Writing Assignment, Spring 2012 Because all scientific
disciplines are changing rapidly, new ideas are commonly
presented in journals months or years before they are
incorporated into textbooks. In order to introduce you to some
of the current ideas in Earth history I would like you to read
an article from the recent literature during the course of the
semester. Then, working from the premise that one of the best
ways to understand something is to explain it to someone else, I
also ask that you write an outline and an abstract (concise
summary) of the article. Developing the ability to recognize
which elements of a presentation provide key support for its
hypothesis and then communicate your analysis to others through
a well-organized and clearly-written narrative is a skill that
will serve you well in whatever work or studies you pursue.
Instructions for articles - Article: First, read one of the
articles listed below. If you would like additional background
you may want to look ahead at our text's discussio