GENERAL PAPER GUIDELINES
THE PURPOSE OF THESE GUIDELINES IS TO HELP YOU WRITE BETTER BY MAKING IT
MORE EFFICIENT FOR ME TO PROVIDE YOU EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK. READ THE
GUIDELINES BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER WRITING YOUR PAPER. IF YOU NEED
HELP WITH ANY OF THIS, DO NOT HESITATE TO ASK. I CAN HELP YOU AT ANY STAGE
OF YOUR PROJECT, BUT THE SOONER THE BETTER. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST
MINUTE, OR I MIGHT NOT HAVE TIME TO HELP YOU. THE MOST IMPORTANT
GUIDELINES ARE IN BOLD. THE COLLEGE’S WRITING CENTER IS ALSO A VALUABLE
RESOURCE. THERE ARE ALSO SEVERAL AIDS TO WRITING SCIENTIFIC PAPERS (E.G.,
GEOWRITING) IN THE GEOLOGY READING ROOM (KAUFMAN 128).
LOGISTICS
(1) Lost papers are inexcusable. You should always keep a copy on your hard disk, another on
a removable storage device (e.g., USB thumb/jump drive or CD), another on the network, as
well as a paper back up.
(2) Staple the paper in the upper left corner before coming to class to turn it in. Otherwise
pages may be lost. Non-stapled papers, including bound papers, will not be accepted and
will be counted late (i.e., -5% per day).
(3) Everything you turn in must be computer generated: no copier copies and nothing
handwritten.
(4) The assigned paper length excludes the title page, references cited, tables, and figures.
(5) Make sure all your pages are in the correct order.
(6) Paginate each page at the bottom center. Do not include the title page, but do include the tables
and figures. Thus, the first page of text after the title page should be page one.
(7) Use 1” margins on left, right, top, and bottom, including tables and figures. This saves paper
while allowing space for reviewers comments. Note MS Word may use 1.25” as the default
margins.
(8) Double (not 1, 1.5, or 2.5, but 2) space everything (including the title page, References Cited,
tables, and table and figure captions) so reviewers have room to make comments.
(9) Do not leave any blank lines anywhere, especially between the text and the REFERENCES
CITED section.
(10)
To save paper, print on both sides of the paper if you can.
(11)
To save paper, print wide figures and tables in landscape orientation by inserting Next
Page Section Breaks before and after the figure or table and switching it to Landscape Orientation,
all under the Page Layout tab.
(12)
Use Times New Roman or Roman, etc. 12 pt type font for everything excluding super- and
sub-scripts but including title page as well as figure and table captions. This font saves space.
(13)
Do not use bold anywhere.
(14)
Do not underline anything, including in the REFERENCES CITED section.
(15)
Only use italics for genus and species names and mathematical variables.
(16)
Do not center or right justify any text because it is too difficult to read, except the title
page, section headings, and page numbers.
(17)
Title page should only include the title of your paper, your name, your institutional
affiliation and address (i.e., Dickinson College, HUB Box #), and the date.
(18)
Do not repeat any of the title page information at the top of the first page of text.
(19)
Section headings should be in all caps and centered.
(20)
Indent the first line of each paragraph.
(21)
Put two blank spaces between sentences and one blank space between words.
(22)
Don’t use abbreviations/acronyms unless they will be used more than once in the paper.
They must be defined the first time they are used (e.g., International Business Machines (IBM)).
Once you define an abbreviation/acronym, use it throughout the rest of the paper. Standard
abbreviations listed below (e.g., mm, CO2, etc.) do not need to be defined.
(23)
Spell out whole numbers zero through nine, except when associated with an abbreviated
unit of measurement (e.g., 5 mm); use Arabic numerals for numbers 10 and greater. All numbers
beginning a sentence are spelled out.
(24)
Do not begin sentences with symbols (e.g., δ) or numbers (e.g., 6) without spelling them
out (e.g., Six).
(25)
Always put a blank space between a number and its units (e.g., “16 mm”, not “16mm”)
except for percentages and degrees (e.g., “16%” and “16oC”).
(26)
Never write down a number without its units (e.g., 7.2 mm, not 7.2).
(27)
Always put a zero before any “orphan” decimals (e.g., 0.2 mm, not .2 mm)
(28)
Only use the International System of units (i.e., the modern metric system of
measurements) except when quoting English units when you give both (e.g., 100 ft (30 m)). See
the web sites http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/units.html,
http://ts.nist.gov/ts/htdocs/230/235/appxc/appxc.htm#1 or
http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/sipm.html for proper units. For help with converting English
units to metric, see the web sites http://www.convert-me.com/en/ or
http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/conversions.html.
