
Yes, we have REQUIRED field trips (2 of them!).
And, yes, this course is WRITING INTENSIVE!
Here are the details . . .
Effective written
communication is essential to success in both academic and non-academic
geologic applications. Once on the job (or in graduate school), you will
be expected to prepare a variety of geologic reports for a variety of
audiences. In this course, our field trips will provide the data for two
formal geologic reports. In these reports you will present your field
methods, field and laboratory observations and data (your and, in some cases,
those of your classmates), and your interpretations of those observations and
data in well-illustrated and clearly written professional formats.
We will discuss the details
of report style and the process of preparing professional reports on many
occasions during the semester. In
addition to the writing handouts you will receive in class, there are many on-line writing resources available to help you improve
your writing skills. I urge you to use
them!
The following tables
summarize the process you will go through to complete each report. Refer
to them often during the semester. Note that you will prepare three
drafts (and turn in two) before each final report is completed and that you are
required to meet with the geology writing consultant
at each stage of the process. The consultant will read your drafts
(including my comments on the material you have turned in to me) and offer
suggestions for improvement. You will incorporate those suggestions into
your draft manuscript before each due date. Please review the writing
consultant’s instructions page carefully (and check it regularily!).
Tar River Report
Assignment
|
Date
|
Details
|
Consultant Focus
|
Field Work
|
Sat.
09/11
|
See Tar
River field trip handout
|
|
First DRAFT DUE
|
Thurs.,
09/16
(9:30 am)
|
Draft #1 must include ALL organizational/structural
components (headings, subheadings, etc.), complete
introduction ("what," and "so what"), complete
methods
section, and ALL field-related diagrams.
Turn in the following:
- consultant-initialed,
marked-up draft
- all additional written
comments from consultant
- a clean, revised version of
the draft
|
- overall organization
- intro and methods
- important figures for each
section
|
Field DATA
DUE
|
Wed.
09/29
(midnight)
|
|
|
Second DRAFT DUE
|
Thurs.,
10/07
(12:30 pm)
|
Draft #2 should be an almost-complete manuscript. It must
include everything in draft #1, plus (at least) a complete analysis
of all geomorphic features encountered in the field (including all related
diagrams).
Turn in the following:
- consultant-initialed,
marked-up draft
- all additional written
comments from consultant
- clean, revised version of
draft
- list of how you incorporated
consultant suggestions into your revised manuscript -- keyed to the
marked-up copy and consultant comments
|
- all of the above, plus
- correspondence between field
and lab data
- data/interpretation
agreement
- your attention to previous
comments (including my comments on the previous draft)
|
Third DRAFT
|
Completed and ready for discussion
with Writing Consultant during tutorial session #3
|
Draft #3 should be a COMPLETE DRAFT of your paper --
including a discussion of TRENDS in the data. It must include ALL of the
required components. Don't forget to consult (again) your field trip and
writing handouts.
Turn in the following:
- consultant- initialed, marked
-up draft
- all additional written
comments from writing consultant
- clean, revised version of
draft
- list of how you incorporated
consultant suggestions into your revised manuscript -- keyed to the
marked-up copy and consultant comments
|
- all of the above, plus
- your analysis of trends shown
by the field and lab data
- abstract and summary
- your attention to previous
comments (including my comments on the previous drafts)
|
FINAL Report DUE
|
Tues.,
10/19
(9:30 am)
|
Turn in a
complete, clean final draft AND all previous drafts and commentary.
|
|
Shackleford Report
Assignment
|
Date
|
Details
|
Consultant Focus
|
Field Work
|
Sat.
10/23
|
See Shackleford
field trip handout
|
|
First DRAFT DUE
|
Thurs.,
10/28
(9:30 am)
|
Draft #1 must include ALL organizational/structural
components (headings, subheadings, etc.), complete
introduction ("what," and "so what"), complete
methods
section, and ALL field related diagrams.
Turn in the following:
- consultant-initialed,
marked-up draft
- all additional written
comments from consultant
- a clean, revised version of
draft
|
- overall organization
- intro and methods
- important figures for each
section
|
Second DRAFT DUE
|
Thurs.,
11/18
(12:30 pm)
|
Draft #2 should be an almost-complete manuscript. It must
include everything in draft #1, plus (at least) a complete analysis
of all of the depositional environment in the system and a draft
of your model diagram(s).
Turn in the following:
- consultant- initialed, marked
-up draft
- all additional written
comments from consultant
- clean, revised version of
draft
- list of how you incorporated
consultant suggestions into your revised manuscript
|
- all of the above, plus
- correspondence between field,
environment descriptions, and diagrams
- data/interpretation
agreement
- attention to previous
comments (including my comments on the previous draft)
|
Third DRAFT
|
Completed and ready for discussion
with Writing Consultant during tutorial session #3
|
Draft #3 should be a COMPLETE DRAFT of your paper --
including a discussion of the vertical sequence proposed in
your model, the conditions under which such a sequence
might be deposited, and its preservation potential. It must
include ALL of the required components. Don't forget to
consult (again) your field trip and writing handout.
Turn in the following:
- consultant- initialed, marked
-up draft
- all additional written
comments from consultant
- clean, revised version of
draft
- list of how you incorporated
consultant suggestions into your revised manuscript
|
- all of the above, plus
- your facies model and
analysis of preservation potential and depositional conditions
- abstract and summary
- your attention to previous
comments (including my comments on the previous draft)
|
FINAL Report DUE
|
Tues.,
12/07
(9:30 am)
|
Turn in a
complete, clean final draft AND all previous drafts and commentary.
|
|








Date last revised: 08/02/10
http://core.ecu.edu/geology/rigsbyc/rigsby/Sedimentology/2010/writing.html