From a main topic, you will research and report your findings on a specific sub-topic.

MAIN TOPIC: Environmental econocmics

SUPPORT MATERIALS: Please refer to our suggest book: Write, Present, Create: Science Communication for Undergraduates, before beginning your literature review paper (on a sub-topic of your main topic).

PAPER TOPIC: From your main topic, you will research and report your findings on a specific sub-topic. You must paraphrase all of your research. This is an activity to test your ability at finding scholarly research articles, reading those articles, understanding those articles and putting the information you found into your own words in a coherent example of written communication. The process should go like this:

1.Research peer reviewed journals through sjlibrary.org (My favorite databases are JSTOR and Science Direct – Please see the Research Methods lecture for more information

2.While reading these journal papers, pay special attention to the Abstract, Introduction, Background/Significance and Discussion sections. Take your own notes, do not just highlight.

3.Drawing upon your research, gather and distill the knowledge you have just gained about your specific sub-topic and write your paper, in your own words, describing this new and novel information for a University level audience. You want to summarize your findings so that the reader will leave with a good understanding of what is cutting edge in your chosen topic’s field.

Students will complete a written scientific literature research paper based on their chosen topic and specifically about what is new in the research/development of their topic. Primary literature sources should be published after 2000. This could be a treatment, a cure, new information found about the disease/disorder, etc. The research paper should NOT include ANY background information unless it is absolutely vital to an explanation of the new findings. This paper is about NEW, cutting edge research. You will explain the background information on your topic during your oral presentation.

Remember, you need to have a clear focus on your subtopic, since you only have a maximum of 1000 words. Your paper must be well researched with scientific, peer-reviewed journals making up the bulk of your references. It should be an example of your best efforts at written communication. Part of your grade will be based on form, style, and grammar, while the content of your report will carry the heaviest weight towards your grade. The length of the write-up should be approximately 3 pages Minimum of 750 words not to exceed 1000 within the body of the paper, 12pt. times new roman or arial font, double spaced, and word processed. This paper must have the all the attributes of a well-written paper. This includes having a good sentence structure, excellent grammar and a logically, well thought out overall flow.

FORMAT:

Type a ~3 page, double-spaced written report (12-point font, about 750 words, not to exceed 1000 words).

This is NOT a free-form document. IT MUST BE ORGANIZED INTO THE 4 SECTIONS OUTLINED BELOW – no need to place section titles.

1.Introduction: describe the topic, indicate the scope and give any history and/or background information that is appropriate. (Cite literature)

2.Body: Include current information/arguments drawn from a wide array of literature sources and text. Connect the issue to some aspect represented in the text (In other words what have you learned in the class that has enabled you to write on this issue). Develop your ideas sequentially and logically. (Cite literature)

3.Conclusion/Discussion: Pull together the information and ideas to make a coherent picture. Give some idea of the importance of the topic. Also, indicate what the future may hold. (Cite literature)

4.Literature cited: Follow the form as given at the end of these instructions. Note: all scientific names are in italics! – Not included in your word count

NOTE: Always give credit for ALL information you have gained from someone else. If it did not come from your brain or is not common knowledge (like the sky is blue), then you must cite your source. In science direct quotes are seldom used. Instead, information is summarized and the sources indicated. Citations occur in the text in the following format (Author last name, year article written) NOT as footnotes. DO NOT PUT DIRECT QUOTES FROM YOUR SOURCE. Turnitin.com will recognize that as plagiarism and you will receive a zero on your paper. You must REPHRASE the information you have gathered. You MUST follow the literature cited format as stated below. You must cite all your sources both within the body of the paper AND at the end, in the literature cited section.

Use this format for your Literature citations within text:

(Single Author)

Alligator lizards are active during the day (Jones, 1984) while desert geckos are nocturnal (Smith, 1982).

(Two Authors)

Alligator lizards are active during the day (Jones and Davis, 1984) while desert geckos are nocturnal (Smith and Kirk, 1982).

(More than 2 Authors) Alligator lizards are active during the day (Jones et al., 1984) while desert geckos are nocturnal (Smith et al., 1982).

(Websites) Alligator lizards are active during the day (worldwildlifefund.org, 2008) while desert geckos are nocturnal (nature.org, 2008).

If you have used a reference multiple times within the same paragraph, you may cite your reference at the end of the last sentence in your paragraph. Otherwise, site your source at the end of the thought/idea of which you are using their information.

These references are then included more fully in the Literature Cited section at the end of your report, in the following format. If you have used the latin abbreviation et al., (and of course you have italicized et al.) within the body of your paper you MUST spell out each authors name in the literature cited section.

Use this format for your Literature Cited section: – Your literature cited section should be alphabetized by first authors last name. No numbers or bullets, all left justified with each citation single spaced and separated from the next citation by a double space.

For journal articles and books:

Jones, V.W., Patel, J.K. 1984. Activity periods of alligator lizards. Journal of Lizard Research. 34(2):182-189.

Smith, I.M. 1982. The Life of the Gecko. College of the Desert Press, Tucson. 333pp.

For citation of a website ONLY:

World Health Organization. Malarial mortality in Africa. 3 July 2001. http://www.who.int/rbm/Presentations (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. [accessed 2003 May 5]

Your sources must be diverse! You must have at least 5 peer-reviewed journal sources. Beyond this you may have maximum of 2 can be from a online only website, maximum of 2 books and a maximum of 2 secondary literature resources such as magazines. However, do not feel you need to use books/magazines unless you wish. You must have the bulk of your references from primary literature articles. You may have NO Wikipedia resources! If you use multiple pages from a single website, it is still considered just one website-one source. When you access journals from the library through the internet, these are considered NON-WEB resources because they are simply electronic versions of hard copy papers that have been published in paper form elsewhere. Most libraries know store journal articles in electronic form. A “web” resource, is a website that does not exist in a published, printed format anywhere. If you access an electronic copy from a library database, treat it as a journal – do not put any info on what database you accessed it from.

If your paper is above 25% unoriginal material, you will be in danger of receiving a zero on the assignment and/or being reported to the University for plagiarism.

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