We will talk about the Research Project during our live Tuesday meeting. Your task is to create a set of slides that features your own independent research on an ocean-related topic of your choosing. We will have progress reports due throughout the semester. This project is worth 125 points. As long as you follow instructions and give it your best effort, I expect you to receive a very high grade!

I would prefer for you to work in groups of 2-3, but I know it's difficult in an asynchronous course, so I will let you work on your own if you choose to. If you want a partner / group and are having difficulty finding one, don't worry - I'll help.

Choosing a topic

The topic you select must be approved by me and must focus on some aspect of ocean science. It might be a topic we will cover in class, or it might be something ocean-related that we have not studied this semester. If it is a topic we covered in class, the presentation cannot just be a summary of what we learned in class; it must include new information about the topic. If you are having troubles identifying a topic, let me know and we can brainstorm some ideas.

Your proposed topic and group member names are due Saturday, March 6 at 11:59pm, for 5 points. For this first submission, each project partner will need to submit a response. If the topic needs to be refined, I will let you know in CANVAS in the comments section of the assignment. You will receive the full 5 points after you refine the topic and it is approved.

What software to use

You can use software like Microsoft Power Point, Google Slides, or another program that you may be familiar with. You have free access to Power Point and Google Slides. Please see below:

Microsoft Power Point

As part of our district wide agreement with Microsoft, all DVC students will have access to download FREE Microsoft Office Pro software (including Power Point)! Students currently have access to download the full version of Microsoft Professional Office Suite for use at home and on multiple devices. There is no catch as long as students maintain their “continuing student” status!

There is a link on each student’s portal page that shows them how to get their free software. Student can find the link on their student portal page on the left hand side. Look for the "Office 365 Pro Plus Benefit for Students" link.

Google Slides

Google Slides is also free, if you make / have a Google account. If you've never used Google Slides before, there are super easy, step-by-step instructional videos on how to create slides.

The product

The final project should be a set of slides. Each slide should include some text, and some pictures or figures. Each image should have a link underneath it indicating where it came from. Please see the final projects below for examples of the format I am looking for. There are title pages with the partners names (blocked out for their privacy). There are a number of slides with information on their topic, a slide summarizing research from a Peer Reviewed article, and a properly formatted bibliography. I will explain how to format the bibliography during one of our live recorded meetings.

Fall 2020 Marine Biology Example Project

Fall 2020 Environmental Science Example Project

Bibliography

Your poster must include a bibliography (or References Cited) section. Within this section, you must list ALL the sources you used to gather the information presented on your poster. The format for the bibliography must follow the APA citation format.

Among your research and citations, you MUST include at least one source that is a reputable, peer-reviewed scientific journal article that was published since 2017 or 2020. This is to assure you have investigated a current topic of active scientific research in your topic area.

Your poster must also include at least one scientific figure, such as a chart or graph, from your peer-reviewed scientific article. You must explain what the figure is telling you.

Due dates and how you will be graded

March 6 - Topics and group member names due (5 points, once approved)
March 27 - Progress Report due (15 points). This will include the full bibliography, including your peer-reviewed scientific research paper. This will also include an outline of your poster, as well as figures.
May 1 - Full draft of slides due (20 points).
May 14 - Final version of slides due (60 points)
May 17-19 - Virtual project session (You will get to look at everyone else's projects!)
May 19 - Class evaluations of projects due (25 points)

More details on each component are coming! If you have any questions, please ask me during our live meetings or over email.