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Three-Paragraph Essay Guidelines

Essays are due at the beginning of the first class meeting of each week. They must be typed or neatly handwritten. The structure of the essays, unless otherwise instructed, is as follows:

  A.Title of Essay, your name (Last, First), class # (OCN100.01), and date. (10 points)

  B. Paragraph #1: State an overview of the topic. Describe the essential components of the topic. Show your understanding of how these components interact to create a logical system. For example, if the topic is “Waves”, then define and describe the fundamental properties of waves. Try to make a definition that includes all aspects of waves, but excludes all things that are not waves (for example, different types of ocean waves include: gravity waves, deep-water waves, shallow water waves, tsunami, wind waves, and seiche waves). Give examples to support your explanation of the topic. (20 points)

 C. Paragraph #2: Choose one aspect of the main topic, then go into greater depth and detail describing it. Break it down further into its fundamental parts. For example, given the concept of waves as a topic, you might choose tsunami, describing what the term means, the history of tsunami, how they are generated, and their effect on shorelines and life.  Use examples to support your thoughts. You may choose historical events to further deepen our understanding (e.g., the Fukushima, Japan disaster of  2011, or the Banda Aceh tragedy of 2004). (20 points)

 D. Paragraph #3: State a personal connection that you have with the topic. Choose any aspect of the topic that you have had a special personal connection to, then describe in detail that connection, along with your personal feelings in a way that can make the rest of us understand and relate to your experience. For example, you took a vacation to Hawaii and visited the ancient volcano Diamond Head at Waikiki on the island of O’ahu. It was a particularly calm day, so you decided to boogie board the waves at the point. All of a sudden, a ‘freak’ wave caught you and sent you straight up 7 meters on a breaking mountain of water. Just when you were about to be swallowed by the ocean forever, an unseen hand reached out, grabbed you, and plopped you on his surfboard.  It was Chris Ward, out that day at Waikiki practicing up for the Mavericks competition. Lucky you. (20 points)

 E. While writing your essay, use seven (7) required terms from The Etymological Dictionary of Earth Science. Highlight those terms in the body of your essay. When you have completed the essay, make a list of those terms at the end. Write out the history of the term (its etymology) as given in the required text, The Etymological Dictionary of Earth Science, along with its complete definition. You do not have to copy the ‘First usage’, ‘Synonyms’, or any other part of the dictionary entry. (30 points)

F. Read your own essay, and edit it for errors and improvements. Do not rely just on spell & grammar check. Read it out loud at least once so you are familiar with it, and so you can read it to the class if asked to do so.

 G. Have the essay complete and ready to hand in at the beginning of the class period.