Reports should be organized and written like a professional scientific paper. Use papers in such journals as GSA Bulletin,or JGR for general form. The following sections are usually included in all but the shortest papers.

Title: Should indicate kind of experiment, location and major conclusion.

Abstract: This is a condensed version of the whole paper. It should include purpose, geologic setting, methods, principal results and conclusions. Often the title and abstract are published in several places are read by many more people than the paper itself.

Introduction: This states the purpose of the research, summarizes previous work and describes geology of study area. Include specific questions that you wish to answer.

Methods: Include both field work and data analysis. Be sure to indicate unusual aspects. Try to avoid a "narrative" or "cookbook" approach.

Results: Present as text, table and figures. Be sure to distinguish geophysical results (for example, seismic velocities, layer thickness) from geologic interpretation (materials of each layer). You should include here estimates of error in the results. Explain where these come from.

Discussion and Interpretation: Here you should try to explain the geological meaning of the results. This might start with the materials of each geophysically distinct unit, continue with a discussion of the geometry of these, and go on to a conclusion of their origin. What answers did you find to your original questions? Is the problem solved? What questions remain unanswered? Does the work support or contradict your original hypothesis?

Summary and Conclusions: State briefly what was done and what the results mean.

References: Only articles and books cited in the text of your paper. For this course, put captions directly on figures at bottom of page. (In papers submitted to journals, captions are usually listed separately).

Appendices: These might include filed data, lengthy mathematical derivations, computer programs and other things that the general reader probably wouldn't need to read.