hts.StevenWood.com

"Students must demonstrate an understanding of current issues. Ideally, essay topics will emerge from the course work, but students may also choose topics from an area not covered by course. … All research topics will require in-depth analysis, exercise of initiative and judgment, extensive research outside class time, and presentation of findings and conclusions to others."

This essay will count for 15% of your final course mark. The two components are described below.

The written essay should be about 1,000 - 1,500 words in length. It should be produced using a computer. In this essay, "you will make a claim about a topic and justify this claim with specific evidence.  The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided."*

*Karper, Erin. "Creating a Thesis Statement." The Owl at Perdue. Ed. Elyssa
     Tardiff and Karl Stolley. 1 Feb. 2006. Purdue University. 6 Feb. 2006
     <http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/545/01/>. 

Components of the essay:

1. an introduction including your rationale
2. an organised paper (you may use headings and sub-headings which reveals a logical development of the essay) 
3. citations following the MLA style
4. conclusion, giving your interpretation of your findings
5. works cited including resource persons
6. appendixes here applicable showing diagrams, charts, etc.

Each student will share their findings with the class in a presentation about 35 minutes in length.  Let us know what you have learned and what you feel we should know. The oral component does not involve reading your paper to the class. If you may feel that you require more time for your presentation in order that the class fully benefits from your work this can be arranged!

Components of the oral presentation:

1. Prepare handouts, charts, PowerPoint presentation, video, and overheads where necessary. Try to catch every one's attention!
2. Each presentation will be followed by a class discussion. Try to involve all the members of the class.