Science Homework Help

Introduction: As your final term paper in this class, you will be researching another geologic event that was impactful. This will be very similar to the first Geology in the News Assignment that you completed at the beginning of the semester with these exceptions:

• It can be a geologic event that occurred at any time in human history (so, the 1906 earthquake, 79 C.E. eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, etc.)
• Your Paper will be longer, 3-4 pages (~750-1000 words) double-spaced, 12-pt Font, 1 ” margins. It should include a brief introduction and conclusion as well as body paragraphs with headings. Include a title page.
• You will be discussing all important aspects of the event including geologic/tectonic setting, the event itself, hazards, damage, what was learned, etc. (it will, of course, depend on the topic you choose so what you write about will be dictated by what the research turns up.
• You will need a minimum of 5 sources. They will not be news articles but can still be online sources as long as they are reliable. Peer-reviewed Journal Articles are great as long as you understand them and can share the information in your own words.

Purpose: To investigate real-world geologic processes and the effects they have on humans and society. The secondary purpose is to familiarize you with scientific writing and the use of APA-style.

Choosing a topic:

For this assignment, you will research some type of geologic process that we have discussed or will discuss in this class e.g. An Earthquake, a volcanic eruption, Mudflow/Landslide, Effects of Climate Change, Formation of some geologic wonder like Yosemite, or any other topic of interest to you. It just needs to be geology-related and impactful/important to humans/society.

Additional Guidelines:

The topic you choose should be impactful, meaning that it actually affected the lives of people in a significant way or contributed to greater understanding in a significant way. ( so a magnitude 3 earthquake in LA that had no damage and was barely felt would not be a good topic. A larger magnitude earthquake that triggered landslides in Northern India and affected thousands would be an impactful/important topic.)

Be clear, concise, and organized. Your summary should be brief, but informative while demonstrating an understanding of your topic. Organize your paper into paragraphs each with a clear purpose. You will be using APA-style headings for your intro, conclusion, and body paragraphs.

Use Scientific Writing. You are reporting facts/information gathered from your sources but in your own words. Do not say refer to self or “you” E.g.; “I researched…” or “You will learn…”. Writing should be clear and concise and should avoid redundancy.

Minimize Direct Quotes In scientific writing it is usually, if not always, possible to put the information you are conveying into your own words so please do so. Points will be deducted for excessive/misuse of quotes. You still site the information you are sharing with APA-style in-text citations (see below).

***You need a minimum of 5 different sources for the assignment. Pretty Straightforward- 5 different media sources or Journal Articles, or reliable websites that describe the geologic setting (no Wikipedia). You will use APA in-text citations and include your references at the end. If you aren’t familiar with APA-style, visit one of the links below (or do a search on your own).

***It is required that you have both a reference page and in-text citations in your paper. Without them, the paper is considered plagiarized as you are not crediting your sources for the information.

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_the_basics.html (Links to an external site.)

For any additional questions on formatting, defer to APA-style: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format (Links to an external site.)

Rubric

Criteria	Ratings	Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeIntroduction and conclusionBoth are clear and concise. Set up and conclude the paper.		5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeOrganization: paper has a clear organizational scheme. each paragraph has a clear topic and paragraphs are arranged in a logical manner. correct/sufficient use of headings.		15 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeGrammar: Paper is free of grammatical errors. Sentences are well constructed and easily understood. Free of typos.		15 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeQuality of information: all important subtopics were thoroughly researched and clearly discussed. The information presented is accurate and complete. Meets guidelines of assignment		50 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeComplete works cited page and in-text citations.A sufficient number of sources and use of in-text citations throughout. ***A 0 is possible on the paper if citations are not used or the reference page is not included.		15 pts
Total Points: 100