Weekly Response Papers
Each student will write brief weekly response papers of not more than 500 words each (35%). These should present a critical assessment of the assigned material and not a mere restatement of content. The responses give you an opportunity to analyze key ideas that cut across readings, identify questions the readings prompt you to ask, suggest critiques of the data, methodology, or conclusions, or raise concepts you want to clarify.
You will be expected to submit one response per week, by 8:00 pm of the evening before class, discussing that week's readings. No response paper is expected in the first or last weeks, and you can choose not to submit in one week of your choice. Therefore, a total of 10 responses should be submitted. The responses will be graded on a √+, √, √- scale. A “√+” will count for 5 out of 5 points, a “√” 4 out of 5 points, and a “√-“ 3 out of 5 points.
(35% of grade for course)
Current Event Facilitation
On the first day of class, each student will sign up for one week of the course’s readings that are of interest, to relate the day’s readings to a current event and to facilitate a 20-minute discussion about the assigned material.
(15% of grade for course)
Project of Change or Research Paper
Beginning in week four, students should form groups of not more than four students to work collaboratively on either 1) a final research paper or 2) a proposal for a project that responds to a contemporary issue in environmental justice. The project of change or research paper may be designed in collaboration with a local public agency or community-based organization, or by the team without outside consultation.
A preliminary outline or description for the paper or project is due by class session 5. The preliminary outline should be 500–800 words and should describe:
- the question or problem that is the subject of the proposed research paper or project of change;
- the theoretical concepts from the course relevant to answering the question or making the change;
- the data (qualitative, quantitative, archival, or other) relevant to answering that question or designing the project; and
- the methods of analysis or intervention that will be used.
The final research paper or project of change proposal is due by session 13 and should not exceed 5,000 words.
Research teams will present their findings on the last two classes. I will meet with each group twice during the semester to help with the design of your projects.
(paper: 30% of grade for course; presentation: 5% of grade)