Columbia River Ecology
Robert D. Clark Honors College, University of Oregon
HC 441: Science Colloquium
Fall term, 2005
Syllabus
Purpose: Using the science of freshwater ecology as a framework, we will explore the history and current state of the Columbia River with a research focus on Oregon watersheds east of the Cascade Mountains. Environmental problems will be identified and mitigating strategies discussed. Students will discover, analyze, summarize, and critique information resources from a variety of disciplines. The class will develop an integrated, interdisciplinary perspective on environmental quality in the Columbia basin and assemble an annotated bibliography and list of resources that will be made available to the public. This course may satisfy part of the HC science requirement or the colloquium requirement.
Prof. Dennis Todd
195 Gilbert Hall
346-2517; dtodd@uoregon.edu
office hours by appointment
Course website: http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~dtodd/ColRiver/
Schedule: The course schedule will be posted on the Blackboard site. It will be subject to change to meet the availability of guest speakers.
Class discussions: Dialog fosters inquiry. The professor and guest speakers will be open to questions and contradiction. To prompt dialog, students may be called on to discuss their week's reading selection. Use the Blackboard site to initiate or continue discussions.
Readings: Most of the readings for this class will be outside sources that students discover. Background material and notes will be placed on the Blackboard site or on the public website. There will be no assigned packet or textbook. Limnology texts and other informative materials will be placed in the CHC Library.
Weekly writing assignments: Every week, each student will submit to the Blackboard course site an annotated review and complete bibliographic citation for one source of information relevant to the topic assigned to the student's research group. Each review should include a summary (one page or less), and a critique and editorial statement (one page or less). The submission will be graded on the basis of the quality of the source, the thoroughness of the summary, and the insight shown in the editorial statement. Extra points will be awarded for submissions that show superior diligence in research.
After reviewing the submission, the professor will place it on the public web page. The reviews will be due on Mondays, from October 3 through November 28. No late submissions will be accepted except by prior arrangement.
Note that once a paper is posted on the website, no more reviews of that paper will be accepted. To avoid duplication, be sure to check the site before you write your report.
Because we are assembling an archival guide, sources that are available only as web sites will not be appropriate submissions because they are evanescent. To be appropriate for our purpose, material must be available in print. Sources that are cited on web sources may be submitted if they are available in print. Sources that are unavailable on web sites or electronic databases are the most valuable to bring to light.
Top-quality sources include (but are not limited to) peer-reviewed scientific reports, government agency technical reports, and historical documents from special collections. Medium-quality sources include (but are not limited to) popular books, non-technical government publications, research consortium reports, and authoritative publications of advocacy groups. Lower-quality sources include (but are not limited to) articles from newspapers and magazines, informational brochures, and preachy advocacy publications.
Grade scale:
(1-3) Scholarly value
(2-4) Quality of summary
(2-4) Quality of review/critique
Final paper: A prospectus of the final paper will be due on October 26. It should summarize the argument you will present, provide a summary of the background information and the recommendations you will make, and include a preliminary bibliography. The final paper, due on November 23, will be an extended argument (10 – 20 pages, double-spaced, no fluff or padding) that describes an adverse condition in the watershed, reviews the history that led to this condition, provides an overview of the regulatory status, and proposes a course of action that could remedy or mitigate the condition.
The paper must include a comprehensive bibliography and must be formatted in the MLA style. Grades will be based on the paper's coverage and completeness, the quality of analysis and argument, the narrative's clarity and presentation, the use and understanding of scientific principles, the attention to format detail, and the authority and breadth of sources. The paper must be submitted in electronic format and will be posted on the public web page.
Oral presentations: Each research team will present its findings during the last two weeks of class. Three teams will be scheduled to present during a class period; each team will be limited to 20 minutes. The presentations should include a brief overview of the current conditions, a short guide to information resources, and a recommendation for future actions.
Grades: Grades will be based on the weekly reports (40%), the term paper (40%), the oral presentations (10%), and class participation (10%). Punctuality and attendance are essential. Tardiness or unexcused absences will hurt the final grade.
Info sources reviewed by HC 441 students
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