Water resources

C e n t r a l S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y – D e p a r t m e n t o f W a t e r R e s o u r c e s M a n a g e m e n t

1

Introduction to Water Resources Management (WRM 2200) Term Paper Topics & Contents (12 points for the Paper + 3 points for the Presentation)

Topics are provided and each student should be approved on their selected topic, by the Instructor

1. Any Other Topic relevant to WRM and student’s major discipline: The student is encouraged to come up with a topic but MUST GET approval from the Instructor before embarking on it. Good Source for finding topics: The “News & Views” Folder on Schoology

2. Please do not take a topic that another one already has chosen. 3. Choose one topic and notify the Instructor on or before the set deadline for the topic. 4. LAST DAY for the Report Submission: Check your set deadline for submission

(No late submission; any report that will be provided after this deadline will get no point UNLESS there

is a valid reason with a document supports it)

5. If any report contains the verbatim text of a reference source, points will be reduced. 6. If any report contains verbatim text from another report (from the same class), both reports will lose

points.

7. Contact the Instructor during office hours for any help s/he could provide.

REPORT WRITING (12 Points)

1. Minimum 3000 Words (This does not include a reference page, cover page, Figures, and Tables).

2. All texts, except the Abstract in Single Spacing Times New Roman-12 Fonts with a page margin 1” X 1”

3. A cover page with a. the title of the paper, b. student’s name, c. Course name & the Course Number, d. Course given semester.

4. Tentative Contents and Order of the Report: a. One paragraph Abstract (maximum 150 words in Single Spacing Times Roman-10 fonts);

b. Introduction - Introduce any relevant background knowledge, for example, give

definitions on terms and discuss the history of the topic;

c. Issues - Explain why this topic is important, list the significance, concerns, impacts and

challenges of the topic;

d. Data - Use relevant data to provide any detail explanations for the issues brought up to

explain how sever or significant the issue is;

e. Analysis/Discussion - Provide discussions or analysis on topic, solving the issues and

mitigate the impacts/consequence;

f. Conclusion - Highlight the important findings you draw through the topic investigation; g. Reference(s).

5. Reference in text: references should be linked by numbers or name(s) of the authors in the text a. Placement: references are cited in the text by the author's surname, the publication date

of the work, and a page number if necessary. Full details are given in the reference list.

Place them at the appropriate point in the text. If they appear within parenthetical

material, put the year with commas.

b. With a quotation: This is the text, and Smith (2012) says "quoted text" (p.1), which supports my argument.

c. Author: one author: Smith (2012) or (Smith, 2012)

C e n t r a l S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y – D e p a r t m e n t o f W a t e r R e s o u r c e s M a n a g e m e n t

2

Two authors: Smith and Jones (2012) or (Smith & Jones, 2012)

Three to five authors: At first mention: Smith, Jones, Khan, Patel, and

Chen (2012) or (Smith, Jones, Khan, Patel, & Chen, 2012). At subsequent

mention: Smith et al. (2012) or (Smith et al., 2012)

Six or more authors: Smith et al. (2012); (Smith et al., 2012)

No author: Cite first few words of title (in quotation marks or italics depending on journal style for that type of work), plus the year: (“Study

Finds,” 2007)

6. Reference list A list of reference should be provided at the end of the report. The standard style for

reference list is given as below:

a. Journal article Travis, E. R.; Hannink, N. K.; van der Gast, C. J.; Thompson, I. P.; Rosser, S. J.;

Bruce, N. C. Impact of transgenic tobacco on trinitrotoluene (TNT) contaminated

soil community. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2007, 41 (16), 5854 5861;

DOI10.1021/es070507a.

b. Book with author Criss, R. E. Principles of Stable Isotope Distribution; Oxford University Press:

Oxford, U.K., 1999.

c. Book with editors Coghill, A. M., Garson, L. R., Eds. The ACS Style Guide, 3rd, ed.; Oxford

University Press: New York, 2006.

d. Chapter in edited book Snape, I.; et al. Contamination, regulation, and remediation: an introduction to

bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons in cold regions. In Bioremediation of

Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Cold Regions; Filler, D. M., Snape, I., Barnes, D. L.,

Eds.; Cambridge University Press: New York 2008; pp 1 37.

e. Thesis Masson, J.-F. Surface plasmon resonance sensors for biochemical and chemical

monitoring. Ph.D. Dissertation, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 2005.

Institutional report (e.g., U.S. or international government; private institution)

Biofuels: DOE lacks a strategic approach to coordinate increasing production

with infrastructure development and special needs; Highlights of GAO-07-713;

United States Government Accountability Office: Washington, DC, 2007;

www.gao.gov/new.items/d07713.pdf.

f. Law Energy independence and security act of 2007. Public Law 110-140, 2007;

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgibin/getdoc.cgi?dbname 110_cong_public_la

w&docid f:publ140.110.pdf.

g. Legal decision State of New Jersey v. EPA, No. 05-1097 (D.C. Cir. Feb 8, 2008). Website

homepage Environmental Science & Technology Website;

http://pubs.acs.org/journals/esthag/index.html.

C e n t r a l S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y – D e p a r t m e n t o f W a t e r R e s o u r c e s M a n a g e m e n t

3

7. Plagiarism a. If any report contains verbatim text of a reference source, both report and

presentation score zero.

b. If any reports contain verbatim text from another student report (from the same class or previous classes), the reports in this class will score zero.

8. Submission: As per the syllabus and instructed, due-date and time. (No late submission; any written report turned in after deadline will score zero, UNLESS there is a valid reason with

an official document support).

9. Contact the Instructor during the office hours for any help.

PRESENTATION (3 Points)

1. The Presentation should be submitted as PowerPoint with the Term Paper.

2. 5-min PowerPoint Presentation on your project (3 Points). Eight (8) to Ten (10) slides, excluding the title and end-contact-information slides; and representing

the information as required in the above #4 item of Report Writing.

**