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Guidelines and Format for the Second Writing Assignment for
Geography 115 – Violent Weather / Climatic Hazards
(Revised 8/17/23)
Writing Requirement Format
1) The length of the assignment should be at least 1,000 words, however students may write
more if they should so wish, but the length should not exceed 1,500 words.
2) The paper will be graded as if it were worth 100 points, and will be scaled to be worth 50
points.
3) Students are to write an essay about a topic(s) that were covered in the class that they
found to be of particular interest to them, and why they are interesting. For example,
students may have found that the discussion about climate change, or tornadoes, or
hurricanes, or cold waves, or heat waves, or fog formation, or just in general, meteorology,
the study of weather, was interesting to learn about. Students may also include comments
about what they would like to see more of in future classes.
4) The number potential topic(s) of discussion could be quite a few, but students are asked to
limit the number to five, as that would be about 200 words per topic, or students may select
only one topic to write about.
5) The number of words in Items 3 & 4 totals 128 words, and so, at about 200 words per topic,
five topics could easily cover the required 1,000 words.
6) Students will use the MLA format for their submission. Students should consult a source to
determine the specific details regarding the writing of an essay using the MLA format.
7) Standard American English must be used throughout the text.
8) Students may not quote me in their papers, and students may not use class notes as a
reference in their paper.
9) Students won’t need to quote any outside sources as this work should be all be in their own
words.
10) In summary:
a) Students identify one to five topics about which they found interesting to learn about in the
course, and why.
b) Students may include comments about how the coverage of some phenomena may be
expanded, or contracted, and students may even suggest new phenomena that should be
covered in the course, but wasn’t.
c) The total number of words that are being assigned for this assignment is 1,000.
11) The due date for submission is given on Canvas.
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Document Format
1) The document must be submitted, as currently formatted, with a 12-point font size, on 8.5 x
11-inch sized paper with one-inch side, bottom, and top margins.
2) When students have completed their assignment they are to upload their completed
assignment onto Canvas using the link in the Writing Assignment Module.
3) In addition to the points that could be lost due to the scoring rubric, additional points may be
lost according to the following:
Insufficient word count point loss between:
975 – 1000 words, -0 points
950 – 974 words, -10 points
925 – 949 words, -25 points
Fewer than 925 words, -50 points
Submitted Late – five (5) points per calendar day.
No, or incomplete, electronic submission point loss: up to -50
It is possible for a student to earn zero (0) points for the assignment.
Special Note
4) The writing style that is used should represent the students’ best efforts. The writing
requirement will be graded on spelling, grammar, clarity and coherence, and whether, or not,
the overall objective of the assignment was achieved (see scoring rubric).
a) Students may not use the following words, or phrases, under any circumstances.
“Like”, “you know”, “really”, “thing”, or any words, phrases, or abbreviations that
might otherwise be used in cellular telephone text messages. For example, LOL,
OMG, I c u ltr, how r u? would not be allowed. Examples of the aforementioned text
would count for twice the penalty points according to the scoring rubric.
Each of you is a university student, and you should strive to write as well as possible.
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Suggestions To Students For The Writing Of Better Papers
The following are notes that I took as I have graded student papers. Many of the errors that are presented
below are errors that I saw all too often in student papers.
It is better to write the abstract after the rest of the paper is written first. The abstract should summarize what
the paper is about, and include any relevant conclusions. A person reading the abstract may then decide to
spend the time to read the entire paper, or not.
Proper hyphenation of words. Example no-no.
Proper capitalization. Powerpoint is a proper name, and should be capitalized.
Sentences should not begin with numerals. When numbers are the first word of a sentence, they should be
spelled out.
Not permitted: “3 consequences of climate change …”
Permitted: “Three consequences of climate change …”
When the number of a thing in a sentence is fewer than 10, then the number should be spelled out, otherwise,
a numeral may be used.
People are who, things are that. “This is bad news for cities located on the coast who are now facing mass
floods.” Cities are things and cannot be a who, but must be a that.
Corrected: “This is bad news for residents, in cities located on the coast, who are now facing increasingly
numerous, or extensive, flooding.”
Students should not reference the class, nor the instructor; the paper is just about the student’s perspective, the
video, and what the student believes to be the future.
Everyday is an adjective that is used to describe something that is ordinary or typical. Every day simply
means each day. So, please note the difference between the two.
Affect is usually a verb, and it means to impact or change. Effect is usually a noun, an effect is the result of a
change.
A lot, means many. Alot, means to be given, or to give, a portion of something.
To, too, or two, which should be used?
Climate change may affect cities by their having higher temperatures.
The effects of climate change on cities may include the cities experiencing higher temperatures.
The phrase “us as humans” occurred several times in various papers. This is not proper. It would, however, be
correct to write “Humanity”, or “We humans” in a sentence.
Great care should be exercised when using gender-specific words. Man-made machinery is gender-specific.
There are no organisms on the earth, except for humans, who make machinery, so just write ‘machinery’.
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