“Pathways: Roads to Graduation”
There are numerous studies that most college students change majors prior to graduation.
Though the actual number of changes to and from majors is not agreed upon, it is safe to say
that most will change at least once between freshmen year and graduation. Many majors at
SJSU have become “impacted” or full and as such changing majors has become increasingly
challenging. No longer may students simply declare a major but now must be “accepted” into a
major by meeting the impaction criteria of the requested major. This week we will begin an
exploration of pathways to graduation consisting of a primary pathway towards graduation and
alternate paths to an SJSU degree. You will grapple with developing an academic success plan
and a “plan B” in the event you elect to apply to another major on campus. The “Pathways”
assignment will be your vehicle of exploration. Drive it well and good luck! Your pathways
assignment will become part of your scavenger hunt so make sure to keep in good shape.
PATHWAYS: ROADS TO GRADUATION
Pathways Assignment: Science 2/90T (100 pts)
Due date to be set by activity instructor
Purpose:
The purpose of the Pathways assignment is to help you develop “pathways” to graduation. As
many majors are becoming impacted, it is important that you select a major that will facilitate
your timely graduation from SJSU.
If you are undeclared or assigned undeclared, you have a limited amount of time to identify and
apply to a major. This assignment provides the opportunity to research two different majors to
facilitate your selection of a major.
1. To begin you should have in your possession:
a. An Advising worksheet and/or Roadmap from department web site or department
b. Unofficial transcripts from all colleges
c. Articulation from SJSU articulation pages if CC transfer
d. Copy of SJSU GE’s from online source, including SJSU studies
2. Work on developing a graduation success plan. As you work on your plan take into account
the following:
a. Do you work? How many hours per week?
b. How many hours can you dedicate to study per week? Use the study
formula in reverse and calculate the number of courses that you have
time to study for. (If 2 X number of units = minimum study hours then
study hours divided by 2 = number of recommended units)
c. Are you full time or part time?
3. Those of you that are declared majors should consult with your major advisors about your
graduation plan. You should find out whether certain courses are offered both Fall and
Spring semesters or only once a year; if so which semester. Can courses in the major be
taken at other institutions? How flexible is this major - can it be completed if you need
mostly night courses? Weekend courses? Those of you that are undeclared should consult
with a GE advisor, your 90T Activity Instructor, or Michael.
4. The plan must be submitted to your activity instructor for final review and contain a faculty
advisor’s signature or a GE advisor signature. The plan is considered an Activity Section
homework assignment and is worth 100 points. Have your PA record score once your plan
has been approved.
Read this part carefullyIf you are declared, have your completed Pathways planner signed by a Major Advisor or Center
Advisor for your primary major. Undeclared students can have their primary Pathways planner
signed by a GE Advisor or Center Advisor. Your alternate major Pathways planner does not require
a signature.
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Pathways Supplemental Information Form
Science 2/90T
Please print clearly in ink the requested information. One Pathways Supplemental Information
Form must be completed for each major.
Department Information:
Selected Major: _____________________________________
Department Name: __________________________________
Department Location: ________________________ Phone Number: ________________
Department Advisor’s Name: ______________________________
Advisor’s Location: ___________________________ Phone Number: ________________
Information about the Major:
Do you perceive the major as difficult to get in to?
Yes
_______ No_________
How many semesters will it take for you to get into the selected major? __________
How many semesters will it take for you to complete the selected major? __________
Are you clear about the criteria for acceptance into the major? Yes _______ No _______
Please list below the acceptance criteria including GPA for your alternate major (if applicable):
Note: leave blank if you are already declared in this major.
1. ________________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________________________
5. ________________________________________________________________________
6. ________________________________________________________________________
Print out and attach the following information:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1st page of Department’s Web homepage for each academic pathway.
