Geol 2312
Petrology
Writing assignment
Igneous settings and processes in the literature
One way to learn about igneous processes is to read papers about them from the scientific
literature. For this assignment, you will select a paper published in the journal Elements to
summarize and critique. The assignment will give you the opportunity to learn and report about the
nature, tectonic setting and geochemical features observed in actual magmatic provinces around the
world. This will also give you the opportunity to practice becoming a critical reader.
Elements papers are usually short and address timely issues in petrology and geochemistry. They
are often written with students in mind, so they are tractable and don’t drag on forever. On the
other hand, they can be densely written and might assume a good deal of knowledge or
understanding. So don’t take for granted that because it’s short you can breeze through it in a
short time. Often, Elements papers, whether good or bad, take several readings to feel confident
about the content.
For this assignment, you can choose from among various papers published in Elements on the general
topic of igneous process. These can be found on the Moodle course website and downloaded. What
topic should you pick? That is entirely up to you and your interests! I suggest reviewing the titles
and abstracts of a few papers from the list (next page) and pick one that appeals to you. It might
be something related to a feature or process that struck you as particularly interesting during your
reading, or perhaps you want to find out more about the igneous geology of a particular geographic
area, or you might want to focus on a currently active volcanic setting to learn more about what
makes that area tick.
Write a short evaluation (approximately 500 words, or up to 2 pages, double-spaced) of this paper.
The evaluation should start with (a) a summary of the main point or main findings of the research,
and (b) a critique of the written presentation (quality of writing, effectiveness of arguments,
clarity of graphics, organization, ability to convey the science, etc.).
Be sure to identify the authors, title, and date in a full literature citation of the paper you are
reviewing. Put this at the top of your paper.
This paper is due in hard copy, by Wednesday, March 25 in class. You will be graded on the basis of
your critique and the quality of your own writing.
I suggest the following general format:
1. A brief summary of the main point of the paper. What were the author(s) trying to convey?
Why is it important?
2. A critique of the presentation. How is the writing? Are the diagrams clear and useful to
your understanding? Does it assume too much? Are the conclusions and interpretations
supported, by the data presented?
Geol 2312
Petrology
Elements papers on igneous topics
Ophiolites, 2014
Ophiolites and Their Origins, by Yildirim Dilek and Harald Furnes
Records of Ocean Growth and Destruction in the Oman–UAE Ophiolite, by Kathryn Goodenough, et al.
Granitic Pegmatites, 2012
Granitic Pegmatites: Scientific Wonders and Economic Bonanzas, by David London and Daniel Kontak
The Pegmatite Puzzle, by David London and George Morgan
Granitic Pegmatites: Storehouses of Industrial Minerals, by Alexander Glover, et al
Granitic Pegmatites as Sources of Strategic Metals, by Robert Linnen, et al
Granitic Pegmatites as Sources of Colored Gemstones, by William Simmons, et al
Granitic Pegmatites as Reflections of Their Sources, by Petr Černý, et al
When the Continental Crust Melts, 2011
When the Continental Crust Melts, by Edward Sawyer, et al
How Does the Continental Crust Get Really Hot?, by Chris Clark, et al
Melted Rocks under the Microscope: Microstructures and Their Interpretation, by Marian Holness, et al
Crustal Melting and the Flow of Mountains, by Rebecca Jamieson, et al
Organizing Melt Flow through the Crust, by Michael Brown, et al
Supervolcanoes, 2008
Supervolcanoes and Their Explosive Supereruptions, by Calvin Miller and David Wark
The Magma Reservoirs That Feed Supereruptions, by Olivier Bachmann and George Bergantz
How Long Does It Take to Supersize an Eruption?, by Mary Reid
Supereruptions and Supervolcanoes: Processes and Products, by Colin Wilson
Monitoring a Supervolcano in Repose: Heat and Volatile Flux at the Yellowstone Caldera, by Lowenstern & Hurwitz
Consequences of Explosive Supereruptions, by Stephen Self and Stephen Blake
Frontiers in Textural and Microgeochemical Analysis, 2007
Igneous Textures: On the Kinetics behind the Words, by Taber Hersum and Bruce Marsh
Crystal Zoning as an Archive for Magma Evolution, by Catherine Ginibre et al
Measuring Timescales of Magmatic Evolution, by Simon Turner and Fidel Costa
Large Igneous Provinces: Origin and Environmental Consequences, 2005
Large Igneous Provinces: Origin and Environmental Consequences, by Andrew Saunders
Large Igneous Provinces and the Mantle Plume Hypothesis, by Ian Campbell
Meteorite Impacts as Triggers to Large Igneous Provinces, by Adrian Jones