Term Paper

Due dates:

First part: November 1 (Th) (see below for details).

Final version: November 15 (Th before Springbreak)

Length: No less than two (2) pages, if typed single-spaced, 12pt font, or no less than 4 pages, if typed double-spaced. List references on a separate final page. See how to cite and list references at the end of this page for an example.

For students taking this class as an Honors course, the requirement is for a ~10-page paper.

Information on how it will be graded, click here for grading rubric.

What is due on November 1? (This is optional but will get you 10% extra credit on your final paper grade)

• Title of your paper

• Outline of your paper (that means: listing of subjects, possibly separate sections, showing what your paper ultimately will contain). See here what the outline should contain: Information on paper outline. Note that is mostly intended to help you stay on track and save you time later on!

• References. By this time you should have your principal reference material identified, so list all your references here. You should have multiple references, not just one, because then you might just be summarizing one paper and that is not the point.

What is due on November 15?

The final and complete paper.

Details on the requirements for the paper:

• Pick one of the subject areas discussed further down. For each of the subject areas pick a few major issues and discuss those.

• Don't produce a somewhat random collection of facts or possibilities; it is better to discuss a few in detail than present a rambling shopping list with no particular message. Consult reference materials and cite those. See below for details on how to cite. Take a position: If you write about space travel, for example, you might want to see if you can make up your mind as to what seem like the most plausible options and what seem less likely possibilities. It is recommended not just summarize what you read, but attach your own opinion on the subject you are writing about.

• The essay will look very different depending on your point of view, so you need to decide what your major message is in advance. In writing your paper, always keep in mind: "What is or are my principal goal(s) in writing this paper?", don't just produce a summary but include your own analysis of the information to reach a conclusion or set of conclusions that you want to convey to the reader. That is why it is critical to consult the reference material before you arrive at your major message and before you start writing.

• Avoid direct citations. The paper should be written in your own words, with nothing copied from anywhere or anyone. Literal citations in a paper of this nature should be kept to a minimum, if used at all. Any literal citation should be in quotation marks.
  
  
  

Possible topics

- Prospects for life on planets around other stars. What have we learned so far about planets around other stars? How common are Earth-like planets, what are the challenges in finding them? How common are large planets, and where can they exist? Are most planets found around stars like the Sun or other types of stars? How can we find out if the planets might host life?

- Finding Earths - the search for the closest analogs to planet Earth orbiting other stars in our Milky Way. Here you could look into how close we are to finding analogs of Earths, what the challenges are in finding such objects, what the properties of the ones are that have been found so far, etc. This should focus on Earth-like planets, not all extra-solar planets.

- Interstellar travel - The search for new propulsion mechanisms and the prospects for traveling to the nearby stars. What is the state of the art, what is being planned, and is it sufficient, realistic, or still too far from doing what we need to get there?

- The future of manned space flight. What are your views on the current plans in the US for manned space flight? Are they sufficient in your view, too little, too much? Do you see a connection to a search for life in the solar system in the plans as they exist?
 
- The search for extra-terrestrial intelligence: should we keep listening? Government funding for SETI was cut off back in the 1990s. Since then, it has been funded through private donations and philanthropy. Yet some would argue that an actual discovery by SETI would be so important that spending money on this is equally valid as building telescopes or space craft, because the leap forward of any detection would be so tremendous. Take a position on this and make your case.

- Threats to life on Earth. What are the principal threats to our human civilization? One of the critical factors in estimating the number of advanced civilizations in our Milky Way, is our lack of information on how long an advanced civilization can be sustained. Will the human race continue its rapid advancement of knowledge and technology? Or are the risks of self-destruction or mass extinction due to other causes so severe that we may see a halt to civilization before too long?

A few key points:

1. Overall purpose:

The paper should explore the principle topic as stated. Try to stick to just one or a few points you are trying to make, keep it focused. Materials to be consulted can range from text books, to science books or science articles in journals, etc. Do include more than just one reference, don't summarize just one article or textbook section. Try to look at your topic from difference perspectives, including your own. You want to write something that others would find interesting to read.

2. Papers have to be written in your own words. Critical REQUIREMENT: AVOID ALL CUTTING AND PASTING TEXT FROM THE WEB OR OTHER SOURCES! On the rare occasion that you feel you must cite something literally, it has to be put in quotation marks and the reference should be indicated. Do not include materials from any previously submitted paper or cheat by submitting someone else's paper.

3. Reference material that you consulted should also be listed at the end, even if you do not take literal citations from it. Do not literally cite excessive amounts of direct text from sources. Use your own words. Direct citations usually only include a single sentence or statement here and there as needed. It is best to indicate a reference where you use it and then put the full reference at the end.

Example of how reference material is cited in the text of a science paper: Jones and Smith (2003) argued for the existence of man before apes were around, based on their discovery of a cellular telephone in 50 million year old deposits in a South African mine shaft. They could not rule out, however, that a miner had lost the cell phone from his belt clip. The latter hypothesis gained support when it was discovered that the batteries still worked. Subsequent analysis of the device showed a voice message from his wife that he left his lunch box at home.

And then at the end of the paper you would give the reference as follows:

References

Jones, B., Smith, C., 2003, Journal of the American Society of Fringe Scientists, Volume 1, page 1.

Please consult me or Lauren if you have any questions.