A significant portion of your efforts in this class rely on your ability to effectively communicate your knowledge and opinions, both in writing and orally. Of course, we will do our best to help you improve those skills. You will not be able to benefit much from this class, if you attempt to passively digest the material.

1. Each student is expected to lead the discussion of at least one of the journal articles during the two case studies (Mars and Himalaya-Tibet).
   • Presentations should take no more than 30 minutes, and should include a concise summary of the paper, a list of the main points, background material that helps better understand the issues, and questions for subsequent discussion. Please prepare a 2-page handout that contains the main points and questions and can include a summary figure.
2. Each week, everybody (except for the presenter) will write a short 200-word (must be < 220!) abstract about the key issues and papers that were discussed that week.
   • Please submit this summary via e-mail to Trey and Roland before we meet again, the following week. 
   • Please send all e-mail's under subject: EPS150
   • Please name your files in your_name_object.doc format (e.g., roland_abstract1.doc)
   • No late submissions!
3. At the end of each case study, each student is expected to submit a 2-page (600 word) proposition for future research on the topic. Your proposals are due 1 week following the final session covering each topic at the beginning of class (see schedule).
   • No late submissions! If you have a valid scheduling conflict, you need to make appropriate arrangements BEFORE the deadline.
4. For the final stage of the course effort you will prepare  a 2-page Fact Sheet, on one of the case study topics (you can propose your own related topic).
   • We will provide you with more detailed information about this project later in the semester. 
   • The fact sheets are to be developed and formatted following the USGS fact sheets available on a large number of topics. We will provide a template Word file.
   • Please submit an MS Word or PDF file (in color, with exactly 2-pages) and hardcopy of your fact sheet.

• Weekly summaries: 20 %
• Two proposals: 30 %
• One fact sheet: 20 %
• Presentations: 20 %
• Participation in discussions: 10 %

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Page last updated August 31, 2007