(29)
Don’t forget to use the proper number of significant figures when converting units or
doing calculations. The main two rules are (1) when adding and subtracting, round your answer
so that it has the same precision (i.e., number of decimal places) as the least precise number in the
calculation, and (2) when multiplying and dividing, round your answer so that is has the same
number of significant figures as the number with the fewest significant figures. For more help go
to http://dbhs.wvusd.k12.ca.us/webdocs/SigFigs/SigFigs.html.
(30)
Use standard abbreviations for units of measure (e.g., ~ = approximately, % = percent; oC
= degrees Celsius; oN = degrees north latitude; oS = degrees south latitude; H = Hydrogen; CO2 =
carbon dioxide; mm = millimeters; cm = centimeters; m = meters; km = kilometers; g = grams; kg
= kilograms; ha = hectares; km2 = square kilometers; to indicate dates, use ka = thousand years
ago, Ma = million years ago, Ga = billion years ago; to indicate duration of time, use s = seconds,
min = minutes, hr = hours, yr = years, kyr = thousand years, Myr = million years, Byr = billion
years). See the web site http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/units.html for proper abbreviations.
(31)
Units of measure are abbreviated but not followed by a period except at the end of a
sentence.
(32)
All taxonomic names are capitalized (e.g., Kingdom Animalia, Class Mammalia, Genus
Homo) except for the species (e.g., Homo sapiens).
(33)
Species names are always written with the genus name (e.g., Homo sapiens).
(34)
The plural of phylum is phyla; the plural of genus is genera; the plural of species is
species.
(35)
Do no include “the” before a taxonomic hierarchical name (e.g., “Homo” not “the Homo”
or “Phylum Chordata” not “the Phylum Chordata”).
(36)
Geologic time periods are capitalized (e.g., Phanerozoic Eon, Mesozoic Era, Jurassic
Period, Miocene Epoch).
(37)
Earth is a proper noun like Mars that should be capitalized.
REFERENCES
(38)
Whenever you use factual information, data, figures, paraphrases, ideas, opinions,
interpretations, conclusions, or organizational strategies that are not yours and are not
common knowledge, reference the person(s) from whom you took the ideas, data, or figures.
If you do not cite the author(s), you can be accused of plagiarism. WHEN IN DOUBT
REFERENCE. The reason we cite sources in the text is to give ownership to others’ ideas
as well as your own, and to provide a link for the reader to get more information from the
primary source if they are interested (like a scavenger hunt).
(39)
The more references you can find that support your thesis, the stronger is your
thesis. Use the references cited/bibliography section of the references you read to chase
down other references.
(40)
Scholarly sources are always preferred over popular sources. Scholarly sources are
peer-reviewed journals and books (e.g., the journals Nature or Science). Popular sources
are not peer-reviewed (e.g., the WWW, your class notes, or the journals Discover or
National Geographic). Web sites can be excellent sources of figures, but should not be used
for information. Some scholarly sources are available on on-line (e.g., journals), and these
are valid sources.
(41)
Primary sources (i.e., original research in journal articles, articles in conference
volumes, or chapters in book volumes) are always preferred over secondary sources (i.e.,
books that simply synthesize the primary research).
(42)
More recently published sources are best. They tend to be better than older sources
as they tend to include the latest research and review the previous research.
(43)
Always credit ideas to their original author(s) (i.e., cite the primary literature even if you
read it in a secondary source).
(44)
Use parenthetical, within-text citations for references, tables, and figures. Do not use
footnotes or endnotes. Put in parentheses the author’s last name and year or the table or figure
number at the appropriate place in the text, be it in the middle of a sentence or the end. If at the
end of the sentence, put it before the final punctuation: (Smith, 2002) or (Table 1) or (Figure 1) or
(Figures 1-2). Treat multiple types of parenthetical citations as follows: (Smith, 2002; Table 1;
Figure 3). Do not write “(See Figure X)”. Another acceptable type of parenthetical citations is
within the sentence, for example: “Smith (2002) provided evidence that…”.
(45)
When you have more than one reference citation at the end of a sentence, first arrange
them chronologically by year of publication and second alphabetically by the first author’s last
name. Separate each with a semicolon (e.g., (Jones et al., 2001; Smith, 2001, 2003; Brown and
Sanders, 2006)).
(46)
The parenthetical citation must directly relate to and support the text preceding it. It does
not need to be at the end of the sentence.
(47)
When you have a reference with two authors, list both authors’ last names in the
parenthetical citation (e.g., (Smith and Jones, 2002)).
