Introduction to Environmental Geoscience
Homework #3 for Fall 2008

Due 18 September 2008

Late homework will cost 15 points per week or part of a week it is late.

Please write a position paper on global warming:

1. The paper is for a government official, so it must be written in non-technical language.
2. The purpose is to provide advice on whether or not the US should begin restricting the emissions of greenhouse gases. You can argue either for or against restricting emissions.
3. Because the official is busy, the paper should be no more than two pages plus another (optional) page with figures. Single spaced, 10 or 12 point font, one inch margins.
4. The official does not know how electric power plants, automobiles, and other sources of emission are related to global warming, and why this may or may not be a problem. Therefore you must explain the links between greenhouse gases, earth's temperature, and projections of future temperature change.
5. If you include figures, be sure to explain what is shown in the figure. Don't assume anyone can look at the figure and understand what it means.
6. Your essay should be well written, concise, with a logical organization. It should be properly punctuated and corrected for typing and spelling errors. Points will be deducted for poor grammar and sloppy organization, lack of thought and effort, and various typing errors. On the other hand, points will be awarded for originality of thought and initiative.

Instructions

You will be graded on how well you make your case. I prefer data to opinion, either official or personal. Of course, you must state your position, which is personal. But you should use facts, theories, data, and/or published work to support your conclusion. Is your argument logical? Have you argued from facts, data, and theory? Or have you relied entirely on someone else's opinion?

Be sure to separate what is well known, from what is less well known, from what is calculated, from what is forecast.

You will also be graded on your ability to write correct english. Your essay should be well written, concise, with a logical organization. It should be properly punctuated and corrected for typing and spelling errors. Points will be deducted for poor grammar and sloppy organization, lack of thought and effort, and various typing errors. On the other hand, points will be awarded for originality of thought and initiative.

1. Two pages of text, single-spaced, including one line for the title and one line for your name.
2. Use laser printing with 10-point Helvetica or 12-point Times or Times Roman font. Bold font should be used only to highlight.
3. Show bibliography of the references you used.
4. Tables and figures should go after the text pages and do not count toward the two pages of text. They should be labeled (e.g., Table 1, Figure 1) and have a caption. All data or figures presented should cite the source in the caption.
5. Do not copy-and-paste paragraphs or even sentences from your sources unless absolutely necessary, and then they should be enclosed with quotation marks and the source cited. Quotations should be used sparingly and not as a device to avoid writing.

Revised on: 16 September, 2008