The list of major course requirements for each academic pathway
Pathways Academic Planner
Supplemental Form
If undeclared include a completed Change or Major/Minor Form
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Campus Event Assignment (30 points each)
Getting to know your campus is an important part of your academic and social development. As
part of your grade in the course you will be responsible for attending 4 campus events. The
types of events which count for this assignment are as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
A lecture sponsored by a department
A student club sponsored event (non Greek)
A Greek sponsored event (Fraternity or Sorority) including a party, yes a party! (only 1)
A sporting event
An event sponsored by a advising center (i.e CASA, BSAC, CoSAC, AARS) except
probation workshops
6. A university sponsored event
7. A talk or discussion held in the library sponsored by the library or another campus
department
8. An Associated Students sponsored event
9. A campus play, music performance, a reading
Things that do not count for this assignment include: Study skills workshops, probation
workshops, how to write a paper workshops, clubbing off campus, off campus events (unless
sponsored by SJSU), and career center workshops.
You must attend 4 different types of events from the list above. If you are unsure as to whether
an event will count towards this assignment, ask your activity instructor or Michael (not your
PA).
The write up for this assignment is very simple. Write a paragraph in which you answer the
following questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
What event did you attend?
When was the event (date & time)?
Where was the event held?
If a sporting event,-who did we play or host? If a play, what was the name of the play? If
music, etc.
5. What is your reaction to the event? Did you enjoy the event? Find it boring? Etc.
6. Would you recommend this event to others?
Attach some form of proof that you attended the event. Proof can be a ticket stub or signed
flyer by sponsoring agent, a photograph of you attending (if you use your phone to take a
picture then show it to your PA when you submit your campus event or in a PA meeting),
etc. But proof must accompany your write-up unless approved by instructor.
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Oral Presentation Assignment: A Primate’s Memoir Photo Journal
536.6 points graded pass of fail
The decision to obtain a university education is probably one of the most important life altering
decisions you have made in your life to date. A university education has the power to alter your
life’s course and set in motion a chain of events which can determine both you and your
family’s social economic status in this country (and in the world) for generations to come.
There have been numerous studies which have documented the economic impact of a college
education on individuals. Generally, college educated persons earn more income than non
college graduates; they also tend to earn their incomes with their brains and not their backs.
The children of college grads are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college,
and their children are less likely to have children out of wedlock, and if so, those children are
less likely to be born into poverty.
Before school started we asked you to write a letter to your future self. That future self is
coming into existence and will continue to evolve throughout your time here at SJSU. Right
now we would like to focus on this semester. You are reading a book entitled, “A Primate’s
Memoir.” As a primate we would like for you to also create your memoir, but instead of writing
it down we would like for you to use pictures to tell your story.
Your assignment is to develop a photo journal of this semester. You must take several
pictures throughout the semester, a few each week, which represent what you are going
through and experiencing. These pictures can be of anything (people, buildings, your favorite
or not so favorite study area, places you like to eat or where you tend to cry, etc.) You are to
use your photo journal to chronicle your 1st (or current) semester at SJSU.
You will then be required to select from your array of pictures a selection to present to your
activity section classmates and instructor. You will only get to use between 10 to 12 pictures to
tell your story. Your presentation must be a minimum of 7 minutes but no more than 10
minutes. Failure to reach the 7 minute mark will constitute a failure of this exercise and a loss
of 10% of the entire class grade. Practice your presentation in front of your success team at
least 3 times before presenting in front of the class. Each activity instructor will instruct you of
the criteria upon which your grade will be based. However, the elements below must be met
by each presenter in order to receive credit for the assignment.
Mandatory Presentation Elements:
Through your presentation you must demonstrate that you have a clear understanding of the
(1)physiological (health) influences on your well being; as well as the (2)psychological and
(3)social/cultural aspects of your well being. .
Examples of physiological influences can include the importance of exercise, vitamins, proper
rest and diet on your health.
Examples of psychological influences can include things like an understanding of your stressors
or what you do to relieve stress. This can be represented by pictures of you exercising, relaxing,
meditating, or drinking, etc. You just need to demonstrate that you understand that your
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physical health and psychological health are tie/connected. Did you experience stress this
semester, not get proper rest and then catch a cold? Sound familiar?
