Writing Assignment World Geography -- Due
date: _____________ (see syllabus for date)
Each student should choose two cities, at least one of
which is outside the United States and write a three-page
typewritten paper comparing those cities.
The following questions should be answered in the paper.
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In what three most important ways are the two cities most similar?
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In what three most important ways are the two cities most different?
SOURCES
You may use any source material available, including library, textbook,
and Internet. The selection and development of the six points, and your
writing ability, will determine your grade.
WRITING HELP
Writing Help Staff at the writing lab in the Classroom Building (CLS
2-046) will help you develop and improve writing skills. Call ext. 2683
for an appointment. You may also ask a friend to proofread your paper --
but not to write it. Points will be deducted for papers with careless errors.
GRADING CRITERIA
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Three pages, typewritten, double spaced
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Discuss three similarities and three differences
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At least five sources which you have consulted, in an alphabetized "Bibligraphy"
at the end. Any of these will do.
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Journal articles (Author, year, title, journal, volume, number, page number)
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Books (Author, year, title, publisher, city of publisher, number of pages)
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Chapter in edited book (Author, year, chapter title, "in" book title, editors,
publisher, city, page numbers)
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Popular press, e.g. Time, Newsweek (Magazine name, year, title, page number,
full date)
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Internet address (full location, annotation explaining ownership and content
of page)
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Personal interview -- one max (Name, date, annotation explaining
qualifications of interviewee)
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At least two references to those sources in the body of the paper, using
author's last name and year of publication. This will refer the reader
to that line of the bibliography.
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... the rate of inmigration to Jonesville has increased in recent years
(Smith, 1998).
Check this writer's handbook for detailed information n APA style, the normal
academic paper style used in behavioral and social sciences. Here's a FAQ on the same topic.
A Word About Plagiarism
What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism means presenting another person's work or words as if they
are your own. If you lift a portion of a single sentence verbatim (word
for word) without using quotation marks and attribution (mentioning the
original source), you are plagiarizing.
If you take another person's ideas and present them in writing as your
own, this too is plagiarism.
How serious is plagiarism?
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More serious than you might think.
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Consider it a significant theft from the original author, the instructor,
your classmates, and yourself.
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Plagiarism will result, in this class, in an F grade for the course.
How do I avoid plagiarism?
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If you use someone else's words use direct quotes, followed by attribution
-- mention the source.
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If you use someone else's unique thoughts or observations, give them attribution
too.
When don't I need to attribute?
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When the words and thoughts are yours, or the information you are giving
is common knowledge.
In this paper, must I attribute?
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Yes, if you got a lot of information from a particular source or sources,
or if you quote someone directly. You must attribute a source at least two times in the paper.
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you'll need at least two in-text citations for full credit.
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I will require a list of sources consulted: a bibliography, with at least
5 sources.
Document last updated 5/24/99