University of Mobile - Latin American Branch Campus
ES 401
Environmental Geology

Spring 2000

San Marcos, Nicaragua




ES 401 Environmental Geology


Instructor: Keith Earnshaw
919-846-6365 Tel.
919-844-6587 Fax
e-mail earnshaw@mindspring.com

Web Site www.earnshaw-environmental.com


Course Description:

Environmental Geology introduces students to the interrelationships between the living and non-living environment. This course will approach the environmental sciences from the geological, chemical, and biological perspectives, with special emphasis being placed on natural systems and environmental impact.

Textbook:
Handouts, articles, videos, and web site addresses will be provided on a weekly basis.

Instructional Methods:
Course materials will be presented through a combination of handouts, videos, discussion forums, and Internet sites. The Weekly Announcements home page will provide detailed assignments and explanations.

Grading:

Exams (4) - 100 points each
Class Participation in Discussion Forums - 200 points
Research Paper - 200 points
Video Summaries (4) - 50 points each

Grading Scale:

A 100-90 B 89-80 C 79-70 D 69-60 F below 60

Attendance:

You are required to log-on weekly and review the week's course material. Additionally, you will be required to participate in the discussion forum at least twice a week. Students are encouraged to get together on campus at least one time each week to view the assigned videos and discuss course topics.

COURSE OUTLINE

CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE WRITING

• Main Idea
  
  The paper is focused, meets the expectations set up by the writer, and makes these expectations clear to the reader. The paper shows a clear sense of purpose.

• Well-Organized
  
  The paper is clearly developed; transitions are clear from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph. In other words, the writer has not simply made a series of unrelated or vaguely related statements. Rather, each sentence and paragraph carries the reader closer to an understanding or appreciation of the writer's goal.

• Support
  
  The writer provides specific, concrete, and appropriate information from memory, observation, reading, interviewing, or other sources. The paper is well developed with examples, details, illustrations, anecdotes, or the like.

• Style
  
  Sentences are varied, and word choices are accurate. There is an absence of "clutter" or "padding." Phrasing is clear and direct. Tone is handled consistently; sentence length and word choices are appropriate to the audience and purpose of the piece.

• Mechanics
  
  Punctuation, grammar, spelling, and aspects of format are handled correctly. The writer has prepared the paper carefully with attention to appearance and other details. Opening, closing, and title are strong and contribute to the sense of purpose, focus, and unity of the piece of writing.

• Proofreading

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. What is my major point?
2. Have I supported generalizations, opinions, and conclusions with specific examples?
3. Have I avoided using unnecessary words and clichés?

GUIDELINES FOR USING SOURCES IN ACADEMIC WRITING:
HOW TO AVOID PLAGIARISM

• Using Sources
  When writing for your courses you may freely make use of other people's ideas and information from a variety of sources, if you give full credit to the sources of the ideas and information.
  
  Your sources may include published information: books, periodicals, brochures, other reports, and the like. They may include correspondence, interviews, lectures, and similar sources, as well. (Lesikar & Lyons, 1986, p. 202)
  
  There are two important reasons for accurately citing the sources of any borrowed ideas or information. The first, most obvious, reason is academic honesty. It is dishonest to present someone else's ideas as if they were your own, and it is likewise unfair to the originator of those ideas not to give credit where credit is due. The second reason for accurately citing your sources is that doing so gives credibility to your writing.
  
  Explaining where you got your material gives readers a chance to judge its reliability and accuracy and also makes it possible for them to look up more about the subject if they want to. (Johnson, 1992, p. 170)
  
  There are two ways in which you may include information from sources in your writing: You may either quote directly or paraphrase, that is, restate the information in your own words. The choice should be made on a case-by-case basis. You should paraphrase when you can convey information more efficiently or effectively than it is conveyed in the original. You should quote directly when the wording is distinctive or when using the source's own words will add credibility to the information you are presenting. (Lesikar & Lyons, 1986, p. 203)
  
  When quoting or paraphrasing you must "cite your source" by giving full information about where the information was found. This information will usually include author, title, date, publisher, and page number.
  
  You must always cite the source when information or an idea belongs to a specific person or group; however, if information or an idea is your own observation or is common knowledge and accepted as true by most people, you do not need to cite your source. (Johnson, 1992, p. 170)

• Electronic Media/ Sources from the Internet:
  Jennifer Attebery, from the Department of English and Philosophy at Idaho State University, warns that a common problem is that students may paraphrase a large amount of material from one or two sources, thus retaining the original organization of ideas. She labels this practice "a subtle form of plagiarism" (Owen).
  
  The key to documenting electronic media is to give enough information so that readers can retrieve the source themselves. This means including as much of the following information as possible: author's name, title of the document, date of the document, name of the database (e.g., Internet), the type of medium (e.g., on-line), electronic address, and the date the source was accessed (Hairston and Ruszkiewic, 549). If you have any questions regarding in-text or full documentation of electronic sources, consult your facilitator for his/her preferred form.

• Plagiarism
  
  Plagiarism is the use of someone else's idea, as a quote or paraphrase, without giving full credit to the source. It is an academic offense with serious consequences - unethical, unwise, and, also, unnecessary.
  
  There is certainly no need to plagiarize, since you are allowed to use sources, provided that you acknowledge them. In fact, there is no advantage in it either; papers based on expert sources, fairly acknowledged, are what is wanted . . . They are exactly what instructors are looking for. (Veit, 1990, p. 152)
  
  Detailed information on how to avoid plagiarism, how to quote and paraphrase, and how to cite your sources fully and accurately, can be found in any standard writing guide.

LIST OF WORKS CITED

Hairston, M. & John J. Ruszkiewicz. (1996). The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers, (4th
ed). New York: Harper Collins.

Johnson, J. (1992). The Bedford guide to the research process (2nd ed.). Boston: St. Martin's.

Lesikar, R., & Lyons, M. P. (1986). Report writing for business (7th ed.). Homewood: Irwin.

Owen, J.B. "Plagiarism," adapted from Jennifer Attebery. Idaho State University, 1995 [article on-line]; available from http://isuux.isu.edu/owenjack/plag.html; Internet; accessed 19 June, 1996.

Veit, R. (1990). Research: The student's guide to writing research papers. New York: Macmillan.