From ODP to CPR; using Ocean Drilling Program data in calibrated peer review assignments
Elizabeth A. Heise, Amanda Palmer-Julson Nov. 2003 Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs - vol.35, no.6, pp.115.

In the past two decades an enormous amount of data has been accumulated by the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP). Much of ODP's data are accessible on ODP's webpage (http://www-odp.tamu.edu), including detailed descriptions of every site and every core that has been drilled since 1997. Each of these sites were designed to address specific questions in geology. Our assignment involves reconstructing the geologic history of a Large Igneous Province, the Kerguelen Plateau, Southern Indian Ocean (Legs 120 and 183). Students are shown how to approach the data on ODP's site and then write a geologic history based on those data. We use Calibrated Peer Review (CPR) assignments as a way to focus introductory undergraduate student's web-based research so as to not overwhelm them with the data but at the same time utilize the valuable resource from ODP. CPR is a web-based technical writing and critical thinking instructional tool (http://cpr.molsci.ucla.edu). In CPR assignments, students submit short essays, then read and evaluate examples of well-, moderately and poorly written essays to calibrate their scoring. Their overall assignment grade combines the scores for the student's essay with the results of their calibrations, their assessment of peers' essays, and self-assessment. CPR thus follows the model of actual scientific writing: anonymous peer review. Furthermore, it addresses a problem facing college faculty across the nation: how to assess critical thinking and technical writing skills without requiring additional grading resources.

Subject: Education, Geoscience:Oceanography:Physical , Geoscience:Geology:Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology
Resource Type: Pedagogic Resources:Overview/Summary, Conference PaperKeywords: academic institutions, California, college-level education, education, geology, hot spots, Indian Ocean, Indian Ocean Islands, Kerguelen Islands, Kerguelen Plateau, Leg 120, Leg 183, mantle, mantle plumes, New York, Ocean Drilling Program, plate tectonics, technical writing, Texas, United States, volcanism