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ATM S 211: Spring Quarter 2008
Climate and Climate Change

Project General Information

(updated 5/16/08 )

 

PRESENTATION SCHEDULE   -  June 3 / 4  (posted 5/28/08)

 

At a glance:

1.      Research and presentation on climate topic of interest.  Results will be  (1) Poster, and (2) a 2-3 page summary plus reference list

  1. 2 person teams - divide topic into subtopics. 
  2. Important dates:

1. Fri April 25 - Topic and partner chosen

2. Fri May 2 - Submit list of References and Outline

3. Fri May 30 - Finished summary and posters due for grading

3a.  June 3 and 4 Finished poster due for grading after poster session. (revised 5/16)

4. Tue Jun 3 and Wed Jun 4 - Poster session during class. Mandatory attendance both days.  Submit a critique of two posters.

  1. For Writing (W) Credit – Draft due 9 May.  Final report due 30 May.  See additional details below

 

Notice for 4-28-08

Class email list (@u addresses) for the class has been posted here.  Find your project partner via this list.   Please verify that your partner is listed correctly here and make changes as necessary.

 

Instructions

Purpose

Dates

Poster Preparation

Poster Presentations

References

Evaluation Grading

List of Suggested Topics 

 

Sign up for a topic This link will take you to a Catalyst peer review page.  Choose ‘View and comment on a document’.  The document ‘Project Sign Up’ will be listed on the left bar.  Choose that one.  Sign up by clicking on the topic you are interested in and insert your name.  Show all sign ups thus far by clicking on the ‘view comments from’ ‘select all’ at the bottom.

 

 

Purpose: The purpose of this project is for you to do a little extra research on some climate topic of interest to you. The list below provides some topics from which you may choose. You are certainly welcome to come up with your own topic, as long as it has some connection to climate and provides the opportunity for some analysis and/or original thought.

 

You will do the projects in pairs. We realize that this may present some challenges, but we are sure that you can manage them. Each project will consist of a poster, and a summary (each person writes independently) with list of references.

 

Dates

 

1a.  Find a partner by Friday 25 Apr.  The first step is to find a partner. Please do this no later than April 25. If you do not have a partner by April 25, we will match you with someone in your discussion section.

 

1b. Identify the topic by Friday 25 Apr.  Sign up for a topic This link will take you to a Catalyst peer review page.  Choose ‘View and comment on a document’.  The document ‘Project Sign Up’ will be listed on the left bar.  Choose that one.  Sign up by clicking on the topic you are interested in and insert your name.  Show all sign ups thus far by clicking on the ‘view comments from’ ‘select all’ at the bottom.

 

Add a “comment” by clicking on the topic and adding the names of the partners under your choice of topics. If you have another idea, add a topic at the end, with your names, if it is not on the list, and clear it with Paul (via email or in person). Some of the topics below have an *; in the case of those topics, please identify the focus of the topic. (For example, if you choose a state climatology project, identify which state you are considering.)

 

 

2.  Outline/References by Friday 2 May.   Submit an outline of what you will be presenting in the poster, how the topic will be divided in the group, and a list of references (full citations).  One submission per group.   Paul will return feedback after the weekend.  As you do more research - the reference list may grow, and the outline may change slightly.   Please let me know if the focus changes significantly. 

 

3.  Submit poster and summary by Friday 30 May.

Each person will submit a 2-3 page report that summarizes your understanding and analysis of your research topic, how your part relates to the part done by your partner.  Do include your own thoughtful critique, analysis and pose additional questions about either your research or your understanding. 

 

The list of references (not included in 2-3 page count) should have complete citations (author(s), date, title, source, pages, and the website link if applicable).  In the case of longer references (e.g. books or review articles), describe briefly what part you used.

 

The poster submitted on Friday 30 May should be a small copy on  regular 8.5x11 paper with (1) a clear schematic (can be hand drawn and does not have to have every detail) of your poster (hard copy or electronic is fine) and (2) details of figures and text or any slides/documents that you prepare (hard copy or electronically).   The actual poster will be collected at the end of the poster session for grading. 

 

Poster Preparation

 

Be creative with how you create your finished poster:  It does not have to be a professionally printed on glossy paper with a plotter (will cost you a few bucks).  Feel free to draw and write freehand, combine printed 8.5x11in sheets, etc.   It should be neat and clearly demonstrate your ideas, and show a significant amount of effort.  But please do not spend too much time getting bits of software to work 'just right'.  Keep both the story simple to communicate a couple of major ideas in a few minutes. 