(48)
When you have a reference with three or more authors, list the first author’s last name
followed by “et al.” in the parenthetical citation (e.g., (Smith et al., 2002)), but in the references
cited, list all the authors.
(49)
Whenever you have more than one reference (not citation) with the same author(s) and the
same year, label the first one referred to in the text as "a" (e.g., (Smith 2002a)), the second one as
"b", etc. Do the same in the REFERENCES CITED section.
(50)
Only include references in the REFERENCES CITED section that you cited in the text,
tables, or figures.
(51)
All references cited in the paper must be included in the REFERENCES CITED section.
Don’t forget those references cited in the table and figure captions.
(52)
Format the references in the REFERENCES CITED section following the guidelines of
the Geological Society of America: http://www.geosociety.org/pubs/geoguid5.htm. Basically for
each reference include the following in this order: author(s) last name and first and middle
initials, year published, title, publication information. Publication information for journal articles
must also include journal title, volume number, and page number range. Publication information
for articles/chapters in edited volumes must also include editor(s), publisher, location, and page
number range. Publication information for books must include publisher and location. For
electronic sources, check out the course guide off the library page or http://citationmachine.net/.
(53)
For topographic maps cite them in the text as (U.S. Geological Survey, year?) and in the
references cited as U.S. Geological Survey. year?. Quadrangle name? quadrangle, New Jersey
[map]. 1:24,000, 7.5 Minute Series. U.S. Geological Survey, Washington, D.C.
(54)
For the Munsell color chart cite it in the text as (Munsell, 1994) and in the references as
Munsell. 1994. Munsell Soil Color Charts, Revised Ed., Macbeth Division of Kollmorgen
Instruments Corporation. New Windsor, NY.
(55)
For references without authors (e.g., lame web sites), use “anonymous” as the author.
(56)
In the REFERENCES CITED section, list the references first alphabetically by the
author’s last name and second chronologically by date of publication. Do not alphabetize the
names of authors within a multi-authored reference. For references with two authors, list
alphabetically by the first author and then alphabetically by the second author. For references
with more than two authors, list alphabetically by the first author and then chronologically,
earliest year first.
(57)
In the REFERENCES CITED section, indent the second and any subsequent lines of each
citation.
(58)
In the REFERENCES CITED section, do not number or bullet the references.
TABLES AND FIGURES
(59)
Tables are columns and rows of text, statistics, or data. Figures are graphical images or
pictures.
(60)
Your paper should be generously supported with tables and/or figures. Science is
often most effectively communicated with data tables and figures with the text simply
serving to string together the graphical information. Remember you will also present your
paper as an oral PowerPoint presentation, and nothing is more boring than a PowerPoint
presentation without illustrations.
(61)
A table of supporting statistics is worth a thousand words. Use tables as opposed to
text where appropriate, otherwise it will be impossible to keep to the page limit.
(62)
A picture is worth a thousand words. Use figures as opposed to text where
appropriate, otherwise it will be impossible to keep to the page limit. The WWW is a great
place to find figures, and I recommend you start with the course homepage list of web links.
(63)
In tables, remember to label all units in the column/row headings, and use significant
figures properly.
(64)
Scan all hardcopy tables and figures for your paper so you can also easily use them in your
oral presentation. For your paper, you can print out the figures in black and white if you don’t
have a color printer, but use color images where possible in your PowerPoint presentation. When
laying out tables and figures for your paper, remember they will be used in your presentation, so
follow the Visual Aid instructions (e.g., large font size) under the presentation guidelines so they
will be readable when projected in a large room.
(65)
Tables and figures are sequentially numbered independently in the order referred to in the
text (i.e., Table 1, Table 2, etc.; Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.). Individual tables and figures can be
cited repeatedly in the text, but they only receive one number.
(66)
Only include tables and figures in your paper that you referred to in the text. Otherwise
the reader does not know they exist.
(67)
Tables and figures are incorporated into the text as parenthetical citations just like
references. They must directly relate to and support the text preceding it. They do not need to be
at the end of the sentence.
(68)
Each table and figure must be cleaned up:
a. unnecessary parts of image cropped; or better yet, choose images without distracting
irrelevant backgrounds
b. expand the image to utilize the space on the page, but do not deform the image
c. use images of sufficient resolution to be readable
d. straightly centered (left-right) on page
e. all borders and extraneous text removed (e.g., original figure captions)
f. all ugly marks removed
(69)
Each table and figure must be on its own 8.5” x 11” piece of paper with its new number
and new caption.
