GEOG 390--Foundations of Geographical Analysis and Writing
Dr. Jacquelyn Chase
Fall 2013
MW 9-9:50
Friday: Work Remotely
Butte 111 and 501
Faculty Contact Information and Office Hours
Butte 527—898-5587
M/W 2-4 or by appointment
Please use BBL to send me messages
Course Description
Geography 390 explores the diversity of geographical perspectives through critical analyses of written
sources, independent information gathering, and research writing. The course introduces students to
topics and analyses in the geographical tradition; examines and evaluates library and Internet resource
materials pertinent to geographical research; and prepares students for independent geographical scholarly
research. This course is the Writing Proficiency(WP) course for the major; a grade of C- or better certifies
writing proficiency.
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Course Objectives
Increase awareness of the diversity of the geographic discipline
Improve writing skills
Learn basic requirement of research design, execution and dissemination (writing and
presentation)
Heighten critical and analytical reading skills
Increase ability to make efficient and effective use of information sources
Provide familiarity with the major geographical journals (as well as related disciplines) and the
information they provide
Develop competency in the methods and techniques for conducting and writing geographical
research
Promote critical student discussion of the field of geography and its body of knowledge
Develop and improve public presentation skills
Department Student Learning Objectives Covered in the Course
2.1. Students regional, local and global dimensions of the social and physical worlds in the landscape.
2.2. Students recognize regional, local and global dimensions of the social and physical worlds in data.
3.2. Students understand interpretations of causality, interaction, policy and values in humanenvironmental relationships.
4.1. Students can analyze information from different physical or social sciences from a geographic
perspective.
4.2. Students can interpret popular media from a geographic perspective.
6.1. Students can use and cite scholarly sources of information correctly.
6.2. Students can write clearly in the discipline of geography.
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Course Organization
The class meets MW from 9-9:50. On Fridays you will work remotely on exercises and submit your work
to Black Board Learn (BBL). Some of these assignments will require feedback from other students.
Materials
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Boyle, T.C. 1995. The Tortilla Curtain. New York: Penguin.
Turabian, Kate L. 2013. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 8th
ed. University of Chicago Press. Keep this book for use in future classes. Make sure you buy the
8th edition. This department has adopted the REFERENCE LIST style where sources are cited in
the text in parentheses.
Package of 3x5 inch lined note cards.
Access to computers and printers in Butte 501.
Evaluation and Other Information
Attendance: Punctual attendance of all class meetings and full participation in activities (including those
that involve peer feedback) are expected.
Late Work: Due dates are in the syllabus. Late papers will lose points. Talk to me when you are having
trouble getting a paper in on time.
Portfolios: Keep a folder with all your graded work in it. For your final research paper you will turn in
some of your graded material.
Classroom Environment: The classroom is a safe place where all ideas, as long as they do not include
bigotry, intolerance or hatred, can be expressed freely and openly. All comments should be supportive
and constructive. Use non-sexist language when speaking and writing. Do not use the term “man-made,”
and don’t use “him,” “his,” “he” unless you mean a male individual.
Equipment: Please put cell phones away unless we are using them as a group for research.
Academic Honesty: If there is any evidence of academic dishonesty on the part of a student, I will follow
the university’s guidelines for dealing with academic integrity. Please become familiar with these
guidelines at http://www.csuchico.edu/prs/EMs/EM04/em04_36.htm and pay close attention to class
discussions on this topic. You may fail the course as a result of academic dishonesty, and I will turn any
evidence of dishonesty to Student Judicial Affairs.
We will spend time in class discussing what constitutes plagiarism (you might be surprised).
Blackboard Learn: Check BBL for updates. Announcements I send you will go to your campus email.
Please use BBL to send me any messages, which I will check for almost everyday. If you have an urgent
message for me, you can exceptionally use my campus email. Let me know if something is not working
in BBL.
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Student Learning Center (SLC): The SLC prepares and supports students in their college course
work by offering a variety of programs and resources to meet student needs. You can call them
at 898-6839 or go to their website: http://www.csuchico.edu/slc/index.shtml
Americans with Disabilities Act: If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a
disability or chronic illness, or if you need to make special arrangements in case the building
must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during
office hours. Please also contact Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) as they are the designated
department responsible for approving and coordinating reasonable accommodations and services
for students with disabilities. ARC will help you understand your rights and responsibilities
under the Americans with Disabilities Act and provide you further assistance with requesting and
arranging accommodations. Their phone number is 898-5959 and email is
arcdept@csuchico.edu. They are located at SSC 170.
