Describes an effort to provide students in an introductory human anatomy course with an experience that both allows them to be creative with the facts they are learning and to be supported throughout the writing process. (ZWH)

Describes two writing assignments for students in a large physical geology class. For the first assignment, students write two descriptions of the same rock. One is written for students and the instructor the other for people with no background in geology. For the second assignment they write one of four topics. (Author/PR)

This paper reviews attempts to introduce writing skills to undergraduate geoscience students, reports on the status of technical writing in geoscience curriculum, and describes a fully integrated approach to writing across the geosciences curriculum, based on a required sophomore-level technical writing course. The technical writing course leads…

Based on their experiences the authors contend that increased emphasis on communication skills in the geologic curriculum results in the graduation of better geologists. The authors describe writing assignments, including first-year one-page papers, upper-level assignments, memos, oral presentations, projects, field notebooks, and senior thesis.…

Although many students complain that the research-and-write about a favorite scientist is boring, a sixth-grade teacher offers successful alternatives. Through creative writing and hands-on activities, this assignment is made meaningful and fun for students. Excerpts from completed projects and evaluation tips are presented throughout the article.…

Authors describe a "writing intensive" physical geology course utilizing both formal and informal writing assignments. The formal assignment consists of a summary paper on four geological articles. A writing tutor provides feedback on drafts of the summaries. The informal writing assignment requires students to keep a journal related to laboratory…

Author describes her first-year seminar in history of geology where students are given writing assignments asking them to summarize, describe, explain, be convincing to reader. Students review their written work through frequent revision, peer review, collaborative writing assignments. Assignments require students to examine scientific principles…

Describes advantages and details of use of journal writing in introductory geology course. Entries include minimum of three one-page entries per week and count for 25 percent of course grade. Most students start with restatement of ideas presented in class; by end of the course, they are drawing original conclusions and applying ideas in new…

Describes an assignment in a paleontology course built around constructional morphology and the role of adaptation and exaptation in evolution. Students investigate the constructional morphology of a group of fossils that interests them. Findings are presented in an oral presentation and in a term paper. (27 references) (PR)

Attempts to clarify the critical, philosophical, epistemological, and pedagogical dimensions and underlying assumptions and relationships of a contemporary view of scientific literacy. Presents a practical framework for using writing in science to enhance scientific literacy and provides illustrative classroom examples. Contains 31 references.…

Author describes an individual research project involving digital modeling of graded river profiles as part of a sophomore-level geomorphology class. The three-week project gives students the opportunity to choose research topics, design experiments to test ideas, interpret results, and write a research report. (PR)

Any science teacher who wants his or her students to be engaged in real science is going to engage them in real science writing. Writing in science should begin with clear, imaginative writing purposes and stimuli that are then scaffolded in such a way that students are able to find an organizational structure for their writing. Writing fluency is…

Author describes use of writing assignments to help ninth grade students learn earth science and increase their interest in it. Presents advice for both formal writing assignments (laboratory reports and library-research papers) and informal assignments (learning logs or journals and role writing). Frequent review and encouragement with lots of…

The author describes her use of writing assignments, small-group discussions, note-taking strategies (learning logs), and professional simulations in an introductory geology course. The learning log process consists of note taking on one side of a divided page. After taking notes, students review the notes and record their questions, reactions,…

Making books is a creative and enjoyable way to integrate science with other subjects, to extend learning, and to make science relevant to children's lives. Presents successful book-making techniques and procedures. (PR)