(70)
Each table and figure must be given a caption that describes what the reader is looking at
and why. The caption must be able to stand alone (i.e., assume the reader has not read the main
body of the manuscript). The idea is that someone could photocopy just the figure with its
caption and still know what it was. Do no just copy the original caption. A caption written by
you, modified from the original, is better than the original because it puts the figure into the
context of your paper.
(71)
Table captions go above the table, whereas figure captions go below. See examples
below.
(72)
If you mention an important place in the text, you need a map that shows it.
(73)
Be sure to include a north arrow in all your maps that require one. Maps with latitude and
longitude indicated on the map do not need an additional north arrow. If no north arrow or
latitude/longitude were provided in the original figure, add “No orientation provided with original
figure.” to the figure caption before the source information. Se example figure and caption below.
(74)
If you have taken the GIS course, use that technology to make your maps.
(75)
Be sure to include a scale in all your figures that require one. Photographs generally need
a scale, but diagrammatic sketches generally do not. When making your own scale, use a simple,
clearly labeled metric bar scale, not a coin, rock hammer, or lens cap. When a figure comes with
its own nonstandard bar scale, add “Note person (or rock hammer, etc.) for scale.” to the figure
caption before the source information. Maps with longitude and latitude indicated on the map do
not need an additional scale. If no scale was provided in a figure you borrowed from another
source and it needs one, add “No scale provided with original figure.” to the figure caption before
the source information. See example figure and caption below.
(76)
Composite figures are more effective for comparisons than sequential figures (e.g.,
compare Figure 1A and 1B vs. compare Figure 1 and Figure 2). Label each part of a composite
figure A, B, C, etc. and refer to them that way in the text. See example figure and caption below.
(77)
Captions must explain all symbols (e.g., contour intervals), map patterns, abbreviations,
and composite figures (i.e., numbered or lettered parts of a composite figure) used in the table or
figure. See example below. Be sure to mark with a star the location of your study site on ALL
your maps (e.g., in caption write “Star indicates location of …”(e.g., Yellowstone National Park)).
Google Earth is a great source for maps.
(78)
Important locations mentioned in the text should appear on figured maps and be
parenthetically cited.
(79)
Each table you borrow must be referenced at the end of the caption to its original source
including author(s)’ last name(s), year, and original table number (e.g., “From Smith (2008, Table
3).”). If no table number provided, give the original page number (e.g., “From Smith (2008, p.
33).”). See example table and caption below.
Table 1. Size distribution of Homologous species. From Smith (2008, Table 3).
Species
Length (m)
Weight (kg)
Homologous alphaensis
1.1
4.4
Homologous betaensis
2.2
5.5
Homologous gammaensis
3.3
6.6
(80)
Each figure you borrow from elsewhere is inherently modified in the copying process and
must be referenced at the end of the caption to its original source including author(s)’ last
name(s), year, and original figure number or page number (e.g., “Modified from Smith (2008,
Figure 13A).”). See example table and caption as well as figure, and captions below.
Figure 3. The skeletal morphology of pterosaurs included forms with (A) and without tails (B). A:
Rhamphorhynchus from the Jurassic of Germany. B: Pteranodon from the Cretaceous of Kansas. No
scale provided with original figure. Modified from Prothero (1998, Figure 17.45).
GENERAL WRITING
(81)
Clear writing comes from clear thinking; they are inseparable.
(82)
ALWAYS keep in mind that the purpose of EVERY aspect of the paper is to support
your thesis or achieve your goals. If some part of your paper does not do this, delete it.
(83)
Scientific writing is concise = brief and to the point. Fewer words are better. Avoid
verbosity and weak/vague words (e.g., It’s like, you know, a really cool thing). Use
strong/precise words. The Glossary of Geology published by the American Geological Institute
(QE5 .B38 2005) is an excellent source to check proper use of geologic terms.
(84)
When describing something, be as quantitative as possible (i.e., give numbers), and
avoid meaningless qualitative phrases (e.g., very/much old/big). If you can’t give exact
numbers, give relative sizes as long as you indicate what it is relative to (e.g., T. rex was
bigger than Triceratops), or don’t describe it that way. “1300 kg” is better than “bigger
than X” which is better than “big” which is unacceptable.
(85)
Effective quantitative comparisons require common units (e.g., per capita or per unit
area or per Myr). For example it is more effective to say “Roughly 70% of species went
extinct when the asteroid hit.” than “Over 120,000 species went extinct when the asteroid
hit.” because if you don’t know the standing diversity at the time of impact, you can’t know
the severity of the extinction from the second sentence, but you can from the first.
