Assignment: Geology of A Place You Know

Geology of State of Utah

One of the objectives of this course is to make you more aware of the geology which surrounds you. In order to facilitate this, I'd like you to take a closer look at the geology of your hometown, state, or region, or of a place which you have spent time at or have some other link to (for example, where your family came from). For this assignment, I'd like you to research the geology of your home area, so that you can gain an appreciation for the land where you grew up, and geology's contribution to its communities and history.

The assignment is 1000-1500 words, with a well-developed theme which will be graded on content (mostly), but also style and grammar. Address, and explicitly tie together, the following questions in your paper:

What is the geology of the area?

How and when did the land area form?

How has the geology of the area shaped the communities of the region? Be specific.

You should write as though a member of your family or a friend is the target audience-don't use technical terms or jargon without clarifying them. Your paper needn't be comprehensive-feel free to focus on fewer, more interesting aspects rather than trying to include every geological detail.

To get started on your search, Google and Wikipedia are obvious choices. State Geological Surveys will often have lots of local information, and the U.S. Geological Survey (www.usgs.gov) also has lots of regional information if you search for it.

You must use citations with a list of references at the end of the paper-the particular format you choose is not important, so long as it is consistent. If you use web-based sources, make sure to include the url in your citation.

A hard copy is due in class on 11/29 (the last Tuesday of class). Emailed papers will receive half credit. Late papers will receive half credit. There is no writing credit available for this class.

If you are an Honors Student enrolled in the Honors Section: There are additional requirements for this assignment. Please see Blackboard for more details.