Examples of social and/or cultural aspects can include things like what you’ve learned about
communicating with people through working with different students on your success team, or
what you have gained through your experience interacting with diverse persons while doing the
“Diversity Assignment” or though other class or campus interactions, parties, pledging, new
foods you’ve tried, etc..
You must also demonstrate that you understand the inter-relation of the physiological,
social/cultural and psychological factors on your development across your life span. In other
words can you identify the factors which will contribute to your future growth and
development as you continue to grow from this point forward? And how they are connected?
Will you continue to grow, develop and build on what you have learned so far? Show us in
pictures that you understand how the skills and information you obtain in college will
contribute to your continued mental, emotional and even physical wellbeing for the rest of
your life.
You must also answer the question: What social skills have you used or developed that have or
will allow you to enhance your learning and develop positive interpersonal relationships with
diverse groups and individuals?
Summation and Conclusion
Also answer the questions: (a) how is your overall wellbeing affected by getting a college
education at SJSU? (b) How is the well being of society affected by you getting a college
education at SJSU and what do you expect that the positive benefit to your community and the
value to our overall society will be as a result of you becoming an educated person?”
Take your classmates on your journey from who you were before you got here to who you are
at the end of your first semester. Help us to understand what you have learned about college
and most importantly what have learned about yourself.
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Time Management Assignment
Activity section Assignment - 100points
Any portion of the assignment missing forfeits points for all portions of the assignment.
Before you see your PA:
I. Calculate the total numbers of hours available in a one-week period.
24 hours/day
x 7 days/week
168 hour/week
II. Go over study formula: 2 X the number of units and calculate how many hours (minimum)
you should allocate in your schedule for study.
III. prior to your meeting with your PA
a.
b.
List all of your usual daily & weekly activities (i.e. sleep, travel, study time, class time,
recreation) on a piece of paper estimating the amount of time necessary for each
activity.
Total the amount of time spent.
IV. with your PA
c.
d.
On a weekly planner (week at a glance found on science 2 web pg.) schedule activities
into appropriate time blocks.
On a big wall calendar/monthly planner schedule out the following:
Last day of Instruction
Last day to Add
Campus holidays (Thanksgiving)
All exams-all classes
All papers, projects, etc.-all classes
Spring registration dates
Finals for all classes
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Annotated Bibliography Assignment #1-200 points
Due in Activity Section
Create an Annotated Bibliography. The Annotated Bibliography must be developed from a
review of a 4 articles. These articles must be a combination of both scholarly and popular
articles and must be cited (written) in APA style. The topics for your research may be selected
from the list below:
1. Health Care
a. Traditional US Health Care system vs Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) vs.
Massachusetts Health Care Law (Romneycare)
b. Health care systems outside of the US (e.g. what kind of health care system do
Canada or European countries have?)
2. Economy
a. Job Creation (the impact of raising taxes on job creation, the impact of
government spending on job creation, the impact of providing tax incentives on
job creation)
b. The Mortgage crisis (Wall Street and bundling mortgages, Predatory lending
practices, or the foreclosure crisis in the U.S. housing market)
c. Stimulus spending (what was the money spent on? Private sector bailouts e.g.,
the General Motors bailout, bank bailouts)
3. Education
a. Higher education tuition increases in the US
b. California funding of higher Education (cuts to CSU, UC, & CC)-what does it
mean?
c. The Student loan debates in congress, tax breaks for families with kids in college
or congress and government grants (federal or state)
You will spend one activity section with a librarian who will teach you to use various campus
databases to conduct research. During the section you will be exposed to different types of
source materials and educated about the differences between “scholarly “and “popular”
sources from which to choose information. You will also learn about scholarly journals and
peer reviewed sources as well.
Assignment
1st Choose 2 of the 3 topic areas from above.
2nd Find 2 journal articles for each chosen topic to read.
