Abstract
This chapter describes a series of writing assignments from two distinct first-year seminars at Worcester State University. Both of these seminars focus on building quantitative literacy skills. Students research and write about a variety of topics related to globalization, population growth, human rights and climate change. The impact of these seminars for the students, institution, department, and instructor is discussed.
MSC Codes
97-01
97B20
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Appendix: Assignment for an Integrated Project
Appendix: Assignment for an Integrated Project
1.1 Essay Project 3: Proposing a Solution
1.1.1 Part 1
Project 3 is an integrated project between LC193H: The Nature of Climate Change and EN250: Creative Thinking and Critical Writing. This project asks you to offer a solution to an identified problem associated with the environment, climate, or sustainability.
Your solution has to be feasible. That is to say, your solution should be focused, supported by evidence, and have the possibility of being implemented at some level. To this end, you may want to focus on a smaller implementation of a solution, such as at the state, local, or even campus level. For example, you could propose (argue) that Worcester State University would benefit from a compost pile. In your essay, you would demonstrate through argumentation and the appropriate use of evidence that a compost pile is beneficial to the campus community . Another example would be to propose (argue) that the colored garbage bag program found in cities such as Worcester and towns such as Shrewsbury and Northborough be expanded to the entirety of the State of Massachusetts. Once again, you will have to establish that there is an exigence that needs to be addressed, and after establishing the exigence you then will present your solution. One way to think about this project is as a problem/solution essay .
Particulars
Five to seven pages, double-spaced.
You should use at least two scholarly sources and appropriate quantitative and statistical evidence to support your claims.
You will be assessed on the strength of your writing (complexity of main claim and supporting claims, topic sentences, paragraph construction, fluidity and transitions, clarity, and persuasive appeals).
And on the quality and strength of your sources and evidence, particularly your quantitative evidence. Indirectly, you will also be assessed on your ability to find quality sources for use as evidence, as you will have to demonstrate the strength of authority of your sources in your essay.
1.1.2 Part 2
For LC193H, you will need to make a poster based on the first part of the project. Your poster will be displayed at the First-Year Experience Showcase on December 9th from 2:00 to 4:00 in the May Street Building. More information on the poster session will be provided in class.
For EN250, you will need to re-purpose your information and arguments from your essay into a letter directed to a specific political leader or business leader. You will have to research which leader you will write to and plan on explaining how you are adapting your rhetorical strategy to a different audience and a different genre.
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Fung, M.G. (2016). First-Year Seminar Writing for Quantitative Literacy. In: Dewar, J., Hsu, Ps., Pollatsek, H. (eds) Mathematics Education. Association for Women in Mathematics Series, vol 7. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44950-0_20
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