Course Requirements
Assignment
Short Exercises, Class
Participation and Advising
Description
The course includes a set of short writing practices and short
exercises. Students will do some of these exercises in class and
some online. When online, see assignment in BBL for deadlines.
Instructor will announce when others are due. We will not
complete all exercises that are in the list, and new ones may be
added to this list as we go along. Some involve writing about
readings we are. Attendance, engagement and coming in for
advising will also count towards these points.
Themes of Geography
Book Review
A 3-5 page analysis of how themes of geography are represented
in The Tortilla Curtain. (See rubric.)
Census Assignment
Exploring census data and doing field observations/presenting
census data in tables and figures, and in a poster. (See rubric.)
Points
80
70
80
RESEARCH PAPER COMPONENT
Statement of Research
Outline or Concept Map
of Research Paper
Draft of Research
Paper/Note Cards
Final Research Paper
Oral Presentation
Statement of your research topic, including a question. (See
rubric.)
Draft outline or concept map with at least 5 sources (complete
references). See rubric.
Complete draft with at least 30 well-documented note cards and
ten sources. (See rubric.)
7-10 page paper on a topic of your choice (in consultation with
prof) using at least ten peer-reviewed articles or chapters and a
small field work component. It will be graded based on
geographical content; effective use of relevant literature; spelling,
grammar, and composition; format. Consultation with me in
office hours is required. Don’t change your topic without talking
to your professor.All material inclued in Research Paper
Component will be handed in as a portfolio/packet on the due
date. (See rubric.)
Well-prepared but brief presentation of your final research. (See
rubric.)
Total
20
20
20
200
10
500
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I may require rewrites of assignments and I am always happy to read revisions of papers you
choose to rewrite. I am committed to getting work back to you as soon as possible, usually no
longer than one week after you hand it in. Please keep all of your graded work and rubrics. Some
of it will be handed back to me. There are grading rubrics for all research projects. These are
posted on BBL. Please look at these before you write your paper(s) to make sure you are
covering all expectations.
Grading Scale Based on Percentage of Total. You must receive at least a C- to pass this WP
course.
Score
95-100
90-94
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
73-76
70-72
Letter Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
C-
Tentative Course Schedule: Note that some of the dates and activities may change
Week
Topic
Monday: Introductions; Exercise #8: AAG Specialty
Groups—finish at home if necessary; Intro to Butte
501 (lab)
Week 1
8/26
8/28
8/30
Assignments or Activities
The Geographical Approach
Wednesday: “Your Information” sheet due (see last
page of syllabus); Hand in and discuss AAG Specialty
Groups
Friday: Comment on NRC report, based on prompt;
post to Blackboard Learn by 5 p.m.
Reading(s) and Websites
AAG: http://www.aag.org/
Read National Research
Council (NRC) Report in
Readings on BBL
Start reading Tortilla Curtain
Monday: Discuss NRC report and responses
Week 2
No class
Monday
9/4
9/6
The Geographical
Approach, continued
Friday: Quick draft of Tortilla Curtain—turn in to
professor for review on BBL by 5 p.m.
Monday: Professor turns back draft of Tortilla Curtain
paper; discuss. Sign up to discuss the draft with me
individually by Wednesday.
Week 3
9/9
9/11
9/13
Wednesday: Discuss geographic themes of Tortilla
Curtain; Complete worksheet for themes paper. The
worksheet is in BBL. Discuss.
The Geographical
Approach, continued
Wednesday: Geography Themes Book Review to Turn
It In by 8:30 a.m. and hard copy in class.
Discuss Hankins, Ford
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Finish Tortilla Curtain
Read Hankins in Readings on
BBL
Read Ford in Readings on BBL
Friday: Lurking exercise 10 from activities list
Monday: Discuss Brady
Week 4
9/16
9/18
9/20
Secondary research
Special Collections
Local data
Wednesday: Meet in Special Collections, third floor
Meriam Library
Friday: Exercise 12 from activities list; submit to BBL
(based on Brady reading) by 5 p.m.
Read Brady in Readings on
BBL
Turabian Ch. 3, Finding useful
sources
Monday: Discuss Allen, Helzer
Week 5
Wednesday: Intro to 2010 census
9//23
9/25
9/27
Week 6
9/30
10/2
10/4
Data: Census
Friday: Send draft of first part of census assignment to
BBL with at least one table and graph by 5 p.m. Read
and comment on two other submissions by Monday.