3rd Using your selected articles, write your annotated bibliography.
At least one article used is to be selected from a “scholarly” source; the other articles may be
from “popular” sources. Identify in your write up the topic areas you selected and the
subcategory you are addressing.
What to cover in the Annotation:
For the purpose of this annotated bibliography assignment, we are asking you to provide a
summary of the article. If the author takes a position, identify the position and the main points
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or arguments used to support the position. When writing your annotation, you must cover the
following points:
 What was the article topic
 What was the purpose of the article? What were the author(s) trying to convey?
 What specific examples or facts were used to support their arguments?
 How is this topic relevant to your existence as a student, resident, or citizen?
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Annotated Bibliography Assignment #2-150 points
Create an Annotated Bibliography. The Annotated Bibliography must be developed from a
review and write up of 4 “scholarly”(also referred to as “peer reviewed”) journal articles and
must be cited (written) in APA style. The topics for your research must be selected from the list
below:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The psychological effects of stress on college students
The physical effects of stress on the body
The importance of rest and diet in the lives of college students
Healthy positive ways college student cope with stress
Negative behaviors as a way of dealing with stress in the lives of college students
Choose 2 topic areas from above and find 2 journal articles for each topic selected for a total of
4 articles. All articles used for this assignment must be from “peer reviewed” sources (“peer
reviewed” sources will be explained in Activity Section). Identify in your write up which 2 topic
areas you selected. The following information is intended to help you understand (a) what an
annotated bibliography is and (b) how to write one. Additionally, you will have the assistance
of the librarian so make sure to ask your questions!
What to cover in the Annotation:
For the purpose of this annotated bibliography assignment, we are asking you to provide
specific information about the research discussed in the “peer reviewed” journal articles that
you read. When writing your annotation, you must cover the following points:
 The purpose of the study. What were the researchers studying, trying to discover, or
understand?
 The subjects studied. Who or what was studied? Were the subjects male, female, or
both? Were they college students? Was ethnic background mentioned, etc.?
 The number of subjects in the study. How many people participated in the study?
 What transpired in the study? What happened to the subjects in the study; did the
subjects participate in an experiment? Were the subjects interviewed?
 The results (findings) and conclusions of the study? What did researchers learn or
discover and what did they conclude from their findings?
 How is this study relevant to your transition to SJSU? Please state how this study does
or does not relate to your experience as a college student at SJSU.
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Annotated Bibliography Grading Rubric
Following Directions/Formatting – (i.e., 12pt font, margins, name, identifying topics, number
of peer-reviewed articles, etc. *15% = 30pts)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Proper APA Citation & Attention to APA rules – (i.e., hanging indent, capitalization, italics,
order of elements, commas, periods, spacing, etc. *35% = 70pts)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Annotation – (i.e., all 6 bullet points analyzed correctly & in your own words, quality of
analysis, proper grammar, punctuation, spacing, etc. * 50% = 100pts)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Other comments
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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Second Speech Assignment 100 pts
Your second speech has to be to a targeted audience. Since you are already actively engaged in
research regarding the topics above as they relate to college students then college students will
be your targeted audience. You must prepare a 3-5minute informative speech on your
research. As you prepare your speech you must keep in mind your purpose in speaking and
design your speech to meet its objective.
The areas you must cover in your speech are listed below:
A. Introduction
i.
Name, class level, major
ii.
Topic or subject of your speech (today I’m going to discuss…)
iii.
Rationale for discussing this topic (why is this important? How did you come to choose
this topic-tell your story)
B. A body
In the body of the speech:
1.
Establish Credibility-Tell your audience how you researched your topic
a. Did you look up peer reviewed journal articles? (if so, how many articles, who were
the authors and what was their profession and/or education-Dr.’s PhD’s, etc.)
b. Did you use magazines?
c. Did you interview people? (Who were they?)
d. Make sure you let the audience know that you’ll be passing out copies of your
sources at the end or by request
2.