 

Size should be on the order of 4ft x 4ft, and should be legible from about 5 foot distance.  I have blue poster paper that you are welcome to use.  For the poster session you should be able to hang it in about 2 minutes. 

 

Members of the group should choose a title and write an introduction and conclusion. Each person should have their name listed on the poster, under the title.  Each member of the group should then select at least two figures that illustrate their project. The figure can be a photograph, a graph, a sketch, or even a table. Ideally, the figures should complement one another, forming the basis for your project's "story."  Ideas for poster preparation can be found here.  References should be listed on the poster. 

 

Poster Presentation

The posters will be on display in the Mary Gates Common Area on June 3 and 4. Attendance at the poster session during class time on both days is mandatory. Half of the posters will be shown on each day.  One partner will stand by the poster during each half of the class.  Please arrive a few minutes early to have your poster set up before class begins.  

If you have any questions about the process, please talk to us

 

Two ˝ page poster critiques should be submitted (one from each day day’s session) as part of the class activity grade. 

 

References

 

Use at least 3 references (unless you are commenting on a book, in which case the book alone is probably enough). At least two of your references must be textbooks, other reference or scholarly books, or articles from well-recognized journals or science-oriented magazines (e.g. Scientific American, Science, Nature, National Geographic). If you are unsure if your source will meet these criteria, check with us. Beyond these two references, you may include webpages with complete URLs and date accessed. You must list all of your references, and any direct quotes must be indicated as such. Travel websites often contain climate information, but please don't assume they are accurate. Also travel websites should not be one of your 3 primary sources.

 

Most of what you write in your summary papers should represent your own synthesis of what you've learned in your reading and through talking with other members of your group.  But please be very careful about your referencing. If you copy any exact wording from one of your sources, you must cite the source in your text. If you fail to do so, you run the risk of plagiarizing. Even if you are paraphrasing in your own words something that is clearly one scientist's idea or opinion, you must mention the source.

 

Evaluation / Grading 

 

Start your research early to ensure success, and feel free to discuss your research or the rough draft of your poster/summary with us at any point. This project forms 20% of your course grade, so you should expect to spend a lot of time on it. Your research must be extensive, your writing must be of high quality, and your poster presentation must be clear.

 

The project will be evaluated as follows: 65% on the poster and presentation of ideas, and 35% on the summary.  Criteria for the poster include content, clarity of presentation, and coordination between partners.

The written summary must be a solid piece of writing that demonstrates clearly your understanding of your research, the points you are making in the poster, as well as additional questions that your research raises.  You will be evaluated primarily on content for the summary, including structure and accuracy, but we also expect correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and construction.  Proper references will be part of the evaluation of the poster.

 

Writing (W) Credits   

 

Students taking ATMS 211 as a writing course will be required to submit a 3000-3500 word paper (about 10-12 pages of double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman text, not including figures) that must be revised in response to suggestions from the instructor before submission.  The topic for will be the same as the poster presentation, and the paper is submitted in place of the 2-3 page summary. 

 

Writing Credit Deadlines:

Draft Due:  Friday 9 May

Final Report Due: Friday 30 May

 

The written paper must be a solid piece of writing. You will be evaluated primarily (75% of paper grade) on content, including structure, organization, and accuracy, but we also expect correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and construction (25% of paper grade). The paper should include a title, an introduction, a discussion of the subject matter, and a conclusion.

 

Supplementary tables or figures are encouraged and datasets, references, and other sources of information used in the paper should be listed in sufficient detail at the end so that an interested reader will know how to locate them. Use at least 3 references (unless you are commenting on a book, in which case the book alone is probably enough). At least two of your references must be textbooks, other reference or scholarly books, or articles from well-recognized journals or science-oriented magazines (e.g. Scientific American, Science, Nature, National Geographic). If you are unsure if your source will meet these criteria, check with us. Beyond these two references, you may include webpages with complete URLs and date accessed. You must list all of your references, and any direct quotes must be indicated as such. Travel websites often contain climate information, but please don't assume they are accurate. Also travel websites should not be one of your 3 primary sources.

 

Please be very careful about your referencing. If you copy any exact wording from one of your sources, you must cite the source in your text. If you fail to do so, you run the risk of plagiarizing, and plagiarism will not be handled lightly in the evaluation.  Even if you are paraphrasing in your own words something that is clearly one scientist's idea or opinion, you must mention the source. Much of what you write in your papers should represent your own synthesis of what you've learned in your reading and through talking with other members of your group.

 

 

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