Assignment: Create a digital poster (infographic) about an earthquake of your choosing. The earthquake should have enough details available to create an informative poster. As long as you can find details and images about it, you can choose any earthquake (except for the two earthquakes used as examples below: 2005 Kashmir and 2011 Japan earthquakes – projects that use these earthquakes will receive NO credit). Create your poster with Google Slides/Powerpoint or free online websites, such as: Canva, Piktochart, Checkthis, Glogster, Infogram, Easelly, Visually. (Do not pay for anything!)
Note: If you need help selecting an earthquake, don’t hesitate to reach out! (Some options include Haiti 2010, Alaska 1964, Chile 2010, Sumatra 2004, Izmit Turkey 1999, Kathmandu 2015, Sichuan China 2008, Turkey and Syria 2023, lots more!!)
Goal: The goal of the assignment is to demonstrate your knowledge of earthquakes through text and images. If you were to show your poster to someone outside of our class, they should be able to understand what happened during the earthquake and why. Synthesis of information is a great way to learn and demonstrate what you have learned.
What should I put on my poster?? Your poster should be a combination of figures/images and text. You can organize the information however you wish. Two examples are provided below. Each poster should include at least:
A map of the region where the earthquake occurred
Background information on the region the earthquake occurred (e.g. what is the tectonic setting and what kinds/sizes of earthquake typically happen here). A figure might be useful here too (e.g., a cross-section of the subduction zone).
Earthquake details: magnitude (moment magnitude: Mw), when it occurred, location of the epicenter, depth, type of earthquake (e.g. normal, thrust, strike-slip), etc.
Images/maps and descriptions of the hazards and damage caused by the earthquake
Make sure to describe things so someone outside of this class could understand not only what happened but why as well.
Make sure that all of your figures have a caption that describes what’s being shown!
Make sure that you include text, not just images summarizing the earthquake and its impact.
Shaking intensity map (for earthquakes after ~1980)
Citations for the information and images*
*Important note: While you are incorporating information from external sources, the words on the poster should be your own! Do NOT plagiarize text from websites, articles, the textbook, or lecture slides. Be sure to cite your sources for images and info, and do not copy and paste text! (This is plagiarism and an academic integrity violation.)
Optional items include (if you need help or have questions, don’t hesitate to ask me!):
Seismograms from the earthquake (e.g. http://ds.iris.edu/gsv/Links to an external site.) or other geophysical data (e.g. GPS data)
Model of where slip occurred on the fault (e.g. finite fault map on USGS event page) with a description
Seismic hazard map – to compare with the actual earthquake
Poster examples: (Reminder: You are not allowed to use either of these earthquakes for your poster)
2005 M7.6 Kashmir Earthquake: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pR5hQ6zWrWSM3mq7y0J89IBHjmjf4Rdc/view?usp=sharingLinks to an external site.
2011 M9 Japan Earthquake: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EJ4W0_VpZ4VQiOwI6G1I_SR6o_ZjFGgU/view?usp=sharingLinks to an external site.
Length: One page digital poster/infographic. (The poster page can be any size.) Include a separate page listing your references. A poster template is available here: PosterTemplate.pptxDownload PosterTemplate.pptx
Readings: You’ll need background information. Textbook readings and at least two more additional webpage (or book) references that provide additional helpful information about your chosen earthquake are required. The USGS earthquake catalog page you used in the Module 7 Activity will be a valuable resource.
References Note: In order to get full credit, you need to include some references. Attach a second page after your poster that lists your sources. Include at least two references. You should cite the sources of all figures and images you place on your poster!
Reference Style: On your poster, use the number style of referencing where a number in parentheses denotes the reference. This will help conserve space on your poster.
For example: The Maule earthquake occurred where the Nazca and South America plates converge at a rate of ~70 mm/yr. (1)
Example website reference: Refs from webpages must be referenced in the following fashion:
“Title of webpage”: organization name, date browsed. URL (web address).
“M 9.1 – 2011 Great Tohoku Earthquake, Japan” USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, Accessed Nov 4, 2022 https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/official20110311054624120_30/executiveLinks to an external site.
Helpful Resources:
Earthquakes:
https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/earthquake-hazards/earthquakesLinks to an external site.
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/search/Links to an external site.
https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/earthquake-hazards/special-earthquakes-earthquake-sequences-and-fault-zonesLinks to an external site.
Earthquake event pages. Example: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/official20110311054624120_30/executiveLinks to an external site.. If you scroll down below the Tectonic Summary on the “Overview” page there is often a bunch of links to other sources of information
Digital poster websites:
https://www.canva.com Links to an external site.
http://www.ivan.cash/infographic-of-infographicsLinks to an external site.
http://edu.glogster.com/?ref=comLinks to an external site.
https://infogr.am/Links to an external site.
https://www.easel.ly/Links to an external site.
https://piktochart.com/Links to an external site.
Powerpoint Poster template: PosterTemplate.pptxDownload PosterTemplate.pptx
Creative Commons:
https://search.creativecommons.org/Links to an external site.
Grading Rubric:
*Grades in-between these point values may be assigned if warranted.
25 pts = Excellent poster. Visually attractive and contains all required information plus some extras. Your work clearly shows that you’ve learned something (geologically) about earthquakes and their hazards. Your references cited are reflected in the geological information you’ve covered. Text is grammatically correct and well-spoken.
20 pts = A strong poster that meets all minimum requirements but has one or more minor problems with presentation or with correctness/completeness of information. Your work shows that you’ve learned something (geologically) about earthquakes and their hazards.
15 pts = Work is missing one of the minimum requirements for the assignment, or generally lacks creativity or has problems in presentation, content, or completeness. Work shows that you’ve learned a little about earthquakes.
5 pts = Work turned in, but has substantial flaws in presentation and content/completeness.
0 pts = no submission
Late policy: 1 day late = 10% penalty; 2 days late = 25% penalty; 3 days = 50% penalty; >3 days = no credit. It is much better to turn something in late than no assignment!
