EVRN 148/GEOG148
	Scientific Principles of Environmental Studies

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Environmental Issue Paper

Your environmental issue paper will be a 4-page document explaining the nature of an environmental issue that you find interesting. This paper should be well organized and contain the following.

• An introduction that states specifically what the issue is. Examples: wetland protection efforts in Kansas, state surface water quality legislation, revised EPA air quality standards, and campus recycling efforts.
• An explanation or description of the issue that makes reference to at least five sources of information. You must refer to and cite your articles within the body of the paper. Example: The biggest problem encountered in the development of electric cars is the storage of electricity to make it run (Dunn, 1997). Dunn is the author, and 1997 refers to the date the article was published.
• You may search the Web for information. If possible, all information obtained from the Web should have an author and a date. Avoid news clips or summaries with no author listed.
• Your personal reaction to the issue presented. For example, do you agree or disagree with the point of view in the articles you chose? Why? Will you make a change in your lifestyle based on the information you gathered? How is this issue handled in your hometown? I am not asking you to answer each of these questions in your paper; these are examples of how you might respond.
• A bibliography listing all the references you use for your paper. The bibliography should list references in alphabetical order following the example below.

Mitchell, Jennifer D. 1997. Nowhere to hide, the global spread of high-risk synthetic chemicals. World Watch, 10:2 pp. 27–36.

[author]. [year]. [title of article]. [title of journal, paper, book], [volume and page numbers].

Citations of Web sites should also include the complete Web address (URL) and the date you accessed the site.

There are numerous scientific journals located at any university or college library. Other sources include the “Science Times” section of the New York Times newspaper (Tuesday editions), local newspapers and newsletters such as Planet Kansas and Water News. Environmental magazines such as E: The Environmental Magazine, Sierra, World Watch, and Audubon are also good sources of information; these publications can usually be found at local libraries.

The paper may be submitted at any point in the course, but preferably toward the end, so that you will have the benefit of examining many environmental issues before choosing your topic. You must submit the paper before you request to take the final exam.

Read carefully the following instructions for preparing your paper.

• The text of the paper must be no more or no less than three pages (typed, double-spaced text, 12 pt., 1-inch margins). Text extending beyond the third page will not be read; your grade will reflect only what is written on the first three pages of the paper.
• The fourth (last) page of the paper is the bibliography. Follow the instructions given above for preparing your list of references.
• Submit your assignments to your instructor via e-mail. I recommend that you prepare your paper in a word-processing program so that you can check for spelling and other errors and be sure of the length of the document. After completing the paper, you can copy and paste it in your e‑mail window. Be sure to proof before sending; you may lose some formatting, such as italics, when you paste into the e-mail window. You may also submit your assignment as an e-mail attachment.

Grades will be based on completing the requirements as stated above, organization, and how well the paper is written. Don’t make this assignment a chore! This is your chance to investigate an environmental issue in more depth than we are able to cover during the course. I welcome the chance to talk with you about your topic, sources of information available to you, and the organization of your paper.