COL 101
Design Your Own Assignment
You are required to “design your own” assignment. The purpose of this
assignment is to let you explore a topic that interests you related to the course.
The assignment is worth 10% of your grade—you should expect to spend 10-15 hours
working on it. Feel free to be creative in what you do. Think about creating a video, a website, photograph
book, collage, advertising campaign, or do a written report. You may work with another person in the class on
your project. If you can’t think of an idea, the following may serve as suggestions (they are just suggestions,
though—feel free to do all or part of one of the activities or think of something else):
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Read a biography of someone you admire. Write a report exploring how various aspects of this person’s
formal education impacted his or her life.
Go to the cafeteria and interview ten people you do not already know. Ask them specific questions about
their college experiences. Compare and contrast what you discovered.
Join a club or participate in an activity at OCC. Keep a diary of your experiences with the organization.
Do a photographic journal of college students at Oakton. Try to capture the diversity of the students.
Watch several episodes of a television show or view a movie that includes college students. Write a paper
comparing the experiences of the characters in the show/movie with your own.
Interview one or more students who attended school in a country other than the one you did as you were
growing up. Write a paper or give an oral report exploring how their educational experiences have differed
from yours.
Volunteer to work in a job that will help you learn about the career you are interested in pursuing. Write a
paper exploring what you learned.
Attend 2-3 OCC Board of Trustees meetings. Report on what you learned.
Get an on-campus job and report on your work experience.
Create an annotated list of websites that would be useful for this course.
Important Dates/Requirements
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Assignment Proposal: Due on or before 9/14. Prepare an assignment proposal of no more than ½ page.
The proposal should be in the form of a memorandum briefly describing what your assignment is. Be sure
to let me know whether you will need any class time if you are doing an oral presentation. If your proposal
is late, you will be penalized 2 points for each class period it is late.
Progress Report: Due on or before 10/31. Prepare a memorandum to me of no more than 1 page
describing the status of your project. Let me know how it is going and what problems, if any, you are
having. If your progress report is late, you will be penalized 2 points for each class period it is late.
Time Log: Collected on 10/31 and 11/30. As you work on your assignment, complete the attached time
log. If you need additional pages for the log, let me know. The log will be collected with your progress
report and completed assignment.
Completed Assignment: Due on or before 11/30. When you turn in your assignment, include the
proposal that I approved. If you need class time to do an oral presentation, make arrangements with me by
11/1. If your completed assignment is late, you will be penalized 5 points for each class period it is late.
You must use a word processor for all written materials. You must include a list of references (bibliography)
with your assignment, if appropriate. Any ideas not your own MUST give credit to the author. You can either
use footnotes for such references or provide credits in the body of the report. If you have never done this
before, see me, and I will provide help.
Grading Criteria
Time Log
Proposal
Progress Report
Completed Project
10%
10%
10%
70%