INTEGRATION OF WRITING IN LARGE INTRODUCTORY GEOLOGY CLASSES: LANDSLIDES AND EARTHQUAKES AND VOLCANOES! OH MY!

The integration of writing-based coursework in introductory geology classes is frequently encouraged within the framework of a liberal arts education, but they present a number of challenges related to number, length, and subject of these assignments. One of the primary skill sets any college student should master over the course of their bachelor’s degree is the ability to write concise, well researched, appropriate, and grammatically correct submissions that vary in length from single paragraphs to multi-page research papers. Though many students have taken writing-based classes in high school and their first year of college, the focus is typically on writing within a humanities context and not the sciences.

Several types of assignments have been designed and adapted for three different introductory level classes: Volcanoes and Civilization, Earthquakes and Volcanoes, and Physical Geology. Short, weekly news journals encourage students to be aware of worldwide geological events as well as recognize appropriate sources of scientific information and practice writing concise summaries. Longer synthesis papers at the end of the semester focus on either the geology of a chosen National Park or of Hollywood’s portrayal of a geologic event. The synthesis papers encourage use of a variety of scientific sources, application of knowledge learned over the course of the semester, and distinguishing between “data” and “interpretations.” Though improvements in the students’ writing abilities is observable over the course of the semester, the challenges associated with editing, grading, and choosing appropriate topics can not be understated.