First Essay

Paper length: ca 2 single-spaced pages. That's not 1.1 pages; I'm thinking a few lines short of 2 here. Also......PLEASE, no more than 3 pages.

Deadline: See e-syllabus

Topic: Discuss the role of one factor that controls reef development at both the local (i.e., changes across/down a single reef) and regional scales (i.e., why reefs are where they are, and how/why they change across the region you have chosen). Then, consider other factors that relate to the control that you have chosen, and discuss the nature of their interactions. As you go through this exercise, try not to be hypothetical. For example, if you are discussing changes in the color of the water across the Caribbean, discuss not only why the watercolor changes, but also how it specifically changes from one end to the other - and what changes it induces in the reefs. Make sure to show the connections; don't just say, "The water changes from blue in the west to green in the east, and the reefs get softer in an easterly direction." Make sure to discuss how water color is controlling hardness at enough sites to illustrate your points.

By way of summary:

• Choose one factor and describe its effects at the local scale
• Discuss the effects of the same factor at a regional scale
• Finally, consider other factors that relate to - or control - the one you chose

Hint: The control that you choose has to be one that operates at both scales! Don't try to stretch these connections by choosing a great local control that isn't also going to be easy to consider regionally.

Citations: Remember that to avoid plagarism issues, you need to cite the sources for specific ideas that you are laying out. To get used to proper literature citation, I'd like you to choose two actual sources other than lecture (i.e., your notes or Powerpoint) that relate to important points you make. One reference must come from the printd literature. There are papers that were assigned to you already that will help, so start there. The other may be a web resource, but I'd prefer a second "legitimate" reference. If you are citing lecture (beyond your minimum of 2), use "Lecture X". If you are stating an idea as part of your sentence, use the following format: "Coral reefs are really cool (Smith, 2007; Jones 2008)." An alternative format is "According to Smith (2007), reefs are cool."

At the end of your paper, you should include a Bibliography (not part of the 2pages). To get the format, refer to the journal Coral Reefs. This journal is available in the science library and can also be viewed online through theLibrary web page, so there is no excuse for improperly formatted references.

A STRONG SUGGESTION: If this is your first science paper, I suggest you get started a little early. The format will be a little different than what you are probably used to with "opinion-based papers".