ENMT 301: Case Study – Part A: Literature analysis/article summary of ecological lake case study
ENMT 301: Case Study – Part A: Literature analysis/article summary of ecological lake case study
Instructions
The case study assignment is broken down into two parts, as described below. There is a grading rubric for each portion of the case study. Make sure that you fulfill all aspects of the grading rubric before turning in each assignment.
Part A: Literature Analysis/Article Summary
For this case study, select one of these lakes:
the case of Lake Chad
These cases have similar themes that we will discuss in fuller detail after part A of this assignment has been completed.
Using the UMUC Library, search for relevant and scholarly articles that address reasons for the degradation and ecological damage of the lake or sea you selected during the last 50 to 60 years.
If you need help using the UMUC Library database, go to http://www.umuc.edu/library/ and click on the Ask a Librarian link, or use our library’s tutorial on obtaining research materials: http://sites.umuc.edu/library/libhow/research_tutorial.cfm
If you are unsure about how tell if an article is scholarly, please review the following information: http://sites.umuc.edu/library/libhow/articles.cfm
From among the articles, select one scholarly article to use for part A of this case study assignment:
Concise two- to three-paragraph summary of the main ideas in the article. Be sure t
o describe both the reasons for the degradation and the ecological damage with supportive detail. (50 points)
One-paragraph discussion of how the information presented in your article relates to ecological principles and sustainable practices that you have read about and discussed in class. In the case of your chosen lake or sea, were ecological principles ignored or unsustainable practices used? Be sure to clearly identify specific ecological principles and sustainable practices from the course readings, referencing at least one assigned course reading from Weeks 1-3. (30 points)
Clear, concise paragraphs, with transitions between paragraphs and no grammatical or spelling errors (10 points)
Appropriate APA in-text citations and reference list (10 points)
ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CLASS
Discussion Questions (DQ)
Initial responses to the DQ should address all components of the questions asked, include a minimum of one scholarly source, and be at least 250 words.
Also check Out: ENMT 301 Enviroment And Ecosystems Prinicples Consequences of Our Energy Use Assignment
Successful responses are substantive (i.e., add something new to the discussion, engage others in the discussion, well-developed idea) and include at least one scholarly source.
One or two sentence responses, simple statements of agreement or “good post,” and responses that are off-topic will not count as substantive. Substantive responses should be at least 150 words.
I encourage you to incorporate the readings from the week (as applicable) into your responses.
Weekly Participation
Your initial responses to the mandatory DQ do not count toward participation and are graded separately.
In addition to the DQ responses, you must post at least one reply to peers (or me) on three separate days, for a total of three replies.
Participation posts do not require a scholarly source/citation (unless you cite someone else’s work).
Part of your weekly participation includes viewing the weekly announcement and attesting to watching it in the comments. These announcements are made to ensure you understand everything that is due during the week.
APA Format and Writing Quality
Familiarize yourself with APA format and practice using it correctly. It is used for most writing assignments for your degree. Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for APA paper templates, citation examples, tips, etc. Points will be deducted for poor use of APA format or absence of APA format (if required).
Cite all sources of information! When in doubt, cite the source. Paraphrasing also requires a citation.
I highly recommend using the APA Publication Manual, 6th edition.
Use of Direct Quotes
I discourage overutilization of direct quotes in DQs and assignments at the Masters’ level and deduct points accordingly.
As Masters’ level students, it is important that you be able to critically analyze and interpret information from journal articles and other resources. Simply restating someone else’s words does not demonstrate an understanding of the content or critical analysis of the content.
It is best to paraphrase content and cite your source.
LopesWrite Policy
For assignments that need to be submitted to LopesWrite, please be sure you have received your report and Similarity Index (SI) percentage BEFORE you do a “final submit” to me.
Once you have received your report, please review it. This report will show you grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors that can easily be fixed. Take the extra few minutes to review instead of getting counted off for these mistakes.
Review your similarities. Did you forget to cite something? Did you not paraphrase well enough? Is your paper made up of someone else’s thoughts more than your own?
Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for tips on improving your paper and SI score.
Late Policy
The university’s policy on late assignments is 10% penalty PER DAY LATE. This also applies to late DQ replies.
Please communicate with me if you anticipate having to submit an assignment late. I am happy to be flexible, with advance notice. We may be able to work out an extension based on extenuating circumstances.
If you do not communicate with me before submitting an assignment late, the GCU late policy will be in effect.
I do not accept assignments that are two or more weeks late unless we have worked out an extension.
As per policy, no assignments are accepted after the last day of class. Any assignment submitted after midnight on the last day of class will not be accepted for grading.
Communication
Communication is so very important. There are multiple ways to communicate with me:
Questions to Instructor Forum: This is a great place to ask course content or assignment questions. If you have a question, there is a good chance one of your peers does as well. This is a public forum for the class.
Individual Forum: This is a private forum to ask me questions or send me messages. This will be checked at least once every 24 hours.