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Fall 2019

Yes, we have REQUIRED field trips (2 of them!).

And, yes, this course is WRITING INTENSIVE! 

Here are the details . . .

 


As part of ECU’s Writing Across the Curriculum Program, this course contributes to the 12-hour WI requirement for geosciences students by integrating professional writing with the disciplinary content of the course.

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 (yours 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, two of which you will turn in, before each final report is completed.  You are also required to meet with a Writing Center 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.  It is important that you respond to all editorial suggestions as you prepare each subsequent draft of your document.  
  

Tar River Report

Assignment

Date

Details

Consultant Focus

Consultant Meeting Dates

Field Work

THURSDAY 
09/12


See Tar River field trip handout
 

--

--

First DRAFT DUE

THURSDAY
09/19

(12:30 pm)



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.

           

Field DATA
DUE
MONDAY
09/30

(8:00 am)

Turn in via the class Tar River OneDrive folder, using the format provided during lab.

Draft 1b  DUE

 THURSDAY
10/03

(12:30 pm)

  

 Draft #1b must include ALL organizational/structural 
components (headings, subheadings, etc.), complete 
introduction ("what," and "so what"), complete methods 
section, ALL field-related diagrams, 
near-final report diagrams, 1st draft of table and graphs of your own field data, and your initial interpretations of the field-based data (with 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

This meeting MUST take place before 5 pm on Tuiesday, October 1.

Second DRAFT
 THURSDAY
10/17
(9:30 am)

Draft #2 should be an almost-complete manuscript.  It must include everything in draft #1b, 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 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

  • all of the above, plus
  • correspondence between field and lab data
  • data/interpretaion agreement
  • your attention to previous comments (including my comments on the previous drafts)
 This meeting MUST take place before 5 pm on Friday, October 11.

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)

NOTE:  This meeting MUST take place AT LEAST 2 days before the FINAL draft is due (= on or before 10/22)

FINAL Report DUE

THURSDAY
10/24

(9:30 am)

Upload (into your personal class OneDrive folder) a Tar River "portfolio" that includes the complete, clean final draft AND all previous drafts, commentary, and responses to commentary,

 

 

  Shackleford Report

 

Assignment

Date

Details

Consultant Focus

Consultant Meeting Dates

Field Work

SATURDAY 
10/26


See Shackleford field trip handout

--

--

First DRAFT DUE

THURSDAY
10/31

(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

 

This tutorial session MUST take place  before 5 pm on Tuesday, October 29.

Second DRAFT DUE

TUESDAY
11/14

(9:30 am)


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)

 

This tutorial session MUST take place  before 5 pm, Friday, November 12.

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)

This tutorial session MUST be take place on or BEFORE 5 pm on Friday, November 22.

FINAL Report DUE

TUESDAY
11/26

(9:30 am)

Upload (into your personal class OneDrive folder)  a Shackleford "portfolio" that includes the complete, clean final draft AND all previous drafts, commentary, and responses to commentary.

 

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ProspectusCourse ScheduleField TripsECU Geological SciencesECU

Date last revised: 08/14/19
http://core.ecu.edu/geology/rigsbyc/rigsby/Sedimentology/2019/writing.htm