During the first weeks of class, you will need to choose a rural community from which to conduct a case study analysis. You may choose a community you are familiar with or one you are not. In either case do select a community to which you can make site visits, not something out of you reach logistically. The objective is to make a personal and sociological connection between ideas explored in the course and a real life community.

Part 1: Community history (geography, economy, politics, etc…, beginning prior to Colonization - not just since "white" people came) and demographics (gender, social class, religion, race & ethnicity, age, etc…). Presentation of this will be during last weeks of class in the Fall semester.

Part 2: Changes to community in context of "globalization", i.e. effects thereof. Draft due end of January.

Part 4: Future prospects of community from your research and analysis.

Part 5: What you learned about yourself in doing this project (this part can be written in first person).

A presentation of your report will be required and will take place in the last few weeks of Winter semester 2003. Also a final report describing the above will be required and due the last day of classes in the Winter semester 2003. Approximate word length: minimum 3000. Use all methods of data gathering from literature reviews to interviews to observation. Report is to be written using academic style and an appropriate referencing format.

RESEARCH PROJECT REPORT

In addition to what is mentioned on the assignment handout, the following is a guide for what sections are to be covered in your final report:  

1. Introduction – outline why chose the community

2. History of community

3. Demographics of community

4. Globalization and effects on community discussion

5. Research focus within globalization – identify the focus and why, then present findings/analysis from sociological sources on the issue(s) identified and findings from your data gathering of community itself

6. Future of community from findings and analysis, recommendations

7. Learnings for yourself having done this project, personal and academic

RESEARCH PROJECT DRAFT ASSESSMENT COMPONENTS

Total 140 points

10 points - First presentation of history and demographics

40 points - Final presentation

5 points - Introduction

5 points - History discussion

5 points - Demographics discussion

15 points - Globalization discussion (identification of issues and how they are linked with globalization)

15 points - Sociological source discussion (discussing findings on the issues you have chosen to focus)

15 points - Own data discussion (what data did you gather directly from the community, e.g. interviews, documents, and discussion of these, and analyzing these in terms of what sociological sources have found)

5 points - Future discussion

5 points - Learnings

5 points - Organization of report

5 points - Bibliography

5 points - Proper reference citations

2.5 points - Proper use of English

2.5 points - Use of 3^rd person