Guidelines for term paper for fall 2015

1. Guidelines for Term Paper
BIOL205, Fall 2015

2. Term Paper ---- Topic
 Research paper: To propose a research project to
examine an aspect of water quality and its impact
on a particular area of the Chesapeake Bay
watershed.
 Review (Summary) paper: If your topic is
ecologically and environmentally related (such as
a review/summary on global climate change, or
environmental issues in the Chesapeake Bay,
such as, native oyster in Chesapeake Bay etc.), it
should be ok.

3. Possible titles for the term paper
 Topics (title of your term paper) need to be concise,
clear, and easy to read.
 Some bad titles (from your lab 2&3)
 Saving Chesapeake Bay
 Declining animals in the Chesapeake Bay.
 Saving the Chesapeake Bay and its habitats.
 A peak at the Chesapeake.
 Global Climate changes..
 Etc……

4. Relatively Good Titles
 Reduction of Nutrient runoff from Agricultural
Fields to improve water Quality at the upper
Maryland Western Shore Watershed.
 The causes of Blue-Green Algal Bloom at
Lower Basin Potomac River.
 Resorting the Chesapeake Bay by Planting
Permanent Vegetation
 The impacts of oyster population on water
quality at Chesapeake Bay

5. Term Paper --- structure
 A cover page with a title, names, contact
information, etc.
 One – page abstract.
 Main body of your paper: (4 page in double space)
 An introduction of the importance of you research or
review.
 Methods: How you conducted your research or review
 Results: The expected results or the results of your
review
 Conclusion: based on your results, what is the
conclusion? And why? .
 Bibliography (one page). Use APA format.

6. Abstract
 Students will write the abstract as a short
introduction of the topic. And abstracts
are your own ideas, opinions, and
conclusions on the topics.
 The abstract is a brief summary of your
paper (what is your topic, what is the
method, what are your conclusions etc..),
it is NOT the introduction of your topic!!!!

7. Abstract template
 Start with your paper topics:
 This paper is to explore the relationship
between….
 This paper is to study the impacts of ….
 This paper is to review the researches
on…..
 Then one or two sentences about the
importance of your topic.

8. Abstract template
 Then
 For research paper: how would you conduct
the research, brief procedure
 The growth rate of oyster population will be
measured at two different sites….
 For review paper: briefly talk about what
sources you use
 The scientific research papers from 1980 were
reviewed in this study to assess the increase of
temperature in…..

9. Abstract template
 Then: the results of your research or review, the
conclusions, the ideas, the opinions of your own!!!!!!
 The study shows that oyster increase the water quality
by 30%
 The review suggest that temperature in Chesapeake
Bay increased 1.5 degree in the last 50 years.
 Based on the expected result, it suggested that the
increase of nutrients input would decrease the SAV
biomass in …..
 Based on the previous study, I think that the global
warming is not real….
 Keep your abstract less than 150 words.

10. Grading standard of your term
paper
 If your paper has complete structure (format)
as required, You will get 75%.
 Then based on how you write the paper:
 How you the deliver content,
 How clear you demonstrate the question,
hypothesis
 How good about your approaches
 Do you offer your own insights about the question?
 Please label each required elements clearly in
your paper.

11. Assignment
 Turn in your 1 page paper abstract with
the title via blackboard on November 4,
2015.
 I will create an assignment link on
blackboard, and you need to submit this
1 page abstract via blackboard.

12. Deadline for term paper
Term paper due date:
December 2, 2015 (Wednesday)