(86)
Proof read your paper. Learn how to use spell check on your word processor and do
“search and replaces”, but still manually check for misspellings among proper nouns and classics
such as “their” vs. “there”. Misspellings are unacceptable.
(87)
Organize your paper into paragraphs. Combine related content into the same paragraph
(i.e., organize your thoughts) so one paragraph = one general content area.
(88)
Paragraphs should not be less than two sentences and not more than one page.
(89)
Each sentence must have a subject and a verb and usually an object (e.g., The volcanic
eruption (subject) buried (verb) the village (object).); watch out for incomplete sentences.
(90)
Avoid run-on sentences. Simple declarative sentences are better than long complicated ones.
(91)
When combining independent sentences (which you don’t have to do) use either a
semicolon but no conjunction or a comma and a conjunction (e.g., I am hungry, but I am not tired.
or I am hungry; I am not tired.) (for help go to:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_sentpr.html).
(92)
Within sentences, the subject(s) and verb(s) must agree in person and in number (for help
go to: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/esl/eslsubverb.html).
(93)
Maintain constant verb tenses within paragraphs. Past tense (i.e., passive voice) is fine for
describing past geologic events, but not for current geologic processes.
(94)
Don’t end sentences with prepositions.
(95)
Don't quote. Paraphrase, ingest, rethink, and reword.
(96)
Avoid clichés (i.e., overused analogies and phrases; e.g., “I am as hungry as a horse.”) and
dead metaphors (e.g., “It was as red as a rose.”). They are simply easy substitutes for precise
wording.
(97)
Avoid redundancy in the text (e.g., “Dinosaurs and reptiles evolved in the Phanerozoic.”
Dinosaurs are reptiles.) and figures.
(98)
Avoid jargon (i.e., overspecialized vocabulary; e.g. “paleobryozoology”) that nobody will
understand (except in the Taxonomic Classification section). Where possible, put things in plain
English to show you understand what you are reading. If you must use it, be sure to follow it with
a translation in plain English in parentheses (e.g., cranium (skull)).
(99)
Affect is generally used as a verb. Effect is generally used as a noun.
(100)
Data are plural; datum is singular.
(101)
The conjunction “while” implies temporal correlation. The conjunction “whereas” does
not. For example, “John likes ice cream, while Jane likes pizza” is incorrect. “John likes ice
cream, whereas Jane likes pizza” is correct. “John ate ice cream, while Jane ate pizza” is correct.
(102)
“Who” refers to persons, “which” generally refers to things, and “that” refers to either
persons or things.
(103)
The words “the”, ‘this’, “these”, etc. before a noun implies a specific example that you
have already mentioned (e.g., “the” pizza). Leave them out if you are referring to the noun in
general terms (e.g., “a” pizza) or explain the specific example.
(104)
Don’t use sexist language (e.g., Modern Man evolved in the Pleistocene vs. Modern
humans evolve in the Pleistocene).
(105)
Do not use the terms like “geologists”, “sedimentologists”, “stratigraphers”,
“paleontologists”, “researchers”, “scientists”, or “scientific” as you are writing in a geoscience
class so everything you do is inherently “geological” and “scientific”.
(106)
Do not use wording such as “It is believed that…”. Science is not based on belief but unrejected hypotheses.
GRADING
- Throughout your paper you will find circled numbers and letters.
- The circled numbers refer to problems in your manuscript as indicated in the numbered items in the
General Paper Guidelines above.
- The circled letters refer to problems in your manuscript as indicated in the lettered items in the
Paper Content Guidelines in the original assignment.
- The word OK near a bunch of my comments that were scratched out, indicates I changed my mind
and like your original wording better.
- “l.c.” indicates the letter should be in lower case.
- ^ indicates something is inserted at this spot.
- Somewhere toward the end of your paper, generally immediately after the REFERENCES CITED
section, or on a separate grading rubric page, you will find the following comments:
- O = # (this is the total number of circled number and letters in the manuscript; these ALL need to
be corrected in the final draft; this should be zero; if there were lots of repeat mistakes, I may have
only marked the first few; it is your responsibility to correct the rest of the manuscript)
- major issues: (these are the main problems with your paper that affected your grade)
-
letter
-
number
(these are the main content problems from the Paper Content Guidelines)
(these are the main editorial problems from the General Paper Guidelines)
number
(this is your grade)
- The grade of your final draft will be based on how well you revise based on my comments on the
first draft. I will simply count up the number of new problems and uncorrected problems (there
should be none of these in the final draft). As the final draft will not be revised, I will not make
substantive comments on it. Double circled numbers and letters on the final draft are problems in the
first draft you failed to correct in the second draft. These could cause your final draft grade to be
lower than your first draft.
