Topics are provided and each student should be approved on their selected topic, by the Instructor:
1. Please do not take a topic that another one already has chosen.
2. Choose one topic and notify the Instructor on or before the set deadline for the topic.
3. LAST DAY for the Report Submission: Check your set deadline for submission
(No late submission; any report that will be provided after this deadline will get no point UNLESS there
is a valid reason with a document supports it)
4. If any report contains the verbatim text of a reference source, points will be reduced.
5. If any report contains verbatim text from another report (from the same class), both reports will lose
points.
6. Contact the Instructor during office hour(s) for any help s/he could provide.
REPORT WRITING (15 Points)
1. Minimum 3000 Words (This does not include a reference page, cover page, Figures, and Tables).
2. All texts, except the Abstract in Single Spacing Times New Roman-12 Fonts with a page margin –
1” x 1”
3. A cover page with:
a. the title of the paper,
b. student’s name,
c. Course name & the Course Number,
d. Course given semester.
4. Contents and Order of the Report:
a. (one-paragraph) Abstract (in 200-300 words, in Single Spacing, Times New Roman, and
10 font-size);
b. Introduction – Introduce any relevant background knowledge, for example, give
definitions on terms and discuss the history of the topic;
c. Issues – Explain why this topic is important, list the significance, concerns, impacts and
challenges of the topic;
d. Data – Use relevant data to provide any detail explanations for the issues brought up to
explain how sever or significant the issue is;
e. Analysis/Discussion – Provide your discussions or analysis on the topic, solving the
issues and mitigate the impacts/consequence;
f. Conclusion – (in 300-400 words) Highlight the important findings you draw through
the topic investigation;
g. Reference(s).
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5. Reference(s) in text: references should be linked by numbers or name(s) of the authors in the
text —
a. Placement: references are cited in the text by the author’s surname, the publication date
of the work, and a page number if necessary. Full details are given in the reference list.
Place them at the appropriate point in the text. If they appear within parenthetical
material, put the year with commas.
b. With a quotation: This is the text, and Smith (2012) says “quoted text” (p.1), which
supports my argument.
c. Author: one author: Smith (2012) or (Smith, 2012)
Two authors: Smith and Jones (2012) or (Smith & Jones, 2012)
Three to five authors: At first mention: Smith, Jones, Khan, Patel, and
Chen (2012) or (Smith, Jones, Khan, Patel, & Chen, 2012). At subsequent
mention: Smith et al. (2012) or (Smith et al., 2012)
Six or more authors: Smith et al. (2012); (Smith et al., 2012)
No author: Cite first few words of title (in quotation marks or italics
depending on journal style for that type of work), plus the year: (“Study
Finds,” 2007)
6. Reference list:
A list of reference should be provided at the end of the report. The standard style for
reference list is given as below:
a. Journal article
Travis, E. R.; Hannink, N. K.; van der Gast, C. J.; Thompson, I. P.; Rosser, S. J.;
Bruce, N. C. Impact of transgenic tobacco on trinitrotoluene (TNT) contaminated
soil community. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2007, 41 (16), 5854 5861;
DOI10.1021/es070507a.
b. Book with author
Criss, R. E. Principles of Stable Isotope Distribution; Oxford University Press:
Oxford, U.K., 1999.
c. Book with editors
Coghill, A. M., Garson, L. R., Eds. The ACS Style Guide, 3rd, ed.; Oxford
University Press: New York, 2006.
d. Chapter in edited book
Snape, I.; et al. Contamination, regulation, and remediation: an introduction to
bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons in cold regions. In Bioremediation of
Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Cold Regions; Filler, D. M., Snape, I., Barnes, D. L.,
Eds.; Cambridge University Press: New York 2008; pp 1 37.
e. Thesis
Masson, J.-F. Surface plasmon resonance sensors for biochemical and chemical
monitoring. Ph.D. Dissertation, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 2005.
Institutional report (e.g., U.S. or international government; private institution)
Biofuels: DOE lacks a strategic approach to coordinate increasing production
with infrastructure development and special needs; Highlights of GAO-07-713;
United States Government Accountability Office: Washington, DC, 2007;
www.gao.gov/new.items/d07713.pdf.
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f. Law
Energy independence and security act of 2007. Public Law 110-140, 2007;
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgibin/getdoc.cgi?dbname 110_cong_public_la
w&docid f:publ140.110.pdf.
g. Legal decision
State of New Jersey v. EPA, No. 05-1097 (D.C. Cir. Feb 8, 2008). Website
homepage Environmental Science & Technology Website;
http://pubs.acs.org/journals/esthag/index.html.
7. Plagiarism
a. If any report contains verbatim text of a reference source, both report and
presentation score zero.
b. If any reports contain verbatim text from another student report (from the same class
or previous classes), the reports in this class will score zero.
8. Submission: As per the syllabus and instructed, due-date and time. (No late submission;
any written report turned in after deadline will score zero, UNLESS there is a valid reason with
an official document support).
9. Contact the Instructor during the office hour(s) for any help.
