Syllabus for GEO 589 Research for Earth Science Teachers

Syllabus for
GEO 589 Research for Earth Science Teachers

Research Advisor: Gilbert N. Hanson

Office: 310 ESS Building
Telephone: 631-632-8210,

Return to Earth Science Research Project Home Page

Course Description
This course is intended to provide Earth Science teachers or graduate students in Earth Science Education an opportunity to obtain research experience oriented to Earth Science education. A written research report is required.

What is research?

According to Websters New World Dictionary Research is: Careful, systematic, patient study and investigation in some field of knowledge, undertaken to discover or establish facts or principles. In geology, research often requires field investigations using mapping as the base. A requirement of research is that the results be made available to others.

What Types of Research Projects May I Choose?

Each student will select an independent research project in consultation with me. We will emphasize surveys, field trips and self-guided science walks. The reason is to better understand the geology of an area. This requires a geological survey using topographic maps, air photos, field observations and published geological information. With this information you can develop field trips and self-guided science walks. These will increase the interest of both the teachers and students in their natural surroundings. They will also show how the Earth Sciences relate to biology, chemistry and physics. You are encouraged to do this research near the school where you are teaching. If you are not yet a teacher, you are encouraged to develop a range of field trips and science walks on the Stony Brook campus. These will be prototypes for similar efforts that can be made near your school.

You may also choose to develop new research projects for earth science students. Such projects should allow students to make their own observations and to collect their own data locally, that is, near school or home.

How Will the Results Be Reported?

Due to the potentially diverse nature of the projects, the type of information in each report may be quite different. In general each report should include

An abstract of about 200 words that simply states the reason for the project and summarizes the results
A comprehensive introduction that explains the reason for the project, reviews similar efforts described in the literature, gives the scientific basis for the project and the reason why the project was done way it was.
A body that describes in some detail what you did. Include a discussion of the research tools or methods used that were new to you.
A discussion or summary of the results.
Reference using the GSA Bulletin Style. For referencing articles on the web use the GSA Style and then add the URL at the end. See http://www.mla.org/main_stl.htm#styl_top for examples.

Do a grammar check. Have no more than 20% passive sentences. The writing should be concise. The readability should be at the eighth grade level, a major part of the audience you are trying to reach.

Can I Place My Report on the Web?

Reports, guides, field trips and projects should be placed on the web. During this time many of you will become comfortable with creating web pages. I highly recommend that you begin creating a web page immediately. Prepare a simple biography describing your earth science and education background and your proposed research. Continually update the web page with new information and appropriate links. I will place the information on the Earth Science Research Project web site. There are computers connected to the internet available for your use in room 317 of the ESS Building.

You may wish to visit the web pages and projects that were created by previous years participants. They can be found on the Earth Science Research Project Home Page .