You may also find it helpful to see some of my own writing to get a sense of style, but not of format
which is journal dependent. The following are available through the college’s library:
Key, M. M., Jr. and S. J. Sims. 1991. Geology of the Pennsy Supply Quarry, Mt. Holly, Pennsylvania.
Pp. 220-225. In: W. D. Sevon and N. Potter, Jr. (eds.). Guidebook for the 56th Annual Field
Conference of Pennsylvania Geologists. Field Conference of Pennsylvania Geologists.
Harrisburg, PA.
Key, M. M., Jr. 1991. The halloporid trepostome bryozoans from the Ordovician Simpson Group of
Oklahoma. Journal of Paleontology. 65: 200-212.
Key, M. M., Jr. 1991. How to build a ramose trepostome. Pp. 201-207. In: F. P. Bigey and J.-L.
d'Hondt (eds.). Bryozoa: Living and Fossil. Société des Sciences Naturelles de l'Ouest de la
France. Mémoire hors série. Nantes, France.
Key, M. M., Jr. and A. B. Judd. 1994. Phylogenetic relationship of the Middle Ordovician trepostome
bryozoans Bimuropora and Sonninopora. Journal of Paleontology. 68: 233-241.
Key, M. M., Jr., S. M. Lev, and A. Lighthart. 1994. Colony control over skeletal growth rates in
trepostome bryozoans. Pp. 97-100. In: P. J. Hayward, J. S. Ryland, and P. D. Taylor (eds.).
Biology and Palaeobiology of Bryozoans. Olsen and Olsen. Fredensborg, Denmark.
Key, M. M., Jr., W. B. Jeffries, and H. K. Voris. 1995. Epizoic bryozoans, sea snakes, and other
nektonic substrates. Bulletin of Marine Science. 56: 462-474.
Key, M. M., Jr., W. B. Jeffries, H. K. Voris, and C. M. Yang. 1996. Epizoic bryozoans, horseshoe
crabs, and other mobile benthic substrates. Bulletin of Marine Science. 58: 368-384.
Key, M. M., Jr., W. B. Jeffries, H. K. Voris, and C. M. Yang. 1996. Epizoic bryozoans and mobile
ephemeral host substrata. Pp. 157-165. In: D. P. Gordon, A. M. Smith, and J. A. GrantMackie (eds.). Bryozoans in Space and Time. National Institute of Water and Atmospheric
Research. Wellington, New Zealand.
Key, M. M., Jr., J. W. Volpe, W. B. Jeffries, and H. K. Voris. 1997. Barnacle fouling of the blue crab
Callinectes sapidus at Beaufort, North Carolina. Journal of Crustacean Biology. 17: 424-439.
Key, M. M., Jr., J. E. Winston, J. W. Volpe, W. B. Jeffries, and H. K. Voris. 1999. Bryozoan fouling
of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, at Beaufort, North Carolina. Bulletin of Marine Science.
64: 513-533.
Key, M. M., Jr., W. B. Jeffries, H. K. Voris, and C. M. Yang. 2000. Bryozoan fouling pattern on the
horseshoe crab Tachypleus gigas (Müller) from Singapore. Pp. 265-271. In: A. Herrera C. and
J. B. C. Jackson (eds.). Proceedings of the 11th International Bryozoology Association
Conference. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; Balboa, Panama.
Key, M. M., Jr., L. Thrane, and J. A. Collins. 2001. Space-filling problems in ramose trepostome
bryozoans as exemplified in a giant colony from the Permian of Greenland. Lethaia. 34: 125135.
Key, M. M., Jr., L. Thrane, and J. A. Collins. 2002. Functional morphology of maculae in a giant
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Key, M. M., Jr., P. N. Wyse Jackson, E. Håkansson, W. P. Patterson, and M. D. Moore. 2005.
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using d13C and d18O values. Pp. 141-151. In: H. I. Moyano G., J. M. Cancino, and P. N.
Wyse Jackson (eds.). Bryozoan Studies 2004. Balkema Publishers; Leiden, The Netherlands.
GENERAL ORAL PRESENTATION GUIDELINES
THE PURPOSE OF THESE GUIDELINES IS TO HELP YOU ORALLY PRESENT BETTER.
READ THESE GUIDELINES BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER CREATING YOUR
PRESENTATION. IF YOU NEED HELP WITH ANY OF THIS, DO NOT HESITATE TO ASK.
