 Wheee! |
Professor: | Kurt Hollocher |
| Office: | Olin 314 | |
| Phone: | 388-6518 | |
| E-mail: | hollochk@union.edu | |
| My web site: | http://minerva.union.edu/hollochk/kth/index.htm | |
| Office hours: | By appointment |
| Week | Your Friday Presentation*** | Written work due Friday** |
| 1 | Oral presentation of Intended Project Also a discussion of this paper See your Geology Department mailbox for details ASAP in January! | Summary of your Intended Project, 1 page*. |
| 2 | Powerpoint presentation of Background and Previous Work This is a preliminary overview of the project, what other people have done, ideas for investigation at this point, and current progress. Report on interlibrary loan requests. | Previous Work section, preliminary version*. |
| 3 | Powerpoint presentation of your Introduction section. This would include the location,maybe more previous work, the geologic problem, and an outline of the rest of the project. Report on interlibrary loan requests. | Introduction section, may include more previous work*. |
| 4 | Powerpoint presentation of the Methods section; methods used by you or others, as appropriate. Report on interlibrary loan requests. | Methods section*. |
| 5 | Powerpoint presentation of the Data you obtained (maps, stratigraphy, structural data, tables of numbers, graphs, descriptions, etc.). Report on the continuing success or failure of interlibrary loan requests. | Data section, may later be incorporated into Methods or Discussion*. |
| 6 | Powerpoint presentation of Data Interpretation. Emphasis should be on how or why the data mean what you say they do. Show graphs, photos, etc. to explain the data, processes involved, and interpretation. | Data Interpretation section, may later be incorporated into Data or Discussion*. |
| 7 | Powerpoint presentation of your Discussion section. This is is where you discuss the data and so on in the context of the geologic problem. How do your results bear on geologic issues in a greater context? Like week 6 but more general. | Discussion section*. |
| 8 | Powerpoint presentation of your Conclusions section. Cite your conclusions step by step, in each case reviewing exactly the evidence and reasoning supporting each of your conclusions. | Conclusions section, may later be incorporated into Discussion*. |
| 9 | Powerpoint presentation of Further Work that can be done or or still needs to be done (not necessarily by you). Should be directly related to your project. This will not be just a few sentences, but will be a review of your work, your data, and work by others, with illustrations etc., and where the gaps in current knowledge are. | Further Work section, may later be incorporated into Conclusions*. |
| 10 | Powerpoint presentation of your Whole Thesis Project, like you would give at a scientific conference (e.g., GSA, AGU). | Written Abstract and Acknowledgements sections, and final set of references*. |
| Finals | No final exam. | Final written thesis due* |
| * | Formal arrangements are made with your advisor. | |
| ** | Except Week 1, every week also requires a properly formatted, cumulative reference list of all references used in the written work to date. | |
| *** | Except Week 1, you should plan on and practice for a 10-15 minute presentation. Don't hesitate to present preliminary material, things you are unsure of, and general ideas without hard backing. However, you should your limits of understanding. | |
- Thesis formatting guidelines can be found here.
- Powerpoint practical guidelines can be found here. No gratuitous animations, or else!
- Grammatical guidelines can be found here. Use English as she is spoke, or foundered you be!
- Information on how to make bad graphs can be found here.
Your advisor will be responsible for reviewing and ultimately grading your written work, but turn it in to me. See your advisor first for help with:
- Writing style.
- Writing content.
- Specific scientific issues.
- Everything else when I am not available.
- Powerpoint or other software problems, except software I don't know such as Adobe Illustrator.
- Help using on-line catalogs and databases.
- Help finding any information at all.
- Scanning slides, photos, figures from papers.
- Digital camera needs.
- Everything your advisor can do when he or she is not available.
- All work will be scored on a 0 to 10 scale by me.
- Written work handed in complete and on time (Friday) gets an automatic 10.
- The score for late work decreases 2 points per day: Monday it is 8, Tuesday it is 6, Wednesday it is 4, Thursday it is 2, Friday it is 0.
- No partial credit for turning in only the text due or the cumulative reference list; you have to turn in both.
- It is therefore better to turn in rough drafts than to turn in nothing.
- However, your advisor actually grades the writing, which will be factored into the final grade and ultimately counts for ~1/3 of your grade.
- This means you actually have to do the work and not just turn in trash.
- Presentations presented in class get an automatic 5 points, with the additional 5 points based on the presentation itself.
- Late presentations get an automatic 2 points, with an additional 2 points based on the presentation itself.
- It is therefore better to do a bad job on time than any late job or no job at all.
- No excuses except by prior arrangement with me and your advisor, or with the Dean of Students in emergencies, as per Union College policy.
- Post-class excuses must be accompanied by your own death certificate or an approval from the Dean of Students for your absence.
- Your final grade will be based on points earned and your advisors' grade recommendations.
| Grade component | Maximum Points |
| 10 weeks times 10 points per written assignment | 100 points |
| 10 weeks times 10 points per presentation | 100 points |
| Quality of written work (your advisors' contribution) | 100 points |
| Total | 300 points |
- This course should be fun: lots of discussion about science and how to do it, present it, and write about it.
- Be ready. Remember that the grading scale dramatically rewards on-time work.
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Schenectady, NY 12308 U.S.A. |