Geologic History
Write a 2000 word report about the geology of a particular area of California. This area may be a major national or state park, or perhaps a particular county where you grew up. Your paper should have four important sections. Please label them with appropriate headings I. Geologic features: Describe the geologic features (rocks, structures — faults, landforms) of the area. Explain any geologic terms in your own words. Example: “Gneisses outcrop in the northeastern and central area. Gneisses are foliated metamorphic rocks with layering between micas and feldspars. The layering forms synclines and anticlines through out the area. Synclines are folds that open upward, and anticlines open downward.” Also explain any spatial relationships between the features. What is the sequence of layering? Which rocks are next to each other, which rocks intrude others, what rocks do the faults cut, which is/are older/younger. II. Geologic history: Explain the geologic history of the area. Refer to geologic time periods or dates. What kind of plate tectonic activity was going on? What mountains were forming? etc. III. Map of the area of interest: Please include appropriate map scale and citation. IV. Bibliography: Please use MLA format. Please observe the minimum source requirements described below. Style This is to be written in an informative and technical style. Please be clear and to the point. Avoid poetic metaphors and philosophical statements that are not related to science or geology. Use correct spelling and grammar. Use Times or Palatino font in a 12 point size, one inch margins, double spaced, on standard 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper. All outside references must be appropriately cited. Research Strategies You may research this paper by either participating in a scheduled field trip and examining the rocks for yourself (with instructor guidance), or you may carry out your own library research. References The following are references that you may find useful. You may use other appropriate references not listed here. If you choose to do most of your research on a field trip, you must use at least one library/book reference. If you do a library report instead of a field trip report, you must use at least three references, and two of those references must be a book, magazine, or online library source. After using two library references, you may use online references. Make sure that your online references are from reputable government or academic organizations. Do not use wikipedia as a source. If you find information in a wikipedia article that interests you, please see which source the article references. California Geology Magazine Alt, David D. & Hyndman, Donald W.; 1975, Roadside Geology of Northern California; Mountain Press Publishing; 249 pg. Durrell, Cordell; 1987, Geologic History of the Feather River Country, California; University of California Press; 337 pg. Harden, Deborah; 2004, California Geology; Prentice Hall; 552 pg. McPhee, John; 1993, Assembling California; Farrar Straus, and Giroux; 304 pg. Sharp, Robert P. & Glazner, Allen F.; 1997, Geology Underfoot in Death Valley and Owens Valley; Mountain Press Publishing; 319 pg. Sharp, Robert P. & Glazner, Allen F.; 1993, Geology Underfoot in Southern California; Mountain Press Publishing; 224 pg.
