Any GEOL 1122 student in Railsback's lecture section can boost her or his course grade by 3.00% by satisfactory completion of the following exercise prior to the last regularly scheduled meeting of this GEOL 1122 section (not the final exam)*. Satisfactory completion requires submission of a double-spaced typewritten essay at least 250 words in length and no more than 500 words in length, with the student's name visible on that essay, and meeting the requirements described below. The essay should answer, and justify its answers to, the following questions about A Debate About the Shape of the Earth:

1. Which of the two debaters was more effective in presenting her side of the argument?

2. Which of the two debaters was correct?

3. Does this debate, and the strategies used by the debaters in it, have any parallels in the contemporary debate in America about the acceptability of evolution as an explanation of biological diversity?

      The answers given to these questions will not determine whether the assignment has been completed satisfactorily. Essays that do not answer any one of the three questions above, or that have more than four grammatical or spelling errors, or that are incomprehensible in whole or in part will be deemed unsatisfactory and will be be returned marked with a "U", and no credit will be given. Revised essays can be resubmitted, but all submissions and resubmissions must take place by the deadline given above.

* For example, the last regularly scheduled meeting of this 9:30-10:45 Tu-Th class in Fall 2009 will be or was Thursday, December 3, 2009, so the period "prior to the last regularly scheduled meeting" will or did end at 9:29:59 am Thursday, December 3, 2009.

Back to Railsback's main page

Back to the UGA Geology Home Page