BUT DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE OR I MIGHT NOT HAVE TIME TO HELP
YOU. THE MOST IMPORTANT GUIDELINES ARE IN BOLD.
LOGISTICS
(1) Delivering a talk is not the same as writing a paper and should not be treated as such. Tell us
what you are going to tell us (introduction), tell us (body), and then tell us what you just told us
(conclusion).
(2) You should have a slide showing: your title and name
(3) You should have a slide showing: outline of your talk
(4) Introduction: Remember when organizing your presentation that you know a lot more about your
topic than your classmates, so give us a good introduction on what your topic is to get us up to
speed. A typical introduction uses a grabber, such as a rhetorical question, a statistic, or a story to
grab the audience's attention. You should then clearly state in ONE sentence the thesis of the talk
(e.g., I am here today to...). Finally, in ONE sentence, state what the talk will cover. For
example, "This presentation will...
(5) Body: Use the same structure that you used in your paper. In the body of the talk, present your
information in the same order that you introduced it in the Introduction. The bulk of the body
should be delegated to presenting your findings, which should be the points you listed in your
introduction.
(6) Follow the same logistics directions as in the GENERAL PAPER GUIDELINES, except:
(7) Single space everything.
VISUAL AIDS
(8) Hand samples are even more effective than PowerPoint slides, so do not hesitate to borrow a
samples from the collection to pass around during your talk.
(9) Illustrate your words. This presentation must include graphics as they communicate more
effectively than text.
(10) Larger images are easier to see than smaller images; therefore minimize the size of
borders around images in order to maximize image size.
(11) When adjusting image size, do not distort the image. Make sure you keep the height/width
ratio constant.
(12) Higher resolution images are easier to see than lower resolution images; therefore check
quality of images to see if you need to find a higher resolution one.
(13) Avoid “cutesy” clip art.
(14) All your slides should be custom-made for the talk, even if they are scanned tables or figures.
Delete/crop anything irrelevant and highlight important parts.
(15) Give credit where credit is due. Cite all the tables and figures you borrowed by putting the
parenthetical citation (i.e., author(s)’ last name(s) and year at the bottom of each figure (e.g.,
Modified from Smith (2003, Figure 12.B))). Give the most important verbally, too. Feel free to
acknowledge work done by others.
(16) Never say "You don't need to be able to read this" or some similar disclaimer. If they don't
need to see it, don't show it to them.
(17) Don't leave the screen blank for any length of time.
(18) Be careful not to put too much text on slides; use short bullets. Otherwise, your
audience will be reading your slides and not listening to you. Definitely avoid all-text slides.
(19) Use large fonts that can be seen by your audience: at least 18 pt. Do not use lots of small
text or numbers and then apologize because it cannot be read. Check all diagrams and
captions and numbers to make sure they can be seen from the back of the room.
(20) Do not increase font size of text to the point of decreasing the sizes of images too much.
In this case, reduce the amount of text.
(21) Be sure to include a north arrow in all your maps that require one. If no north arrow was
provided in the original figure and it needs one, say or add “No orientation provided with original
figure.” to the figure caption before the source information.
(22) Be sure to include a scale in all your figures that require one. If no scale was provided in the
original figure and it needs one, say or add “No scale provided with original figure.” to the figure
caption before the source information.
(23) Be sure to explain all symbols, abbreviations, and subfigures (i.e., numbered or lettered parts
of a composite figure) used in the table or figure.
(24) Be colorful. Color can help you to highlight the important parts of your slides. You can use
color to help you keep track of different ideas, locations, or parts of the talk. Avoid slides with
dark text on dark backgrounds. Dark text on light backgrounds is best, but light text (e.g., bright
yellow) stands out well on dark backgrounds (e.g., dark blue).
(25) Choose one background and series of fonts for your slides and stick with them throughout.
Don’t use distracting backgrounds.
(26) Avoid distracting graphics and sounds in your slides, especially “fancy” introductions of
text or slide transitions..
DELIVERY
(27) Know your audience. If they are experts, skip the introductory stuff. If they are students,
explain your arguments. If they are non-scientists, avoid jargon. If they are a mixture,
compromise.
(28) In general avoid jargon. Geology is an incredibly diverse discipline, and it is a mistake to
assume that everyone who chooses to attend your talk has enough background to understand the
jargon and the acronyms specific to your subfield. If you must use it, make sure that complex
terms or numbers are on a slide as you say them.
(29) Define abbreviations/acronyms clearly and slowly (e.g., XRD).