Monday: Feedback/discussion on drafts
Applying your knowledge
Use of tables and graphs;
posters
Wednesday: How to do a poster
Friday: Submit draft poster as PDF by 5 p.m.
Week 7
10/7
10/9
10/11
Read Allen in Readings on BBL
Read Helzer in Readings on
BBL
Turabian Ch. 8, Presenting
evidence in tables and figures
Turabian Ch.26, Tables and
figures
Turabian part 13.3, Posters
Monday: Poster critiques
Presenting findings census
paper
Wednesday: Census assignment due; presentations
(five minutes each—informal)
Consult Turabian Ch. 18, 19 for
referencing format
Friday: Exercise 17 from activities list on finding a
topic—submit to BBL by 5 p.m.
Monday: Library research tools—meet at Meriam
Library 226
Week 8
10/14
10/16
10/18
What is a research paper?
Starting your research
Asking a question, taking
notes
Submit research topic and a question by 5 p.m. to BBL
Turabian Ch. 1, 2.1, 2.2
Wednesday: Work on research statements
Friday: Revise and resubmit research statement to
professor on BBL by 5 p.m.
Monday: Discuss research statements/share and
critique; introduce note taking
Week 9
10/21
10/23
10/25
Week 10
10/28
Collecting and documenting
your research
Using note cards
Paraphrasing
Prewriting /Outlining
Avoiding plagiarism
Wednesday: Take notes on note cards from two
articles. Note: must be done in advance of Wednesday
for class discussion. You should bring in at least three
cards per article
Friday: Exercise 18 from activities list on
paraphrasing by 5 p.m.
Monday: Introduction to outlining
Wednesday: Outline and 5 sources due;
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Turabian Ch. 4
Turabian Ch. 5
See examples of outlines on
BBL
10/30
11/1
discussion/share
Friday: Exercise 14 article analysis to BBL by 5 p.m.
Week 11
11/4
11/6
11/8
Format and Documentation
Field research as part of
your final project
Monday: Exercise 22 in activities list on references
(reference list). Work on formatting this correctly.
This exercise must be prepared in advance and brought
to class on Monday electronically and in hard copy.
Wednesday: Intro to field research
Read the U of Arizona’s
document on plagiarism:
http://www.library.arizona.edu/
help/tutorials/plagiarism/index.
html#How
Turabian Ch. 18, 19
Appendix for information on
cover sheet, pagination, spacing
and margins.
Friday: Submit revised reference list by 5 p.m.
Week 12
Monday
Veterans’
Day
Writing abstracts
Style
Friday: Submit to BBL your field work plan (more
information to follow)
11/13
11/15
Week 13
11/18
11/20
11/22
Turabian Ch. 20 and 21
See sample abstracts in BBL
Monday: Exercise 16 on style and Exercise 21 on
abstracts. These must be done in advance and brought
to class. Sign up for meetings with me.
Pre-Writing draft; style,
continued; meetings
Wednesday: Writing café. Pre-write your draft.
Turabian, Ch. 6, 7, 12
Friday: On or before this date, meet individually with
me to discuss pre-write. Write up a summary of the
meeting and submit to BBL by 5 p.m.
Week 14
Week 15
12/2
12/4
12/6
Wednesday: Intro and Freewrite draft of abstract in
class, exchange
Thanksgiving
Writing and revising your
draft
Monday: Discuss pre-writes
Wednesday: Work on draft
Turabian Ch. 9-11
Friday: Submit complete draft by 11:59 to BBL.
Monday: Discuss drafts
Week 16
12/9
12/11
12/13
Finals Week
Doing oral presentations
Wednesday: Exercise 24 from activities list to prepare
for your presentation
Friday: Submit PP to instructor for feedback (use
PDF) by 5 p.m.
Presentations
Paper (hard copy and entire packet as described in
assignments) due Wednesday, by 5 p.m.—send digital
to Turn It In as well.
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Turabian Ch. 13.1, 13.2
Your Information
Name: _______________________________________________
Email (please write clearly): ______________________________
Where are you from?
Your photo here:
One of the many “máscaras” in the
main plaza of Barva, Costa Rica
What is most interesting to you about geography?
What do you hope to learn in this class?
What is “good writing” to you?
What are you reading?
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