• Write a blog or Informal essay for the general public.
Imagine that you are a reporter for Scientific American, National Geographic, New Scientist, or a graduate student who wants to communicate with K-12 students or interested adults without a degree in oceanography.
• The topic must be based on plankton, marine animal, or an experience at sea. Choose a taxon, region, phenomenon that interests you and write an article to share your knowledge and enthusiasm with the public.
-For example, choose a taxon (dinoflagellate, copepods, diatoms, etc.) and write about the natural history of this group—not an exhaustive review, perhaps just focus on a few key characteristics or phenomena.
– Example: Phenomenon—Red tide or bioluminescence (did you swim in the most recent San Diego red tide in April? Did you make a special trip to the beach at night to observe the bioluminescence?).
-Example: Harmful algal blooms
Use resources to supplement your observations (interviews with scientists or marine technicians, publications, appropriate websites, etc.). A link to a personal experience is not only allowable in this format, but often serves as a hook for your audience or as an organizing theme. Citation format will differ from the scientific journal article format.
• Include at least 1 image.
You can use cartoons, other photos, drawings, links to videos, etc. as long as you cite sources and follow all appropriate use requirements (copyright issues, etc).
• Combine explaining, entertaining, contextualizing, informing, commenting, educating, humor, critique, personal experiences, etc. to achieve success.
• In a separate paragraph at the end (just for me, not part of the blog), state who is your target audience and where you imagine this blog would be posted.
Look at successful columns or blogs as models for style. See articles posted on Blackboard for tips on writing for the public.
http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/minutephysics
Last Completed Projects
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