Chapter 6 in Student Guide: Term Paper Assignment

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Essay Prospectus Due: Monday, September 27

Term Paper Due: Monday, October 11

Read ALL of this before doing paper!!!

I want to give you the opportunity to dig into some area of Astronomy that really interests or excites you and learn more about it. The term paper is intended to be a (library) research paper addressing a subject mentioned in and/or relevant to the course. The text of the term paper should be 6 to 8 pages, typed and double-spaced (1200 to 1600 words). I expect references within the paper and a bibliography. The bibliography does not count toward the amount of text. The format of the references will be explained below.

As reference material for your term paper, start with a feature article from the list I have posted to this web site. Warning!: the article list also includes some articles that are not feature articles---they are good secondary references! All other sources (including the web) may be used as secondary reference (check with me to be sure it is okay).

In addition to your original article, I expect at least one other reference, and not more than three more (i.e., 2 to 4 references total). If you find that your references cover far more material than you could cover in your paper, then narrow your topic down.

Things to keep in mind

  1. I want a thorough examination of a particular topic, not a broad survey touching on several issues. I expect college-level quality.
  2. Pick a feature article that is interesting to you; discard dry, boring ones.
  3. Use the available space in your paper wisely. Don't try to stretch a thin set of material over four pages. There is no room for ``fluff'' in this paper; it wastes your time to write it, and it wastes my time to read it.
  4. Limit yourself to an upper boundary of 8 pages. I won't count off if you write more, but I would rather you spend your extra time keeping up with the course material.
  5. I expect plenty of evidence of your own research done and thoughts in this paper. Give a summary and then your own thoughts (at least three paragraphs worth) on the value of the research and/or discovery (explain/defend your conclusion!). I want you to show me that you have put some thought into the material and come up with some conclusions of your own. A paper that is a summary only will get at most 75% credit!
  6. Write about whether you think the paper is ``good science'' as discussed in Chapter 2 of Astronomy Notes. Think about ideas for other work that might be done to follow up the article you are writing about. Think about whether the science done was worthwhile (be honest in your opinion!). These kinds of questions (and answers) will show me that you have analyzed and understood the material, which is really all I want to see.
  7. If you put in a quotation, I expect it to be analyzed and explained in full, so please don't insert extraneous quotations. If you do quote somebody else, be sure you cite them---failure to do so is plagiarism and I take a lot of points off for plagiarism.
  8. Grammar, spelling, and sentence-structure mistakes are really annoying to me. Proofread! I will penalize heavily for a paper that is hard to read because of these types of basic mistakes.

References

The references should be done like this: when you are quoting directly or indirectly, put the reference author's last name and year of article after the quote, like this (Sagan 1996). At the end of your paper, list each reference and it will be clear who and what you are quoting. You will find that this is the way references are cited in most scientific papers, and it is one of the simplest ways to do it.

Essay Prospectus

On the Prospectus due date turn in a running title and one paragraph summary (four sentences minimum) of your paper. In short, I want evidence that you have put some thought into the paper at this time. The reason for this is twofold. First, I know and you know that if you put this assignment off until the last minute, your work will probably be pretty shoddy. I want to save you from wasting a lot of time for so few points. Second, I want a chance to look over what you intend to write about, so that I can offer constructive comments to help you along. I may suggest that you use an alternate primary source, or I may point you to a good secondary source. If you fail to hand in the essay prospectus ON the due date, you will get ZERO credit for the entire paper.

Turn in the ``Term Paper Grading Criteria'' sheet (below) with your report. Take special note of what a good paper will have in it. I expect college-level (English 1A level) quality.

Good luck, and remember, if you have any questions about this assignment, my office is always open.

Term Paper Grading Criteria

From the term paper assignment description (Chapter 6 in the Student Guide):
Your paper must:
  1. Provide a thorough examination of a particular topic, not a broad survey of several issues.
  2. Have plenty of your own thoughts of the value of the research and/or discovery discussed in the article. This is to show the reader (your instructor) that you have put some thought into the material and have come up with some conclusions of your own. A paper that only summarizes the article(s) will get at most 75% credit (and only if the summary uses excellent grammar and is accurate!).
  3. Discuss whether you think the writers of the astronomy article have followed the scientific method and whether the science done was worthwhile or significant. Explain/defend your conclusion! Also, your paper must discuss other work that might be done to follow up the article you are writing about.
  4. Analyze and explain in full any quotations used in the paper.
  5. Be grammatically correct.
Scores:

45--50 (A) Work far exceeds average requirements for the assignment given above---writing is logical, clear, lively, and grammatically correct, and reveals an individual style, excellent editing skills, and highly developed thinking and logic. Writer clearly understands the scientific concepts presented in the article and the significance of (or lack of significance of) the research in the endeavor of science.

40--44 (B) Work exceeds average requirements for the assignment given above---writing is logical, clear and grammatically correct, revealing well-developed thinking and writing skills. Writer understands the scientific concepts presented in the article and expresses own thoughts well and thoroughly.

33--39 (C) Work meets average requirements of the assignment given above---writing is logical, clear, understandable, workmanlike prose, with a minimum of grammatical errors, revealing effort to develop progress in thinking and writing skills. Writer understands the scientific concepts presented in the article.

25--32 (D) Work does not meet minimum requirements for the assignment given above---writing lacks clear focus, reveals consistent problems with sentence structure or numerous grammar and mechanics problems interfering with readibility. Writer misunderstands the basic scientific concepts presented in the article.

0--24 (F) Work is unacceptable---writing is unfocussed, illogical, riddled with grammar and mechanics problems. Writer misunderstands basic scientific concepts and/or combines them with other principles inappropriately.

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last update: 30 July 1999

Nick Strobel -- Email: strobel@lightspeed.net

(661) 395-4526
Bakersfield College
Physical Science Dept.
1801 Panorama Drive
Bakersfield, CA 93305-1219