Make a “Statement of fact”--make an opening statement about your topic supported
by your research).
3.
Now simply follow the same format as your annotated bibliography
 The purpose of the study. What were the researchers studying, trying to discover, or
understand?
 The subjects studied. Who or what was studied? Were the subjects male, female, or
both? Were they college students? Was ethnic background mentioned, etc.?
 The number of subjects in the study. How many people participated in the study?
 What transpired in the study? What happened to the subjects in the study; did the
subjects participate in an experiment? Were the subjects interviewed?
 The results (findings) and conclusions of the study? What did researchers learn or
discover and what did they conclude from their findings?
C. Your summation and conclusion

What did you learn? How is this study relevant to your transition to SJSU? Please state
how this study does or does not relate to your experience as a college student at SJSU.
AND what is the massage to your audience?
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Research Paper
(350 points)
NOTE: DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. PULL YOUR ARTICLES THIS WEEK!
Theme:
Science in Africa
Required length:
3 to 5 pages
Format: 1 inch margins all around and the paper should be typed, double spaced.
Page 1 should include your ID upper right hand corner. Your Identification should include your
name (upper right hand corner of paper), then underneath your name the activity section number
(NOT main lecture number) and then the Activity instructor’s name (not PA) underneath the
section number. No title pages please. Page 1 should also include title of subject (center page).
Written assignment 2 will be a research, analyze and reflect paper. We want you to be able to
accomplish multiple tasks with one piece of written work and stretch your analytical skills. You
have 3 tasks. Those tasks are for you to Research, Analyze and Reflect.
The first is research.
The theme of writing assignment 2 is "Science in Africa". Your task is to choose 1 sub category
from among the following 3:
Sub-1) Human Origins (genetics, fossils, evolutionary linkages, etc)
Sub-2) Health Issues (hunger, poverty, diseases (except AIDs), clean water)
Sub-3) Sustainability (Environment, access to clean water, impact of global warming, habitat,
natural resources, etc.)
After selecting the subcategory on which you wish to conduct your research find and read 4 to 6
peer reviewed articles on the subject. To narrow your field of study, speak with your activity
instructor for topic approval, clarification of the assignment and general guidance. You will be
expected to provide a reference list or bibliography of your peer reviewed articles APA style and
all sources MUST be cited in the body of the paper using APA format for citing sources.
Review APA format for citations using the OWL web site address provided in your reader or
asks your PA for help.
Note: Your PA will not do your reference list for you or simply tell you how to do it.
Your second task is to analyze the information provided in your articles. As you analyze the
information contained in your articles analyze it in the context of its implications (look up the
word) for the global community and yourself as a citizen of the planet.
In similar fashion to an annotated bibliography, give a brief summary of what all the articles
convey. However, instead of summarizing each article individually, we want you to provide a
composite summary which incorporates all 4-6 articles. You may use quotes from your various
articles to illustrate points you are making as you attempt to covey ideas of the authors but you
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must cite the source from which you are quoting using APA. What you are essentially doing is
what is referred to as a mini review of the literature.
Note: YOU
WILL NEED HELP with this. GO TO PEER
CONNECTIONS OR THE WRITING CENTER for assistance.
Whether use the resources or do not you will still be held accountable for producing a fine piece
of written work. LLD status WILL NOT be an allowable excuse for turning in "Junk." If you
turn in junk or something that looks like a 6th grader wrote it (and that’s 1970’s 6th grader not
today’s 6th grader) I will hand you back your paper with a junior college application attached.
Ask Peer Connections and/or the Writing Center staff to explain to you what a literature review
is and how to do one. "Google" the term "literature review" for your information.
Task 3 is for you to reflect on what you’ve come to understand after researching and analyzing
your topic. Respond to the question below to conclude your paper. Please elaborate and show
some thought and some growth.
What are the global implications of your topic and how does it apply to or potentially affect your
life in the United States of America? Also discuss the ways in which your topic can be related to
the concepts of nature and/or nurture.
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