I will grade each of these. Most geologists belong to several professional societies, groups which meet annually to present and discuss our ideas and research results. As you can see from the syllabus, I will participate in the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America the week of October 25. At this and other professional meetings, undergraduates often present the results of research they have done as independent study projects during the semester, as summer researchers in Vassar's URSI program, or as collaborative researchers with fellow students in a course such as this one. Because some of you may one day choose to present your work to a group of professional geologists, this abstract and oral presentation will follow the same format as you would find at a professional meeting.
Scientific meetings have several functions.
First, they allow you to present information that might not be ready for publication but that would benefit from constructive feedback from your colleagues. Second, meetings allow you to learn about the latest techniques and results in a wide range of fields. Third, meetings give you a chance to talk with your colleagues, an opportunity that can result in plans for collaboration. You will present orally. All presentations at a meeting are summarized in abstract form and are given to each person who attends so that she or he will know something about the talk before they hear it.