Mission Possible? Deciphering Human Disease
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Author(s): Sandra Connelly
Students complete a three-part project on an assigned human disease, replacing a traditional final exam. The project includes a research paper introducing the disease and its symptoms, a 3-minute video explaining causes and treatments, and an infographic focused on environmental factors affecting the disease. Each component builds on the last, requiring students to synthesize scientific research and communicate effectively to both expert and general audiences.
Outcome: Critical Thinking: Use relevant evidence gathered through accepted scholarly methods and properly acknowledge sources of information, Communication: Express oneself effectively in common college-level written forms Method: Project Characteristics: Experiential, Reflection, Writing Intensive Download Assignment for Mission Possible? Deciphering Human Disease
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Persuasive Speech
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Author(s): Elizabeth Reeves O’Connor Students prepare and present a speech designed to persuade the audience for or against a proposition of policy, proposition of value, or proposition of fact on a topic of local, regional, national, or international concern.
Outcome: Communication: Express oneself effectively in presentations, either in American English or American Sign Language, Critical Thinking: Use relevant evidence gathered through accepted scholarly methods and properly acknowledge sources of information Method: Presentation Characteristics: Reflection, Writing Intensive Download Assignment for Persuasive Speech
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Prima Facie Duties in Context
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Author(s): Colin Mathers
Students write a mini-essay applying W.D. Ross’s theory of prima facie duties to compare moral obligations in two familiar social contexts: the family and the college classroom. The essay progresses through three stages—first comparing the two settings without moral terminology, then analyzing them using at least three of Ross’s duties, and finally connecting specific rules in each setting to those duties.
Outcome: Social: Analyze similarities and differences in human social experiences and evaluate the consequences, Communication: Express oneself effectively in common college-level written forms Method: Essay Characteristics: Experiential, Reflection, Writing Intensive Download Assignment for Prima Facie Duties in Context
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Psychology Research Response Paper
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Author(s): Jessamy Comer
Students write three response papers throughout the course, each analyzing one of two assigned psychological research articles. Each paper includes a summary of the theory or hypothesis, evaluation of the methodology, discussion of results or conclusions, critique of the study, and personal reflection on its relevance. The goal is to build students’ ability to read, interpret, and critically assess original psychological research.
Outcome: Scientific Principles: Apply methods of scientific inquiry and problem solving to contemporary issues and scientific questions, Communication: Express oneself effectively in common college-level written forms Method: Essay Characteristics: Experiential, Reflection, Writing Intensive Download Assignment for Psychology Research Response Paper
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Research into Writing, Discourse, and Identity
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Author(s): Paulette Swartzfager
Students conduct original research on a topic related to writing, discourse, and identity, beginning with exploratory questions and culminating in a 1700-word research paper. The project includes wide reading, database research, annotated citations, and two self-conducted interviews. Students are expected to integrate multiple perspectives, including their own, and contribute meaningfully to ongoing academic discourse.
Outcome: Communication: Express oneself effectively in common college-level written forms, Communication: Express oneself effectively in presentations, either in American English or American Sign Language, Communication: Revise and improve written products, Critical Thinking: Use relevant evidence gathered through accepted scholarly methods and properly acknowledge sources of information Method: Project Characteristics: Experiential, Reflection, Writing Intensive Download Assignment for Research into Writing, Discourse, and Identity
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Research Project and Reflective Cover Letter
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Author(s): Andy Perry
Students complete a multi-stage research project on a writing-related issue of their choosing inspired by course readings. The project includes developing a research question they feel personally invested in and curious about, conducting scholarly research using databases and interviews, creating annotated citations, presenting findings in a Prezi, and submitting a final portfolio with a reflective cover letter. The assignment emphasizes personal investment, critical engagement with discourse, and iterative writing and revision.
Outcome: Communication: Express oneself effectively in common college-level written forms, Communication: Express oneself effectively in presentations, either in American English or American Sign Language, Communication: Revise and improve written products, Critical Thinking: Use relevant evidence gathered through accepted scholarly methods and properly acknowledge sources of information Method: Project Characteristics: Collaborative, Experiential, Reflection, Writing Intensive Download Assignment for Research Project and Reflective Cover Letter
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Research Proposal and Paper
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Author(s): Kari Cameron
In this multi-step assignment, students select a topic and write an informative research paper about an approved topic of significance to their audience (peers comprised of business majors and software engineering majors). Phases of the project include: a formal topic proposal, an annotated bibliography, a progress report, and the research paper.
Outcome: Communication: Express oneself effectively in common college-level written forms, Communication: Revise and improve written products, Critical Thinking: Use relevant evidence gathered through accepted scholarly methods and properly acknowledge sources of information Method: Essay Characteristics: Writing Intensive, Reflection Download Assignment for Research Proposal and Paper
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Science, Technology, and Values: Editorial Analysis
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Author(s): Christine Keiner
Students select a New York Times editorial and write an essay that summarizes the author’s argument, analyzes its connection to a relevant chapter from Controversies in Science and Technology, and constructs a counterargument using at least two credible sources. The essay must explore differing stakeholder perspectives, values, and worldviews, and evaluate the credibility of sources used. The purpose of this assignment is to think more deeply about the conflicting values and worldviews that underlay controversies pertaining to ecosystem management, and to examine possibilities for bringing together opposing sides through a focus on shared values.
Outcome: Communication: Express oneself effectively in common college-level written forms, Critical Thinking: Analyze or construct arguments considering their premises, assumptions, contexts, conclusions, and anticipating counterarguments, Ethical: Identify contemporary ethical questions and relevant positions Method: Essay Characteristics: Experiential, Reflection, Writing Intensive Download Assignment for Science, Technology, and Values: Editorial Analysis
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Seeing Through the Walls of Globalization
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Author(s): Vincent Serrravallo
Students write an essay analyzing the social forces behind global migration, using course material to unpack a quotation from The Myth of Individualism. The assignment emphasizes how economic globalization, corporate power, and structural inequalities shape migration patterns and challenge simplistic narratives about immigration. Students must demonstrate their understanding of systemic factors that influence individual decisions.
Outcome: Social: Analyze similarities and differences in human social experiences and evaluate the consequences, Communication: Express oneself effectively in common college-level written forms Method: Essay Characteristics: Experiential, Reflection, Writing Intensive Download Assignment for Seeing Through the Walls of Globalization
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Slash and Burn Soil Erosion Modeling
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Author(s): Karl Korfmacher
Students act as environmental consultants to evaluate the impact of different land use scenarios on soil erosion. In this lab report, students assess the impact of landscape alteration on area hydrology, water quality, and soil erosion.
Outcome: Communication: Express oneself effectively in common college-level written forms, Critical Thinking: Reach sound conclusions based on logical analysis of evidence Method: Case Study Characteristics: Experiential, Reflection, Writing Intensive Download Assignment for Slash and Burn Soil Erosion Modeling
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