Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1998 21:24:35 -0700 (MST) From: jvanasu@imap2.asu.edu

To: "12:15"Subject: Evaluation Assignment

Hello,

As promised here are some more detailed instructions for your evaluation essay:

Please read to the end of this message: It will clarify the issues you mentioned on Tuesday.

Choose one topic for the entire semester. You will EVALUATE it, do a CAUSAL ANALYSIS of it, develop a POSITION regarding it, and finally PROPOSE a solution for this issue.

Topics: The environment, ecological issues, or land use planning issues.

Definitions: The Environment: 1. The circumstances or conditions that surround one; surroundings. 2. The totality of circumstances surrounding an organism or a group of organisms, especially: a. The combination of external physical conditions that affect and influence the growth, development, and survival of organisms: "We shall never understand the natural environment until we see it as a living organism" (Paul Brooks). b. The complex of social and cultural conditions affecting the nature of an individual or a community. 3. An artistic or theatrical work that surrounds or involves the audience.

The American Heritage. Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition copyright ) 1992 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Electronic version licensed from InfoSoft International, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ecology, noun, plural ecologies Abbr. ecol. 1.a. The science of the relationships between organisms and their environments. Also called bionomics. b. The relationship between organisms and their environment. 2. The branch of sociology that is concerned with studying the relationships between human groups and their physical and social environments. Also called human ecology. 3. The study of the detrimental effects of modern civilization on the environment, with a view toward prevention or reversal through conservation. Also called human ecology. [German Vkologie : Greek oikos, house + German -logie, study (from Greek -logia, -logy).]

Land-use planning has to do with all the ways humans make plans and laws to use the land. Land use in cities, in the suburbs,on farmlands, and ranchlands, on the beaches, in the swamps and bayous, in National Parks, National Lands, and Wilderness areas.

Helpful Hint #1. When given a research topic it is always beneficial to start with the definition.

SCHEDULE FOR UNIT ONE **SEE SYLLABUS FOR HOMEWORK AND READINGS

______________________________________________________________________________ DUE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

All homework listed on the syllabus (When the homework portion of the syllabus says "Explore Your Subject" it means your personal topic for the semester).

Submit Paper topic dealing with one of the three issues listed above: Environment, Ecology, Land-Use Planning. Bring in a typed paragraph detailing your topic and how you will approach it. We will discuss these in class on Tuesday

In Class Activity # 2: First Evaluation exercise. Collaborative evaluation of websites. What are the criteria for a "good" website. You create the criteria, you rate at least three websites.

____________________________________________________________________________ Due: THURSDAY. Sept. 10

Collaborative research exercise, "Gathering Information from the Community." 1-2 pages, collection of notes,internet addresses,questions and answers from phone interviews. (Each group take an area and investigate resources for ecological information. e.g. ASU, City of Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Tempe.). Record websites, interview someone in the city govt. to inquire about their programs, or to discover where to find more resources.

RESEARCH LOG #1, which lists all the research you have done so far toward your paper. Each person in the groups may use the information they gathered in the exercise"Gathering Information from the Community," plus the articles that they have found thus far for their Evaluation Paper.

In Class Activity: Discussion of form and criteria for Evaluation Paper.

____________________________________________________________________________ DUE SEPTEMBER 15

1st Draft of Evaluation Paper, with works cited (MLA). AND your three research articles. (Each article = 4-5 pages in length).

All regular Homework. NOTE: (Coming to class without your draft and materials is coming unprepared and will earn an absent mark for the class)

The "articles" can consist of book chapters, journal articles, internet articles with a designation of .edu, of .org (if the internet articles are shorter than three or four pages, then you will need to find a second article).

In Class: Peer Revision (see syllabus) Discussion of MLA Style. _____________________________________________________________________________

DUE SEPTEMBER 17: All regular homework

2nd Draft of Evaluation Paper: Full peer workshop. (see syllabus)

_____________________________________________________________________________

DUE SEPTEMBER 22 Final Draft of Evaluation Essay. All regular homework.