Geology 6900, Spring 2019

Preparation of GEOLOGICAL MANUSCRIPTS

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INSTRUCTOR

COURSE STRUCTURE

This hybrid (part face-to-face, part online) course will be conducted in a combined lecture/discussion/workshop format. We will meet once per week: Tuesdays from 5:30 until 8:20 p.m. The Schedule of Topics, Assignments, and Writing Deadlines will be strictly adhered to throughout the semester. Your attendance at every session (both online and face-to-face) is expected, as is your participation in discussions and group projects. Your grade will be based on your writing assignments, your class participation, and your reviews of other students' work. The document "Understanding Grades" explains the grading philosophy used in this course.  During the first class meeting, we will discuss the logistical aspects of the online portion of the class.

SUGGESTED TEXTS

OTHER USEFUL REFERENCES (LOOK FOR THESE AND SIMILAR TITLES IN THE LIBRARY OR ONLINE)

IMPORTANT GEOLOGICAL JOURNALS

The journals listed below are considered standards in their disciplines. I urge you to become familiar with all of them, particularly those in your own field of interest. All technical articles written in this class will be written in the format and style of the journal (from this list) most appropriate to the article's subject – papers will be written as if to be submitted for publication.

http://core.ecu.edu/geology/Rigsbyc/Rigsby/Manuscripts/images/bulyellowroll.gifAmerican Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin (devoted to all aspects of basin research: sedimentology, geochemistry, etc.)

http://core.ecu.edu/geology/Rigsbyc/Rigsby/Manuscripts/images/bulyellowroll.gifGeochemica Cosmochemica Acta (devoted to the science of geochemistry)

http://core.ecu.edu/geology/Rigsbyc/Rigsby/Manuscripts/images/bulyellowroll.gifGeological Society of America Bulletin (articles of a regional or topical nature; almost all subdisciplines of geology are covered)

http://core.ecu.edu/geology/Rigsbyc/Rigsby/Manuscripts/images/bulyellowroll.gifGeology (short, topical articles in all subdisciplines)

http://core.ecu.edu/geology/Rigsbyc/Rigsby/Manuscripts/images/bulyellowroll.gifGround Water (articles on both scientific and engineering aspects of hydrology)

http://core.ecu.edu/geology/Rigsbyc/Rigsby/Manuscripts/images/bulyellowroll.gifThe Holocene (focuses on environmental change over the last 10,000 years)

http://core.ecu.edu/geology/Rigsbyc/Rigsby/Manuscripts/images/bulyellowroll.gifJournal of Geophysical Research -- Solid Earth (articles on the physics and chemistry of the solid Earth and the liquid core, includes reports on geophysics, volcanology, gravity, tectonics, paleomagnetism, etc.)

http://core.ecu.edu/geology/Rigsbyc/Rigsby/Manuscripts/images/bulyellowroll.gifJournal of Sedimentary Research (formerly Journal of Sedimentary Petrology; now published in two parts (A and B); articles concerning all aspects of sedimentology and sedimentary petrology)

http://core.ecu.edu/geology/Rigsbyc/Rigsby/Manuscripts/images/bulyellowroll.gifMarine Geology (articles concerning all aspects of marine geology)

http://core.ecu.edu/geology/Rigsbyc/Rigsby/Manuscripts/images/bulyellowroll.gifPalaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology (devoted to the study of paleo-environmental geology)

http://core.ecu.edu/geology/Rigsbyc/Rigsby/Manuscripts/images/bulyellowroll.gifQuaternary Research (interdisciplinary articles dealing with the last 2 million years of Earth history)

http://core.ecu.edu/geology/Rigsbyc/Rigsby/Manuscripts/images/bulyellowroll.gifWater Resources Research (articles on both the social and natural sciences of water)

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

 

The total amount of finished copy (final draft) expected from each student is approximately 20 to 30 pages. Students will read each other's submitted documents and write commentary; I will read and comment on revised drafts; final drafts will be placed together with the submitted and revised documents, as well as responses to reviewer comments, in a portfolio to be submitted at the end of the semester. The portfolio will include all work done during the semester:

All writing must be based on recent or ongoing scientific research. If you are currently involved in an independent study project, if you are doing (or have done) a small-scale research project for another class, or if you are working on a master's thesis, you may use your own research as topics. Otherwise you must come up with appropriate, small-scale projects for your abstract, paper, and poster. These projects may involve laboratory research or field work (for example, ½ to 1 day of field work on a local outcrop could be used to write a short paper on the depositional environments of a formation), may use previously gathered data as a basis for new interpretations (for example, a grain-size analysis of a beach profile from already sieved materials – you describe the methodology, do some statistics, write up the results, etc.), or may be based on data you are collecting (or have collected) in another class. Library research reports and descriptions of other researchers' work will not be accepted. All drafts of the article and proposal must appropriately cite sources and include an appropriately formatted list of references.

PHYSICAL FORMAT OF ALL COPY

All work (except in-class editorial comments) must be produced using MS Word, and proofed. Your documents should have no spelling errors, nor should they exhibit problems in punctuation or other writing mechanics. Such care ensures that your work will receive the best possible reading.

All submitted documents, editorial comments, and editing/proofreading suggestions must be in electronic format – created using MS Word track changes and/or other electronic editing tools compatible with MS Word.

Initial and revised submitted work will be in the form of MSWord files and will be submited via OneDrive.  (In the unlikely event that OneDrive is not functioning at the time a submission is due, documents may be submitted via e-mail to the appropriate editors and to Rigsby.Note that your files will contain images, hence will be large.  It is important that you stay up-to-date with both OneDrive and e-mail.  Failure to do so could result in failed file delivery.  Failed delivery is not an acceptable excuse for missed deadlines. After you have submitted your file to the OneDrive and shared it with your reviewers, please e-mail your editors and Rigsby to alert them that the file is available.

Use the following convention for file names: AssignmentName_YourLastName_yyyy-mm-dd.doc. For example, John Doe's first submission of the Journal Article would be named Article_Doe_2019-03-26.doc, his revised submission of the Journal Article would be named Article_Doe_2019-03-26.doc, and his final version would be called Article_Doe_2019-05-01.doc. It is important that all files are consistently named. All students are expected to be familiar with the procedures for naming, sending, and receiving electronic files via OneDrive. To this end, you are encouraged to send me test files via both e-mail and DropBox before our 2nd class meeting.

The submitted documents will be peer- and instructor-reviewed and returned to the author as per the course calendar.

Final drafts will be submitted as part of the final course portfolio. The final portfolio will contain copies of all written material (including commentary and reviews) prepared during the semester.

How your copy looks can be as important as how it reads and as the quality of the science therein. Make sure that you choose an appropriate font and that headng styles, margins, and spacing are consistent throughout. The physical layout of your document (margins, spacing, referencing style, etc.) will be dependent on the target venue. Be sure to follow the submission guidelines carefully.

Put your name and address (the ECU address is appropriate here), the name of the target journal (for articles), and the date submitted on the title page. Do not include the name of the course or the instructor. Remember, you are to format your work as you would if you were submitting it professionally.

Always retain a copy (and a backup copy!) of everything you submit, including commentary.

After submitted work is returned, retain all copies (including editorial comments and reviewed copy) so that you can include them in your final portfolio.

Although you will submit work electronically, you'll probably find yourself using lots of paper – both for pre-submission drafts and for editing. Please make an attempt to use scratch paper when you can. Used printer paper (with only one side printed) is usually available in the geology computer lab – please use it whenever possible.

BOTTOM LINE

Writing deadlines are not negotiable. Neither are the obligations to attend class regularly, be prompt and punctual, treat others with respect, and be consistently prepared. The old adage about getting back what you put forth is true. If you don't enthusiastically contribute to the class, you – and the rest of the class – suffer.

 

 

http://core.ecu.edu/geology/Rigsbyc/Rigsby/Manuscripts/images/eye_bar.gif
Course ScheduleEditing AssignmentsLinksRigsby emailOneDriveECU Geological SciencesECU

 

Date last revised: 6:11 PM  01/07/2019
http://core.ecu.edu/geology/rigsbyc/rigsby/Manuscripts/2019/prospectus19.html