0. Read text before and after lectures!
1. Don't be quite so quick in rushing to the computers. Thoroughly analyze the task at hand. What is really being asked for? Don't get deep into calculations before you've figured out where you are going.
2. Write out an explanation of all the steps in the calculations. This will help you understand what you're trying to do, will help you retain the material and will give me some guidance in following your thoughts. Neatly lay out the derivations and calculations in a way that I can understand. I won't try to thread my way through a maze of spread-sheets. Your future boss will be even less patient. Always double-check dimensions and units. Check the variables and parameters against the definition diagrams.
3. Neatness doesn't count for a great deal in this course but it is important. I don't expect typed answers on problem sets but the major sections of the labs should be typed. Similarly I have no problem with hand-drawn figures and graphs but they should be neat and fully labeled. You don't have to type the journal entrees unless I have trouble with your handwriting. Don't play around with funny fonts and type sizes.
4. Many of you are over-relying on spread-sheets to do calculations and labs. They are a wonderful tool but pose their own problems. For example it's almost impossible for me to figure out what you really did. What formulae were used for each column? Did you cut and paste and move things around? In contrast, a regular programming language such as BASIC or FORTRAN or MATLAB gives a printed record of all the steps plus the results. It's much easier to find out what was really done. In addition the program can be used for all similar problems for the rest of your career.
5. I'm seeing lots of needless use of linear regression. In a very limited way it will give you better straight lines on a travel-time diagram. On the other hand, assignment of points to individual line segments remains arbitrary. It is difficult to use regression on reversed data and still satisfy reciprocity. For irregular interfaces we don't even expect straight lines. So.....just draw some best "eyeball fit" lines and save a lot of time and paper.
6. Cooperative learning is fine. Working together is a great idea in many ways. You can learn from each other and provide a lot of support and encouragement. Beyond a certain point troubles arise. Who should get credit for cooperative efforts? Sometimes a single person leads the whole class into very bad solutions or interpretations. By all means work together to understand the problems. Then write them up independently.
7. Devote a little more time to finding appropriate case histories for your journals. So far a lot have been dredged out of recent journals in the seminar room. As a result they are only of tangential relationship to the course. Go to a good journal such as Geophysics, Geophysical Prospecting or GroundWater and find a simple article that you can mostly understand. As I mentioned there are on-line subject indexes for some journals.
8. In your journal entries don't summarize the paper in detail. Just right enough so I'll know what the article is about. Then focus on questions, reactions, and comments. Does the article reinforce lecture and lab material? Are there things that you don't understand?
It's clear that you're all working hard. Now let's try to work more efficiently. Think a little longer at the beginning to save time in the end.
SOME HINTS ON DOING AND CHECKING PROBLEM SETS
1. Take enough time to thoroughly understand the problem. Is it a formula plug-in? A derivation? A qualitative comparison or contrast? Conceptualize the physical and geological situation.
2. If called for, use reasonable physical properties for the materials in the problems. Specific values might come from the text, class notes , journal articles or field work. Some problems only need a typical or "ball-park" number whereas in other cases you might need fairly specific values.
3. For all formulas and in all derivations make sure to check the dimensions and units carefully. In an equation both sides must have the same dimensions (L, T, M, etc.). Numerical quantities also have specific units (nanoTeslas, km/s, etc..).
4. Be sure that your answer has appropriate symmetry and location with respect to the geometry of the system that you're working with.
5. Double check your arithmetic. Look for misplaced decimal points. Remember that some functions are multivalued; arc tangent is a common example. Be sure to use degree or radian measure correctly. Most formulae will be in radians whereas geometrical or survey data is often given in degrees.
6. Are your graphs and maps completely and correctly labelled? Check for labels on both axes and scales and north arrow on maps. Are all symbols, lines, colors, etc. explained in a legend?
SUGGESTIONS FOR BETTER WRITING
2. Organize the contents in a logical way using a detailed outline (see handout for lab reports and good journal articles). Group related material together. Set the stage with your background material early in the paper. Don't pull surprise facts out of a hat in the discussion. Proceed in a logical manner so that each sentence logically follows the one before. Use transition sentences to smoothly change from one topic, paragraph or section to the next.
3. Use words correctly. A dictionary will help you avoid blunders in usage. A thesaurus gives synonyms to give variety to your vocabulary.
4. Write in complete, grammatically correct sentences. Check for subject-verb agreement. Be very careful with pronouns. Be clear just what "this" or "that" refers to. End sentences with a period or a question mark or, in very rare situations, an exclamation mark. Be as concise as the topic permits.
5. Use a spell-checker.
6. Avoid acronyms and jargon.
7. If possible have a friend read your paper. If not, check it yourself a day or two after writing.
CONTENT, CLARITY, CONCISENESS and CORRECTNESS
So far this semester I've received some excellent work and some that could stand improvement. Here are some hints and suggestions on how to achieve better results.
1. Decide what you want to say. What are the main points you wish to make? What is the important content of your paper, lab report, exam answer or thesis? CONTENT is the reason for writing.