GEOG 130 GEOGRAPHY OF CANADA FINAL EXAM – ESSAY FORMAT (25%) Department of Geography, University of the Fraser Valley Dr. Terah Sportel –April 11 – 24, 2017 Deadline: April 24th 4:00 pm. Submit your exam as two documents via MyClass/Blackboard: (1) a doc/docx/odt, and (2) pdf. If you fail to submit your paper in these formats you risk having it left ungraded and receiving a 0. Your file must be named as follows: Lastname Firstname_Final Exam. Late assignments will not be accepted. Length: 2500 words (excluding references); Include total word count after conclusion. Format: 12 pt font, Times New Roman or equivalent; Include: Appropriate front matter (Title Page, Table of Contents, List of Figures, etc); descriptive headings; and page numbers. If included, ensure to label figures appropriately (label, number, caption, citation – e.g. Figure 1: Blah blah blah (Author, Date, pg#) – and ensure you directly refer to them in your paper. Referencing: APA referencing format – be consistent and consult a guide (see materials under Assignments/Writing Resources on Blackboard. At least 10 sources (e.g. scholarly peer-reviewed journal articles, books, newspaper/magazine articles, international organisations, non-governmental organisations, government). At least 4 sources must be peer-reviewed scholarly journal articles, and the remainder from a variety of reputable source types. Higher quality papers will draw from strong literature, and go beyond the minimum sources required. References must be listed alphabetically by author’s last name. Do not use footnote-style referencing. Writing & Resources: Consult the GATE Student Handbook (http://www.ufv.ca/geography/studenthandbook/) and make use of the writing resources posted on Blackboard. Avoid plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct (see http://www.ufv.ca/ai/students/understand-academic-integrity/; http://www.ufv.ca/geography/student-handbook/citations-and-assignments/plagiarism/). Proof-read your work. Grammar, structure and spelling matter! Avoid contractions & colloquial language. You are encouraged to email me to seek any clarification required. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Purpose: Essay writing is an important – and underrated – skill. This exam tests your ability to sustain an argument at length and differs from simply repeating facts. Your essay will evaluate themes, debates, and specific points introduced in GEOG 130. It is an opportunity to demonstrate you appreciate varied theoretical and empirical materials, can integrate them, and reflect on subtle points. Course concepts & material must be used to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of your research topic. Sportel, University of the Fraser Valley, GEOG 130 ON1 Final Exam, Winter 2017 1/3Choose one of the below essay questions for your paper. 1. Craft an argument and discuss the following drawing from evidence: What role has geography played in shaping the regional and national identities of Canadians? 2. Bone’s regional scheme relies heavily on the core/periphery model. Craft and argument and discuss alternative perspectives on Canada that might reveal different aspects of the nations’ character. 3. Craft and argument that reflects the relationship between a core and periphery within one region of Canada, while considering the areas current and future economic potential and environmental sustainability. For example, you may choose to focus on the relationship between the periphery of Northern Ontario and the industrial/political core of Ontario. Incorporate within your discussion key characteristics of the province’s physiographic subregions (including physical, climatic, resources, economic), changing economic status, and major environmental challenges and their solutions. 4. Drawing from the discussion of Camp Ipperwash and Caledonia (Ontario) in Bone (2014) and the film Together we Stand Firm (Quebec) discuss the complexity and contentious nature of the struggle over land ownership, and access and control of natural resources. Consider the perspectives offered in the film in addition to the discussions from Bone (2014) to develop an argument that provides insight on what you see as the key issues (whether economic, social, political, environmental or cultural). In doing so, consider whether you agree with the government’s approach to negotiating with indigenous communities. You may choose to also discuss other case examples for comparative analysis. 5. Drawing from the video To the Last Drop: Canada’s Dirty Oil Sands and the discussion on the Oil/Tar Sands and pipeline development (e.g. Northern Gateway, Trans Mountain, Keystone XL) in Bone (2014), reflect critically on this issue and develop an argument that provides insight to the key issues (economic, social, political, environmental or cultural) connected to oil development within Alberta and Canada more broadly. Consider the complexity and contentious nature of the struggle over land ownership, and access and control of natural resources. 6. Drawing from the video Wasting Away and content from Bone (2014) form an argument identifying the key issues for food security in the Canadian North, including the vulnerabilities people face and possible solutions to the problem. You may choose to also discuss another region/area of Canada for comparative analysis. Consider the following in your discussion: geography (physical landscape, climate, location), climate change, economic structure (including opportunities and challenges, and megaprojects), demographics, government structure, aboriginal economy, country food, traditional ecological knowledge, and transportation. Sportel, University of the Fraser Valley, GEOG 130 ON1 Final Exam, Winter 2017 2/3A Rough Guide to Organising the Paper Structure your paper with clear headings. Ensure they are descriptive, succinct and tailored to your discussion (i.e. do not label a section 'Description of Topic'). 1. Introduction The following components are to be integrated into a clear introduction in paragraph form. Your introduction may include a couple paragraphs. i. An overview of the topic/focus noting its emergence, extent and importance. In other words, in this section you are defining and describing the issue and briefly introducing why it is important by citing relevant literature. ii. Statement of Aim: In one sentence (25 words or fewer) state what you are setting out to accomplish. Pay attention to the words you use. For example, if you are going to ``analyse and evaluate'' an issue, a descriptive essay will not fulfil the stated intentions. iii. Thesis Statement: In one sentence provide your primary argument. iv. Outline of your paper. Briefly outline the key sections of your paper. What are the key themes you will focus on to make your argument? Let the reader know how your paper is organised. 2. Description of the Topic i. Describe and assess the topic noting: (a) major components, trends & relationships of globalisation and (b) how this relates to your chosen case study/topical focus. ii. Present statistical evidence to illustrate the major components, trends and relationships. Include figures where relevant. 3. Discussion & Evaluation i. Assess & evaluate your topic. Focus on the importance of evaluating it through a geographic approach. Focus on evaluating your aim & demonstrating your thesis. Draw on your discussion in Part 2 `Description of Topic'. 4. Conclusion i. Approximately one or two paragraphs summarizing key content from the paper. Tie your conclusion into your aim and thesis. Grading Rubric: There are no 'hard and fast rules' when it comes to assessing papers – it is more about how convincing an argument is made. Consider the following a rough guide: structure of the essay & quality of writing (10%), substance (quality of conceptual discussion & diversity of literature) (50%), critical insights (20%), empirical evidence (20%) Sportel, University of the Fraser Valley, GEOG 130 ON1 Final Exam, Winter 2017 3/3