Expert: Barbara Silber - 1/10/2006

Question
Ms. Sibler:
My son, Kyle Waddell, was assigned an extra credit project to write 10 questions for an expert to answer and then write a paper on what he learned from the expert's answers. Kyle completed his end of the assignment, but you refuse to answer his questions. He will not get ANY extra credit for your "non-answer". Please feel free to email his teacher regarding the authenticity of this assignment.  Her email is Lewis.Amy@tallmadge.k12.oh.us.  I agree that these are questions that could be found in his book or from other sources, but that was not his assignment.  His assignment was to ask an expert.  Your assumption that Kyle is cheating is very insulting to him.
Robin Waddell

 Subject   Taxonomy
Question   Dear Ms. Silber,
My name is Kyle and I am in 10th grade biology. My teacher gave us an extra credit assignment to write 10 question for an expert to answer. Here are my questions. Thanks for your help.

1. What is taxonomy?
2. What is taxonomy used for?
3. Who is Caroleus Linneaous and what does he have to do with taxonomy?
4. What are the levels of classification?
5. What do they mean?
6. What is a subspecies?
7. What is the six kingdom system and what is it used for?
8. Why is the six kingdom system so important?
9. What is the three domain system?
10. What does the three domain system have to do with the six kingdom system?
Answer   Dear Kyle,
I'm sorry but I don't answer the "homework" kind of question - one where you can find the answer right in your textbook or from another souce (library or on-line). When you look up the answer yourself you will learn more and better than if I do it. Maybe, my "non-answer" will get you some extra credit anyway; I hope so. Good luck in your course.
Barbara Silber  

Answer
Dear Robin Waddell,

I stated that these were "homework-like" questions. I did not imply nor did I believe that your son was in any way cheating; I was hopeful that he could get credit anyway. Also, as a long-time teacher of secondary school students, I would encourage you to try to let your son (who you say is a 10th grader) solve his own problems without parental intervention. Why don't you try another expert to answer all of his questions.

As a volunteer who is willing to give of my "free-time" 2 questions per day (1 from each of 2 different people) this assignment does not mesh with my commitment. Kyle has presented me with 10 questions whose answers would take a chapter on classification in a text to answer effectively.

To assist Kyle, I will answer only the very brief first question (I do one question from a person each day).

1. Taxonomy is the branch of biology concerned with naming and clasifying species; it groups organisms according to a formal scheme.

By the way classification is a product of scientific agreement and the systems have changed markedly over the past century. Most important is not the system of classification, but an appreciation of the diversity of life.The diversity is "out-there" and scientist try to organize it in a meaningful way.

Barbara Silber