more inclusive scientific process, acknowledging the exclusionary and harmful nature of some English bird names rooted in the past. The renaming process is set to begin next year. The controversy surrounding bird names gained momentum in 2020, prompting discussions on the historical nature of such names and their potential impact on inclusivity in birdwatching.

Critical Analysis:
Here are some questions/thoughts to help you think analytically. They are prompts for analytical thinking, so the idea is to respond to what occurs to you as most interesting, given your perspective and knowledge. You do not need to address all of these prompts, but I expect you to include some coverage of at least 3 of these in your SA.
What is the creator’s main claim, thesis, or argument?
That the old ways of naming birds are not accurate to the actual animals. They were named after colonial explorers and not named because of specific traits of the birds.
Is the creator trying to prove anything?
Why was the source created?
To show that people are actively trying to change past harms while making the naming of birds more accurate and more inclusive.
What was the purpose of the source?
Who was the audience for the source?
What does this source teach us?
How does the source help us understand something about our problem?
When was the source created and what did it mean to the people during that time?
Consider the creator and what perspective/bias that might bring to the article.
Consider what in the source doesn’t fit or might surprise you.
I knew that birds where named by colonists but I had no idea they typically named them after themselves.
Does the source remind you of anything?
Why is this source important to us?

Bibliography of Your Source(s):
You should now be in the practice of including a full bibliography of each source for your SAs. This should appear at the end of your SA. You should use a standard bibliographic formatting convention (for example, MLA, APA, etc.). I recommend you use ZoteroBib (www.zbib.org) for this!

Renkl, Margaret. “Opinion | North American Birds Will No Longer Be Named for Racists — or Anybody Else.” The New York Times, 13 Nov. 2023. NYTimes.com, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/13/opinion/bird-names-colonialism.html.

Adapted from Lab Worksheet created by Prof. Spencer, Dr. Jill Anderson, and Dr. Kristine Hildebrandt

Source Analysis: Carl Linnaeus and the effort to label all life

Expectations:
This course will have regular source discussions throughout the semester. You will be asked to review/read texts, films, maps, websites, or objects. You will analyze these sources to produce reasonable interpretations. You will submit a copy of each SA to me by email on the date that it is due, but I also encourage you to create a digital copy of this analysis as a record for your ePortfolio. Also, I will assign 2-3 of you to co-lead a discussion about the SA. For students to get credit for the source analysis sheets as a part of their ePortfolio, they must be in class for the discussion.

Source Summary:
For each source you are assigned, please provide a one-paragraph summary of 3-5 sentences. Remember, a summary is a brief overview of what the source is about—the main point or idea of the source. If I have assigned two sources to you, you may summarize each source separately. Or else, if you recognize a connection between the two sources, you can incorporate your summary into a single, slightly longer, paragraph.

The article explores the historical journey of Carl Linnaeus, a renowned Swedish naturalist, as he took on the task of categorizing and labeling all forms of life. Linnaeus, who lived in the 18th century, is credited with developing the binomial nomenclature system, a standardized way of naming and classifying species that is still widely used today. The piece goes into Linnaeus's contributions to taxonomy, highlighting his efforts to create a systematic hierarchy for organizing the diversity of life on Earth. It discusses the Linnaean system's impact on the scientific community and its role in laying the foundation for modern biological classification. The article also touches on the challenges Linnaeus faced during his time, such as limited global exploration and communication, as well as the ethical implications of naming and classifying species. Overall, it provides a comprehensive overview of Linnaeus's significant role in shaping our understanding of the natural world through his pioneering work in taxonomy.

Critical Analysis:
Here are some questions/thoughts to help you think analytically. They are prompts for analytical thinking, so the idea is to respond to what occurs to you as most interesting, given your perspective and knowledge. You do not need to address all of these prompts, but I expect you to include some coverage of at least 3 of these in your SA.
What is the creator’s main claim, thesis, or argument?
Is the creator trying to prove anything?
Why was the source created?
What was the purpose of the source?
To show the importance of Linnaeus’s naming system in science.
Who was the audience for the source?
Anyone that’s in taxonomy and people that are interested in learning about the reason things are named a certain way.
What does this source teach us?
How does the source help us understand something about our problem?
It shows us the problems in the ways plants are named. MOBOT is working on ways to reorganize plants in a non-traditional Western way and this article shows us why that is.
When was the source created and what did it mean to the people during that time?
Consider the creator and what perspective/bias that might bring to the article.
Consider what in the source doesn’t fit or might surprise you.
Does the source remind you of anything?
Why is this source important to us?

Bibliography of Your Source(s):
You should now be in the practice of including a full bibliography of each source for your SAs. This should appear at the end of your SA. You should use a standard bibliographic formatting convention (for example, MLA, APA, etc.). I recommend you use ZoteroBib (www.zbib.org) for this!

Schulz, Kathryn. “How Carl Linnaeus Set Out to Label All of Life.” The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023. www.newyorker.com, https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/08/21/the-man-who-organized-nature-the-life-of-linnaeus-gunnar-broberg-book-review.

Adapted from Lab Worksheet created by Prof. Spencer, Dr. Jill Anderson, and Dr. Kristine Hildebrandt