Learning Goal: I’m working on a geology writing question and need the explanation and answer to help me learn.
a. Select a commodity (crop), these are examples, you can choose others, you do not have to pick these
.Coffee
Then answer at least SIX of the following questions:
1. History and origin of this crop?
2. Where is it grown?
3. Why do we pay as much or as little as we do for this crop?
4. Is this a sustainable crop (you need to define sustainable for this purpose)?
5. What are the sustainable practices used (is they are used for this crop)?
6. What are the pests: insects, weeds, and diseases for this crop?
7. What strategies can/do famers take to control pests? GMO, IPM,
8. How is this crop marketed and transported?
9. Is it refined or mainly used as it comes out of the field?
10. Is this a crop that is usually sold as organic, non-organic, both?
11. Is this a crop that is a local crop or non-local (exported globally)?
12. Go to the store(s) and look at the prices, do the prices reflect the production costs?
Research Paper
A 10-page paper with the following:
| 1. Paper Content: 8 pages of text + 1 page of pictures (2 photos total) + 1 page of references (The 8 pages do not include the cover/title page, the title page is not mandatory).- You must write the paper by paraphrasing the information from the sources in your own words.Using direct quotes from the source, even if they are cited correctly intext and otherwise, is not allowed.– Avoid using bullet points in the paper. All information must be in a paragraph format. |
| 2. Pictures: Up to 2 photos are permitted but, a photo cannot take up more than half a page.- Size of photos: Maximum size is 4.6” x 3.5” (length x width) for vertical photos and 4” x 6.5” for horizontal photos.- Pictures must include a figure number and a short description underneath. The description should be single spaced unlike the rest of the paper which will be double spaced. |
| 3. Format: Double spaced (except for the image description, see example below), Times New Roman, 12 pt. font, 1-inch margins, justified for all paragraphs. |
| 4. Organization: Bold the headings for each section of the paper so it is clear where one section begins and ends. Each question can be a section.- For example, History and Origin should be the title of the sub section of the paper if that is one of the questions you choose to answer. |
| 5. References Section: List the peer reviewed sources, scholarly websites, and websites for the photos fully cited in APA format in their own separate sections under the references as per the rubric and number all the references used. See an example outline below before starting.– For this class, we will be using the APA format for citations. |
See the rubric below for grading criteria as well as an example outline and image citation guide. In addition, there is an APA Citation Guide posted with the instructions on Canvas.
Research Paper Rubric
| Content | Points |
| General Content: Selecting a crop, answering at least 6 questions as per the instructions.Use of quotations, even with correct intext/full citation will result in -5 pts per quote.ALL material must be paraphrased and written in your own words. Papers less than 10 pages will lose 10 points per page. E.g., An 8-page paper will start with an 80 and then be graded accordingly. | 50 |
| Spelling + Grammar | |
| Scientific names of plants, pests & pathogens must be italicized/written correctly e.g., Nelumbo nucifera, Nepeta cataria, Zea mays, Theobroma cacao, Oryza sativa, Phytophthora infestans, Aphis gossypii etc. | 5 |
| Format + Organization | |
| 1. Font – Times New Roman, 12 pt. (5 pts), Spacing/Margins – Double Spaced, 1-inch (5 pts) | 10 |
| 2. Subsection Headings – Each subsection must have a heading in bold (5 pts) | 5 |
| 3. Pictures with legend – 2 photos maximum, photos cannot take up more than half a page. Must include a figure number and description of the photo underneath (legend) (5pts/photo + legend) | 10 |
| References and Intext Citations – Must be in APA format | |
| Peer reviewed sources – Must have a minimum of 4 peer reviewed sources (Journal articles + books from Google Scholar/Rutgers Library Databases) in the APA format both intext and under the References. | 8 |
| Scholarly sources – Must have a minimum of 3 scholarly sources (articles from websites ending in .edu, .gov, .org and select commercial websites that are highly reputable (business/marketing reports etc.). See a list of acceptable websites below. AVOID blogs/general websites like Wikipedia, Britannica etc. For using general commercial websites or Wikipedia, there will be a penalty of –3 pts per source. | 6 |
| Photos – Can be from any commercial website, as long as it is fully cited intext and underthe references. | 2 |
| Intext citations – All references used in the paper must be included both intext & under References. If you have citations in the References but not within the paper or vice versa, points will be taken off. | |
Requirements:
