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Writing and Research in the Disciplines ENG 112

 

By

Module Author(s)

  • Melanie DeKerlegand (Gaston College)

Course Description

This course, the second in a series of two, introduces research techniques, documentation styles, and writing strategies. Emphasis is placed on analyzing information and ideas and incorporating research findings into documented writing and research projects. Upon completion, students should be able to evaluate and synthesize information from primary and secondary sources using documentation appropriate to various disciplines.

This course has been identified as a Universal General Education Transfer Component (UGETC) course under the North Carolina Comprehensive Articulation Agreement. Students completing courses designated as UGETC, with a C or higher, will receive equivalent general education course credit for those courses at the receiving UNC institution.
Upon completion of ENG 112, the student will be able to summarize, paraphrase, interpret, and synthesize information from primary and secondary sources into unified essays and oral presentations using standard research format and style. Specific outcomes for ENG 112 are as follows:

• To recognize, analyze and apply various models of argumentative writing.
• To define and analyze major examples of logical fallacies.
• To correctly quote, summarize, and paraphrase sources in assignments, essays, oral presentations and tests.
• To conduct research from a variety of sources, including books, periodicals, electronic databases, and the internet.
• To synthesize sources into unified essays.
• To correctly apply MLA/APA documentation (parenthetical references and Works Cited/References citations) in assignments, essays, and/or tests.

Course Format: Online, but module activities can be modified for a seated class.

Number of Students Enrolled: 28

Student Global Learning Outcomes

After completing this module, students will:
1. Identify how climate change research in Africa is interrelated with global stratification.
2. Analyze literary texts from the African diaspora in their cultural, environmental, and political contexts.
3. Examine the work and strategies of African climate activists and organizations in order to apply similar strategies to local climate problems.

Module Description and Activities

Description of Module

This module exposes students to global climate issues and solutions by exploring climate change in Africa through different disciplinary perspectives, including the sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Students will begin seeing climate issues locally and globally by including African voices and perspectives alongside American ones. Students will start with a science unit in which they read scholarly and popular scientific articles on a variety of climate issues to help create a foundation of understanding about climate change and academic research. Then, students will complete a humanities project that requires them to read and write about speculative climate fiction from American and African authors. Finally, students will research climate problems and innovative solutions, exploring the role that individual activists and non-profits play in advocating for change.

Global Learning Activities:

Activity 1: Understanding Differences: EcoType Survey & Discussion Board

Goal: This survey is to help students understand their own environmental values and to understand the values of others. If students better understand differences, and particularly differences of ideas, then they can build more inclusive communities and solutions to problems.

Procedure: Students are asked to complete this survey at the beginning of the semester. After completing their survey, they will reflect on their results and comment on the results of their classmates.

Assignment: To complete this discussion board, first review the EcoTypes website to understand the survey and what your results will tell you. Then, take the EcoType survey. This survey will take 10-15 minutes to complete and will need to be done in one sitting. You will get your results immediately.

In this discussion board, state what your ecotype is. Then answer the following questions reflecting on your result.

  1. Reflect for a moment on your EcoType. What is your result? What do you feel it says about you?
  2. Review your results on the ecotype axis. Which axis result is significant to you and your beliefs? Does anything about your results surprise you?
  3. What is one of your top three climate priorities and how does that relate to your climate type?
  4. Do you have any questions about understanding your results? (If so, perhaps we can help.)

After reflecting on your result, find someone in the discussion board who has a different type from you. Comment on how you think their ecotype is different from yours or what you think you have in common. Then, explain how the two different viewpoints might be important in better understanding the environment or coming up with solutions. Review the different ecotypes page if needed.

Grade: 10 points for your initial response. 5 points for engaging with classmates on the discussion board.

Follow-Up: After the discussion board, I review the class’s results, explain how I plan to use them in my teaching, and what I want students to continue to reflect on as they continue in the course.

Resources:

EcoTypes: Exploring Environmental Ideas – What is your EcoType? (n.d.). EcoTypes. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://ecotypes.us/

Activity 2: Global Perspectives in the Sciences

Goal: This assignment will get students to think about scientific research from a global perspective. To reduce the impacts of climate change globally, diverse voices and perspectives need to be included. This assignment expands their understanding of scientific research and aims to highlight one of the problems with scientific publishing.

Procedure: This assignment takes place at the end of our unit on Writing in the Sciences. Students will have written a summary of a scientific peer-reviewed article of their choice that presents research related to climate change.

Assignment: One of my goals in this class is for students to not only think about these ideas on a local or individual level, but also to begin understanding this problem on a global scale. For this reflection, please read the article “How geographical gaps are harming climate science.”  This article is about how prioritizing scientists from the US and Europe limits our understanding of problems and our ability to find solutions. Then, reflect on your experience as a science journalist in this unit. Please answer the following questions thoughtfully and in complete sentences. Your responses should be one-three complete sentences per question.

  1. After reading the article, reflect on the importance of globally focused science journalism. What are the consequences of ignoring scientists from the Global South, and in particular African countries?
  2. What do you think are some solutions to improving scientific publishing and journalism to give more attention to African climate scientists?

Then, respond to two classmates briefly. Your responses can agree or disagree with the original poster, but you must explain why. If you agree, elaborate on why and consider adding an additional perspective. If you disagree, explain your reasoning clearly and respectfully.

Grading: 10 points for initial post; 2.5 points for each response.

Follow-Up: While students are posting, I add additional questions and commentary. Then, after the discussion period has ended, I post an announcement summarizing the responses overall and pointing students to additional resources related to the subject.

Resources:

Kaminski, I. (2022, August 15). How geographical gaps are harming climate science. China Dialogue. https://chinadialogue.net/en/climate/how-geographical-gaps-are-harming-climate-science/

Tandon, A. (2021, October 6). Analysis: The lack of diversity in climate-science research. Carbon Brief. https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-the-lack-of-diversity-in-climate-science-research/

Activity 3: Climate Science Fiction Analysis

Goal:

Students will read speculative climate fiction from the African diaspora. They will then write an analysis of the story and connect the story to modern climate issues.

Procedure:

  1. Students will read the following short stories, review related materials for extra context into these works and issues, and participate in discussions about the stories. The short stories are:
    1. Nnedi Okorafor, “Poison Fish”  
    2. Nick Woods, “Thirstlands”
    3. N.K. Jemisin, “Cloud Dragon Skies”
  2. Then, they will choose one story to analyze for their major essay using the prompt in Assignment 5.

Assignment 1: Water Scarcity in Africa Discussion Board

First read, watch, or listen to one of the resources below about water scarcity and related issues in Africa to provide context to the events and conflicts in the short stories.

Then, in your discussion board post, please do the following:

  1. Briefly summarize the resource. Make sure you state the source, explain the problem discussed, the reason for the problem, and any possible solutions.
  2. Reflect on our experiences with water in the US. Is this issue similar to something we have experienced in the US? How so? How is this problem different from water issues in the US? If you need to, I encourage you to look up water issues in the US or in NC.

Finally, read some of the posts from your classmates. Comment on any (but at least 2) that you think are interesting or that brought up an issue you had not considered before.

Grade: 10 points for initial post; 5 points for commenting on 2 other posts. 

Assignment 2: “Cloud Dragon Skies” Discussion Board

Read “Cloud Dragon Skies” by N.K. Jemisin and watch the video “A History of the Griot in African Society.” Then, consider the conflict between the Earth People (Nahautu and her father) and the Sky People (the sky scientists). Then, in this discussion board, please answer one of the questions below.

  1. What ecotypes might these different groups or characters belong to? Explain your response with evidence from the story and the ecotype website.
  2. Do you think the Sky People respect or value the Earth People’s perspective? Do the Earth People respect or value the Sky People’s perspective? Provide examples to support your position.
  3. Reflect on the ending. What message do you think Jemisin is trying to send through the end? Why do you think so? Provide evidence from the story.

You should try to write a paragraph response for your question (6-12 sentences) and make sure you include specific examples. Then respond to two others’ posts who answered different questions. As usual, please do more than simply agree. If you like their ideas, explain why. If their post makes you draw a connection to something else, add that!

Grade: 10 points for the initial post; 5 points for responses.

Assignment 3: “Poison Fish” Discussion Board

The essay assignment sheet for this unit asks you to explore what these short stories say about humanity’s values. Those could be values that have positive outcomes or values that have negative outcomes – an extremely broad open-ended topic to be sure. So, think about humanity’s values generally (google some if you need to or consult the list in the Project 2 Assignment Sheet), then watch the video about Mami Wata and consider the ways that the characters are practicing what Baeza calls “cultural resistance.” Finally, answer the questions below about “Poison Fish”.

  1. What values do the characters or society in “Poison Fish” demonstrate? Brainstorm a few that you see in the story. Then, pick one value that you came up with. Provide an example from the story that illustrates that value, and why.
  2. How does that value impact their relationship with their environment or each other?
  3. Finally, how do you see those values play out in the real world? You can use a local example or connect the story to one of the texts from the Water Scarcity in Africa Discussion Board.

As usual, please continue the discussion by commenting on two other posts. Your comments could add another example than the one provided, comment on the impacts of the value, or explain a different viewpoint entirely. Ask questions and be engaged.

Grade: 15 points; 10 for the initial post, 5 for peer responses.

Assignment 4: “Thirstlands” Discussion Board

For this Discussion Board, watch the video analysis by Speculative Communities and then answer the discussion question at the end of the video, which is also included below.

One of the big questions of this story is what inspires Graham to change his mind at the end of the story? Why does he eventually agree to help? Refer to specific examples in the text to support your answer.

Then, be sure to comment on at least two other posts. Did they think Graham’s motivation was similar to or different from yours? What are your thoughts on their interpretation?

Grade: 15 points, 10 points for initial post; 5 points for contributing to the class discussion.

Assignment 5: Literary Analysis Essay

Choose one of the science fiction stories we read in class and explore what the story communicates about humanity’s values and relationship to the Earth. You may explore one or two values (if they are related), but please do not analyze more than two as that will result in a shallow analysis of the story.

Also, as you explore how these ideas are presented in the story, refer to specific literary devices, characters, and/or events in your essay as evidence.

I have listed some possible values below, but you can come up with your own.

  • Autonomy (self-direction and freedom)
  • Community (sense of belonging and connection to people)
  • Creativity (knowledge, problem solving, and innovation)
  • Justice (fairness for everyone and taking care of those in need)
  • Power (either influence over others or ability to act without interference)
  • Personal comfort (either physical or psychological comfort)

Some terms or literary devices to include in your analysis are:

  • Plot
  • Conflict
  • Character(s)
  • Point of view
  • Setting
  • Imagery
  • Symbol
  • Metaphor
  • Allusion
  • Tone
  • Theme

Audience:

Your audience is academic and consists of people who research literature and climate change. They are your professors and classmates. Therefore, you should write about these stories professionally and pay attention to grammar and mechanics. You should also try to be clear and specific with your language.

A Note on Sources:

In your essay, you should use specific references and descriptions from the story to support your points. To do so effectively, you will probably need to use direct quotes.  Be sure to use quotation marks and the exact words of the author.  Follow MLA citation style.

Process:

  1. Annotate: Re-read the short story you are analyzing with your purpose in mind. As you read, highlight details that say something about humanity’s values and relationship to the Earth – for good or bad. Make notes along the way with your thoughts and reactions.
  2. Observe: Look more closely at details. What might you have missed the first time around? How was the text crafted and written? What descriptions or images stand out or repeat? You may work through the questions above to see what you come up with.
  3. Analyze: Put these observations together in order to explain the values the author is exploring. How do these elements work together to create a clear message about humanity? What does this story or these elements tell us about our own culture and our responses to climate change?
  4. Synthesize & Draft: Synthesis will happen as you draft. You should feel like you have a bunch of raw material, but you might not be sure how it all fits together. That is normal. You’ll work through your observations and bit of analysis as you go, and hopefully, have additional insights along the way.
  5. Peer Review.
  6. Revise, edit, polish, title.

Follow-Up: This assignments in this activity require significant instructor engagement and feedback. I put students in small discussion groups, and I participate in their discussion boards to push students to think deeper about the assigned works and ask additional questions. Then, I post a follow-up announcement elaborating on some of the great responses students have written. I also provide feedback throughout the process of writing their essay and grade the final essay with a rubric.

Resources:

Abba, A. (2019, April 28). How Nestle Nigeria contaminates water supply of its host community in Abuja. The ICIR. https://www.icirnigeria.org/how-nestle-nigeria-contaminates-water-supply-of-its-host-community-in-abuja/

EcoTypes: Exploring Environmental Ideas – What is your EcoType? (n.d.). EcoTypes. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://ecotypes.us/

HomeTeam History. (2020, May 19). A History of The Griot In African Society. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdxKQkcCtpQ

HighMuseum. (2020, December 9). “Mami Wata” Figure by Igbo Artist, Nigeria. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxsDvc5QDCQ

Jemisin, N. K. (2005, August 1). Cloud Dragon Skies. Strange Horizons. http://strangehorizons.com/fiction/cloud-dragon-skies/

Kasujja, A. (n.d.). What’s the problem with South Africa’s water supply? (21 July 2022). Retrieved January 24, 2023, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0cn52m7

NewsHour Productions. (2022, November 18). Chad Climate Change: Creation of Refugees. Films On Demand. https://fod.infobase.com/p_ViewVideo.aspx?xtid=282944

Okorafor, N. (2014, June 24). Poison Fish [Tumblr]. After Water. https://afterwater.tumblr.com/post/92734891798/after-water-fiction-poison-fish-by-nnedi-okorafor

Speculative Communities. (2021, September 11). “Thirstlands” by Nick Wood ┃ Summary & Analysis. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJQIR_bCRTQ

Wood, N. (2011, January 11). Thirstlands. The World SF Blog. https://worldsf.wordpress.com/2011/01/11/tuesday-fiction-thirstlands/

Activity 4 – Researching Climate Issues

Goal: The goal for this assignment is for students to research a climate-related issue of their choice and introduce them to the library’s resources.

Procedure: Students will access the course’s library guide, which includes sample research questions and links to relevant databases and open access publications. They will select one of the resources from the “Featured Sources with African Focus.” Students will then find an article about a climate or environmental issue in Africa that is related to their own research topic. They will create an APA reference for their article, and then write an annotation for the article that follows the guidelines outlines in the Assignment description below.

Assignment: For this research journal assignment, continue researching your topic, but with a larger, global scope. First, go to the course’s libguide.  Then, select a resource from the “Featured Sources with African Focus” list and try to find an article there that is related to your research topic. For example, if your topic is related to energy, find an article about energy. If your issue is related to health care, find a health care related article. It does not have to be the exact issue you are researching.

Once you’ve found an article and read it, create an APA reference citation for it. Then under the citation, write a short summary (4-6 sentences) that includes the main argument and major points, how the writers support their argument (what kind of evidence do they use), and how this information in this article is similar or different to information you’ve found in other sources. In other words, how are the problems or solutions explained in the article similar or different to the problems or solutions in one of your other sources you’ve found?

Follow-Up: When grading student homework like this, I typically respond in our LMS. Then, I post an announcement with key takeaways from their submissions and interesting things they’ve found. A research assignment like this could also be completed in small groups that are working on researching similar issues.

Resources:

ENG 112 – Dekerlegand: Climate Change. (n.d.). Gaston College Libraries. Retrieved February 24, 2023, from https://gaston.libguides.com/c.php?g=1274349&p=9552123

Activity 5 – Climate Activist Oral Report

Goal: The goal for this assignment is to encourage students to begin thinking about solutions to climate problems by researching people and organizations who are engaged with environmental research, justice, and advocacy to better understand how change happens.

Procedure: This assignment is given while students are researching a climate-change related issue of their choice. Watching Katharine Hayhoe’s Ted Talk “The most important thing you can do to fight climate change: talk about it” is a great precursor to this assignment.

In this assignment, students will select an African climate activist or organization to research. If they choose an organization, they will need to find out who started the organization, the purpose of the organization, and what kind of work the organization is doing. If they choose a person, they will need to find out where the person is from, how they got involved in climate activism, and what kind of work they do as an activist. They will need to explain how the organization or person persuades other people to care about or get involved in their cause. Finally, they will report their findings in a short video using Screencast-O-Matic.

Assignment:

When researching climate issues, it is very easy to get stuck on all of the problems. However, there are a lot of people who are actively working to solve problems and improve our environment for the future.

For this assignment, you will research an African climate activist or environmental organization. You may choose from the list below or find another one relevant to your interests. During your research you need answer the following questions:

  1. Background – Where is this organization/person from? What kind of environmental work do they do? How long have they been doing this work?
  2. Work – What is one major project that this organization or person has done?
  3. Persuasion – How does this person or organization get others involved in their work or at least get them to care about the issue? You can find this information by looking at their website critically or by watching interviews or videos by the person or organization. You may also reference the techniques from Katharine Hayhoe’s TED Talk as well.
  4. Reflect – What are some similar solutions or persuasive strategies you can incorporate in your own research project?

Then, create a brief video in which you tell your classmates about the organization, their work, and how they get others involved. Use Screencast-o-matic to show the organization’s website or pictures of the person as you talk. (This short assignment is also a low-stakes way to introduce you to Screencast-o-matic and video recording in general, which we will do again at the end of the semester.)

Requirements – Your video should be able to be accessed by everyone in the class and the sound and video images should be clear. You can show your face on the video if you want, but that is not a requirement. You may instead show the organization’s website or images of the activist. You can use PowerPoint to help you organize your points, but you do not have to. Your video should be about 3 minutes long.

Organizations

  1. Africa Environmental Films Foundation
  2. The Green Belt Movement
  3. Giving Life Nature Volunteer
  4. African Youth Initiative on Climate Change
  5. Green Africa Foundation
  6. The Health of Mother Earth Foundation
  7. International Centre for Environmental Education and Community Development
  8. African Sustainable Energy Association
  9. Centre for Justice Governance and Environmental Action
  10. African Rainforest Conservancy

Youth Activists

  1. Evelyn Acham
  2. Vanessa Nakate
  3. Oladosu Adenike
  4. Remy Zahiga
  5. Hans Cosmas Ngoteya
  6. Nkosilathi Nyathi
  7. Gabriel Klaasen
  8. Fatna Ikrama El Fanne
  9. Anisa Bek Derna

Follow-Up:

After completing this assignment, students will research climate activists and organizations working on their chosen topic. They will reflect on the role that these organizations play in advocating for change.

Resources:

Boston University African Studies Center. (n.d.). Meeting the Climate Crisis with Activism. Retrieved February 3, 2023, from https://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/teachingresources/climate-change/

Hayhoe, K. (2019, January). The most important thing you can do to fight climate change: talk about it. TED. https://www.ted.com/talks/katharine_hayhoe_the_most_important_thing_you_can_do_to_fight_climate_change_talk_about_it

Screencast-O-Matic. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2022, from www.screencast-o-matic.com

 

Resources and References Used in the Creation of the Module

See Above.

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