Project+Instructions

You are required to write a five-page paper. Your paper is worth 100 points of your grade. You may choose from the topics listed below: Global Dimming and Global Warming China and California’s Air Pollution The Taiga The Sahel The Congo The Amazon The Mediterranean Climate The Mojave Desert Biome The San Andreas Fault The Santa Ana Winds Your own choice? *Requires Instructor Approval For each of these topics you must describe what it is, where it is or where it is happening, how does it affect people or how do people or wildlife live in it (in the case of places), what problems are there with your topic, how can those be fixed? You are encouraged to use maps and photos in your paper, however they do not count as “pages” and you should make sure you have about 1000 words. 1000 words in 12 point font, times new roman, is just about 5-pages. Your paper should have five sections: 1. What is it? 2. Where is it or where is it happening? 3. How is it affecting Earth-humans, animals, plants or in the case of places, how do humans, animals, and plants live in it (adaptations)? 4. Problems or Issues? 5. Solutions Address each question, or you will lose points. You will need to have at least five sources. You may use your textbook. You may also use the internet (reliable sources) and other books, magazine articles, or journals articles. Please try to keep in mind 5 in 5, or five sources published within the last five years. I encourage you to use the writing center for help with your paper. I will give five points extra credit for seeking help at the writing center. To receive that, attach the slip from the writing center to your paper, and the original copy that you took to the writing center. If you have never written a 5-page paper or it has been a long time since you have, you are especially encouraged to use the writing center. You may be able to do this online, check with the writing center. If your paper does not have enough pages, you will lose 20 points per page you are short. If you do not cover all sections, you will lose 10 points per missing section. If your paper has spelling and grammatical errors, you will lose 10 points per page with errors. If you do not cite your sources, you will only receive half credit-so if you would have scored 80 out of 100, you will only receive 40 points. If your sources are not cited correctly, you will lose 10 points per incorrect source. (see dianahacker.com for a guide to citing, or visit the writing center.) If your paper is plagiarized, you will receive no points (0) and you will be reported for cheating. **  Presentation Option   ** You may create a presentation based on the above topics as an alternative to the research paper. Presentations must be five minutes long and must address all of the same questions as in the paper. Presentations require instructor approval and must be scheduled by the instructor. You must turn in a paper with your presentation outlining your topic and giving your sources. Presentations also must include sources; the last page of a presentation giving credit to sources is acceptable. **  Video Option   ** You may create a video based on the above topics as an alternative to the research paper. Videos must be between 5 and 10 minutes long and must address all of the same questions as the research paper. Video projects require instructor approval. Video projects must also include sources, an page with credits at the end is sufficient. You must post your video on the internet, youtube or Google videos, or another medium, and provide me with a link via e-mail, lisa_m_schmidt@yahoo.com. You may still receive extra credit for using the writing center if you do a video or presentation. Take your material to the writing center and get help citing your sources. A note about citing sources When you read an article, or a book, and you use information from it in your paper, that is a source. If you use information from a source and you do not give it credit, that is considered plagiarism. When you use information from a source, you must cite it in the body of your paper, and you must put a “Works Cited” page at the end of your paper listing all of your sources. For example, if I wanted to say that wind blows from the west to the east in California and I got that information from your textbook, it should look like this: The prevailing winds in California blow from the west to the east (McKnight and Hess.) On the works cited page at the end of the paper, I would list McKnight as a source like this: McKnight & Hess // Physical Geography // 2008 (8th edition) Pearson-Prentice Hall If you do not cite sources in your paper, your presentation, or your video, you will only receive half credit. If you do not cite them in the body of your paper, you will only receive half credit. If you need more help with this, go to the writing center! Not only will they help you, but you will receive extra credit for it.
 * Physical Geography Research Paper  **