Important dates

Wenatchee campus meeting

Meeting #1:                           Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010, 9:00 - 10:30 AM., Wenatchi 2217

Exam and assignment dates

Exam 1:                                   Monday, January 25, 2010

Research proposal due:     Monday, February 1, 2010

Exam 2:                                   Monday, February 8, 2010

Exam 3:                                   Monday, February 22, 2010

Research paper due:          Monday, March 1, 2010

Exam 4:                                   Monday, March 8, 2010

Exam 5:                                   Monday, March 22, 2010

Submitting assignments

On-campus students may take exams on the above-scheduled days from 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. in my office (Wenatchi Hall 2332). 

Off-campus students please return all exams and assignments directly to me at WVC.  (Your proctor will be provided with self-addressed, stamped envelopes for this purpose.)

Special populations office

The Disability Support Services Office has been designated by the college as the primary office to guide, coach and assist students with disabilities.  If you receive services (or think you should) through that office and require accommodations for this class, make an appointment with me as soon as possible to discuss your approved accommodation needs.  Bring your Instructor Notification and Request form provided by the Special Populations Coordinator to the appointment.  I will hold any information you share with me in strictest confidence unless you give me written permission to do otherwise.  If you need a referral to that office or have further questions, I will be available to assist you.  The Special Populations Coordinator will require appropriate documentation of disability.  The use of that office is voluntary.

GUIDELINES FOR INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PAPER  (100 pts)

·         Length of 8-12 pages, word-processed & double-spaced

·         Include a title page at the beginning of your report.

·         You may use tables, charts, diagrams, drawings & photos.

·         Spelling, punctuation, grammar and sentence structure must be at the college level.

·         When using scientific names of organisms, they must be correctly spelled.

·         Scientific names must be correctly used when referring to organisms.  Capitalize the genus name,  underline or italicize genus & species name as shown in this example:    

                  Macrocystis pyrifera OR Macrocystis pyrifera

·         You must use a minimum of 3 different references; you may use as many as you wish!

·         List your references alphabetically by the author’s last name or a key word from your Internet source on the last page of your paper using the following formats as examples:

                  Tortora, G.J., B.R.Funke & C.L. Case.  2010.  Microbiology, An Introduction,

                              6th edition.  Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Co., New York.  801 pp.

                  Woodford, P.G. and J.I. Hanson.  2010.  Animal systems involved in the

digestive process.  Scientific American 30: 345-357.

·         Internet (World Wide Web) references without a specific author are listed as follows:

                  University of Washington Oceanography Department.  “Title of Article” [Online].              http://www.whatever.the/address.would/be (date you accessed it).

·         ALL sources you list in your references MUST be cited within the text of your paper,

however, do not use footnotes in the paper.   You must cite the reference used

every time you use facts or data from your references.

·         Cite the references you use within the text of your paper by listing the author’s last name

            and the year the article/book was published according to the following format:  

                  . . . the intestine is where most digestion occurs (Woodford and Hanson, 2010).

·         Don't forget to cite your illustrations, photos, diagrams, etc. as well!  Label each of these

as figures, number them and refer to them in the text of your paper.

·         If an Internet reference does not have an author, simply reference it as (U.W., 2010).

·         Submit a written proposal to me by MONDAY 2/1/2010 so that I can okay your topic before you begin.  It may be emailed to me or dropped off in Wenatchi Hall 2332.

·         You may research any relevant topic in BIOLOGICAL oceanography . . . pending instructor approval!   Be sure to cover your subject in greater depth than the course material.

·         This research paper is due on MONDAY 3/1/2010 by 4:30 PM.  It may also be mailed to me or dropped off directly to me in my office in Wenatchi Hall 2332.

·         Please ask me for help, comments, constructive criticism or to look over the drafts of the paper as you write it, especially if this is the first “scientific” paper you’ve written.

THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ALLOW YOU THE FREEDOM TO DO AN IN-DEPTH, UP-TO-DATE RESEARCH PAPER ON A PARTICULAR MARINE BIOLOGY OR BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY - RELATED TOPIC OF INTEREST TO YOU.   AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, I HOPE YOU WILL DEVELOP THE ABILITY TO SEEK OUT AND PURSUE ANY TOPIC OF INTEREST IN THE FUTURE BY UTILIZING THE WIDE VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO YOU IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.  PICK A TOPIC YOU KNOW YOU'LL ENJOY AND DO SOME INVESTIGATIVE WORK ON IT!

OCEANOGRAPHY 101 - TOPICS FOR OCEANOGRAPHY RESEARCH PAPER:

ROB FITCH'S WEBSITE: http://commons.wvc.edu/rfitch

MARINE LIFE:

            - Plankton: Phytoplankton, zooplankton, bacteria/nanoplankton, etc.

            - Reptiles & birds: Turtles, snakes, penguins, albatross, etc.

            - Mammals: Polar bears, manatees, walrus, seals, whales, dolphins, etc.

            - Invertebrates: Sponges, sea stars, clams, oysters, crabs, etc.

            - Fish: Sharks, rays, bony fish, food fish, rare or unique fish, etc.

            - Symbiotic relationships: Corals, anemones, cleaning fish, etc.

            - Endangered or threatened species, conservation of species

ECOLOGY:

- Red tides

- Introduced or non-native species of plants/seaweeds or animals

            - Human impact on environment, etc.

            - Hydrothermal vent life

ARTIFICIAL REEFS - sinking ships, scrap autos, oil rigs, etc.

OCEAN PHARMACOLOGY:

            - Drugs from marine organisms

            - Plants & Animals

            - Toxic or dangerous plants & animals

MARINE SNOW - mucus-secreting animals in deep ocean areas

MARINE RESOURCES FOR FOOD:

            - Seafood - stocks, new fisheries, krill, squid, sea cucumbers, sharks, etc.

            - Seafood safety for consumers

            - Aquaculture/Mariculture - growing food in the sea

PHYSIOLOGY - adaptations that marine life have to ocean environment

            - SCUBA diving & physiological effects on humans

            - Adaptations of marine mammals to diving deep, or aquatic birds to marine environment

POLLUTION:

            - New clean-up technology

            - Prevention methods

            - Laws & regulations

- Plastics, medical wastes, oil

- Biological amplification & effects on marine food chains

OCEAN TECHNOLOGY:

            - Ocean life mapping/surveys

            - Remote sensing of primary production/ satellites, etc.

MARINE REGULATION/OCEAN LAW:

            - Pertaining to fisheries

            - Pollution, damage to marine life, clean-up and remediation

            - Introduced marine species - negative/positive impacts

            - Enforcement, role of Fish & Wildlife Departments, Coast Guard, Navy

UNDERSEA SUBMERSIBLES - undersea exploration of new/unique life forms/ecosystems

OTHER - current topics related to MARINE BIOLOGY or BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY!