Environmental Science – Final

Final Writing Assessment

Task

You are being asked to write a longer essay that conforms to the convey-analyze method you have been using throughout the term, synthesizing information that you have learned throughout the entire course. You will be judged specifically on how well you critically analyze the information and make judgements (950 -1200 words).

Specifically

Congratulations! You have been chosen as student representative for University of Toronto to speak to the United Nations on the theme:  Imagining a sustainable and just future for the planet.

To help you in your imaginative endeavour, you have decided to include in your speech

1. an aspect(s) of any one (1) of the messages of hope found in the Chatting about the Environment videos from List A below (your choice); and
2. an aspect(s) of any two (2) of the terms/concepts from List B below.

Be sure to include in the analysis your own personal experience and/or hopes as a student, wishing to contribute to the realization of a sustainable and just world.

List A:

• Chatting about the Environment with Stephen Scharper redux
• Chatting about the Environment with John Robinson
• Chatting about the Environment with Seth Klein

List B:

• Gaia as metaphor 
• Traditional knowledge (TK) 
• Steady-state economic model 
• Dialectic contingency 
• Slow knowledge 
• Precautionary principle 

 Format

• 12pt. black font (can be double or single spaced)
• 950 -1200 words
• Uploaded as a .pdf, .doc, or .docx file through Quercus
• No cover page needed, but make sure to clearly indicate in the title which two concepts you are analyzing.

Referencing

• Avoid citing from an outside source. The intention in this exercise is for you to engage our readings deeply. However, if citing an outside source is vital to your argument, include an in-text citation and bibliographic entry in a standard referencing style of your choice (e.g. APA, Chicago, MLA, etc.). When citing readings/videos from our course, it should still be clear to us which course reading/video you are referring to. E.g. the first time you mention the reading, you might say “As Carson mentions in ‘An Obligation to Endure’….   “
• If you cite a direct quotation from one of the course readings (i.e. you are using the author’s exact words), make sure to put it in quotation marks. Put the page number where the quotation was found in brackets after the direct quotation. E.g. In his song “Old MacDonald Had a Farm”, Old MacDonald states “I had a farm e-i-e-i-o” (p. 10).

Submission

• Through the Quercus assignments page
• Your submission will automatically be reviewed by Turnitin plagiarism detection software (see syllabus for details)

Questions?

• Contact your TAs through the discussion board

Evaluation

* a late penalty of 1%/day for late papers

See marking rubric below:

27-30/30

Student conveys claims and evidence precisely and accurately. She analyzes proficiently and develops a critical and logical line of reasoning to argue her case using evidence (i.e.: comparisons, examples, statistics, and testimony) to support claims. Student also writes very clearly, conforming well to formal essay style.

24-26.5/30

Same as above except one or more issues in conveying, analyzing or writing was less satisfactorily performed.

21-23.5/30

In conveying student avoids ambiguity for the most part with no major factual errors. She analyzes satisfactorily demonstrating a fairly detailed line of reasoning, employing an adequate amount of evidence to support claims. She writes clearly, conforming to essay style.

18-20.5/30

Same as above except one or more issues in conveying, analyzing or writing was less than satisfactory.

15-17.5/30

Student employs some vague generalities and/or has some factual errors when conveying. When analyzing the line of reasoning is not always clear or valid and/or she provides limited amount of evidence to develop and support an argument. Writing is not always clear and style is not entirely proper for an essay.

14.5 or below/30

Throughout work the argument is vague and imprecise and/or student commits factual errors. She uses little or no evidence, making for a weak argument. Writing is unclear and not proper for an essay.