(30) Dress and groom yourself according to the occasion. Aim for slightly better-dressed than the
audience. Men should wear dress slacks and button down shirts and ties, whereas the women
should wear dress slacks or skirts and button down shirts or sweaters. No sandals, but
professional looking shoes.
(31) Try to smile (even if weakly) when you can.
(32) Speak clearly, use appropriate language, and speak conversationally.
(33) Speak loud enough so everyone can hear you.
(34) Practice pronunciation of unusual words. Check out the following on-line dictionaries for
audio pronunciations: Merriam Webster (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/), Encarta
(http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/dictionaryhome.aspx), and the Free Dictionary
(http://www.thefreedictionary.com/).
(35) Be lively, enthusiastic, and energetic in your presentation.
(36) Don’t say “ummmm”, “uhhhhh”, and “like, you know”. Especially avoid having “uhhhhh” as
the first sound out of your mouth.
(37) Body language matters. Much of an audience's response to you and your talk has nothing to
do with what you say, but with how you say it. Exhibit good posture and show composure.
(38) Look at all the audience, not at one person, the lectern, floor, or computer screen. When
you have a lot of text on a PowerPoint slide, there is a tendency to read from the screen;
don’t do it. Look at your audience. Don’t stand with your back to the audience and read
text from the screen.
(39) Respect your audience. If they are over 10, you can assume they can read your slides. So
don't read to them. Use the opportunity to state the same ideas in a different way.
(40) If you are shaking, do not use a laser pointer or try to brace your arm on the lectern for
stability. If you use a pointer, put it down or turn it off when you do not need it.
(41) Use a laser pointer or your finger to point out features on slides. This is a common mistake of
students to assume their audience knows exactly what feature of a slide they are discussing.
(42) Try not to hide behind the lectern.
(43) Gesture and move naturally.
(44) Avoid tapping your fingers or repeatedly shuffling note cards and papers.
(45) Be prepared. Go early and check out the projection system and its peculiarities.
Practice all the buttons you will need.
(46) Relax and slow down. Speak more slowly than normal, and pause more often. If you lose
your place, don't jabber, just pause until you get on track again. This is more important if your
audience includes people whose first language is not yours. A typical maximum rate of speech is
about 100 words per minute, so a 10-minute talk should include no more than 1,000 words. If
you can’t slow down, that can be OK as an excited speaker usually results in an excited audience.
(47) You can pause to answer questions during your presentation, or you can wait until the end.
(48) Watch the clock while speaking. Regardless of how interesting your topic may be, going
past your allotted time is rude to your audience and to other speakers. Students commonly
go over time, so practice your talk to get the length right.
COMPUTERS
(49) You must use a computer presentation software package called PowerPoint.
(50) NOTE: the lab only has PCs, no Macs. If you are a Mac user, make sure you save your
images in the .jpg format as opposed to .tif, prior to inserting them into PowerPoint. If not,
they may not work on a PC without a, or even the latest, version of QuickTime. Even still,
practice your talk ahead of time on a PC to make sure everything works.
(51) If you need help learning PowerPoint: Check out the college’s tutorial at
http://lis.dickinson.edu/Technology/Training/Tutorials/index.html.
(52) All the presentations will be projected from the computer labeled Paleo-1 (the instructor’s
computer). Please put your presentation by class time in the shared folder on the C: drive labeled
Paleo-1 Shared Folder which you will find on the C: drive through My Computer. You can down
load it onto Paleo-1 from your public folder on the student network at My Computer – Network
Drives – Students on File Y:. Or you can upload it from a memory stick or CD. If you need help
with this, we will spend the first 15 minutes of the lab period during which you give your
presentation getting all the presentations in the right folder on the right computer. If you have
problems accessing your file (i.e., it has become “read only” after moving it on the network,
create and save the original document into your network folder using the Save As command in
your software program. Using Save As (or doing a Copy and Paste) always creates a copy of the
original file and assigns the appropriate file permissions. If you can’t figure the network out, ask
at the computer help desk or e-mail your presentation to me as an attachment (if it is not too big),
and I will put it on the proper computer in the lab for you.
(53) Name you file like this: Yourlastname.ppt
(54) Practice, practice, practice (especially for shorter talks where time is limited). I
recommend you rehearse at least once to your self, once out loud, once timed, and finally
with someone else present to give your feedback. The best place to practice it is in the lab
room so you know if everything is working. Do not wait until the last minute to see if you
can access your presentation on the network from the lab room or to make sure it displays
properly and there are no software version compatibility problems! It is your responsibility
to get a functioning PowerPoint file on the Paleo-1 Shared Folder. The lab will be open
during regular building hours before your presentation if you want to practice your
PowerPoint.