Project Overview: For this project, you’ll choose a food or drink item, a cuisine, an invention or an idea,, and then research how four geographic concepts are related to and affect your choice. Instead of presenting your research as a traditional paper, you’ll use PowerPoint or similar presentation software to create a narrated presentation. Your presentation will be structured like a paper, including a title, introduction to the topic, main body, summary and conclusions, and references. Creative use of properly cited graphics and photos from the Internet relevant to your topic is required.

First, choose a food item, cuisine, invention or idea that interests you. Some will have more information available about them than others, so it’s worth doing some investigation before you settle on one. If you’re not sure if your desired topic is appropriate, please feel free to ask!

Once you have selected your topic, you will then do research to see how each of the following geographic concepts affects or is related to your topic: 1. Regions 2. Cultural Landscape 3. Diffusion 4. Distance decay The first three concepts are well covered in your textbook. Distance decay refers to the fact that influence and interaction between locations decreases as the distance between them increases. As such, it has a significant influence on how things change as they diffuse away from their point of origin. Be sure to address these specific geographic terms and concepts. You don’t need to address them in this order, but you do need to address all of them. You may use “subsets” of these definitions (e.g. contagious diffusion) if such subsets exist. Be sure to refer to your text and other reliable resources to ensure you completely understand these concepts. You should be detailed in your treatment of these concepts – for instance, you should explain both how and why your choice varies by region, and how and why it has been affected by distance decay. Remember that geography, as an academic discipline, seeks to explain why things vary from place to place, not just describe how they do. 

You will complete this project in 3 separate assignments: an annotated bibliography, an outline, and your final presentation.

PART 1: An annotated bibliography

Assignment Objective: Assess sources for your research for your final presentation (for credibility, reliability, and relevance) and list references in proper APA format through the creation of an annotated bibliography.

Assignment Instructions: An annotation is a summary and evaluation, and your annotated bibliography will include a summary and evaluation of some of the sources (or references) you will use for your presentation.

To prepare for this assignment, I recommend that you do the following:

Read these directions carefully.

Review the sample annotated bibliography provided to you below. 

Read the grading criteria below.The grading criteria is a detailed evaluation that I will use to assess your performance. It also will help you understand what is expected you as you prepare your assignment.

Message me with any questions!

The reason the annotated bibliography is included as part of the research project is that writing an annotated bibliography provides excellent preparation for the final presentation. One of the issues regarding any type of research is the credibility of the sources used, particularly those obtained from various websites. By forcing you to evaluate your potential sources carefully, the annotated bibliography helps you determine if the sources you chose are credible and relevant to your topic. It will also help you understand the topic better, which will help you develop your presentation.

For this project, you will assess three sources to include: 

1) a complete citation for each source, 

2) a summary of each source, and 

3) an evaluation of each source. 

Three sources are required for this assignment (i.e., you are to write an annotation for each source). However, you must use five or more sources in your final presentation. 

Use the TEMPLATE below to summarize and evaluate each of your three sources.

Citation:

Written in APA reference list format. For more help with formatting, see APA handout.

Summary:

What is the purpose of the source, review article, original research? What topics are covered? This section is generally 3-5 sentences that summarize the author’s main point. For more help, see this link on paraphrasing sources.

Evaluation:

After summarizing the article (or research paper or book), it is necessary to evaluate it and state where you found it – its source (e.g.,journal, website, etc.). Briefly answer the following questions in 3-5 sentences:

What is the format or type of source (e.g., peer-reviewed journal paper, website, book)? How reliable is the information in the article, and how credible is the source (e.g., website’s sponsoring organization, journal or book publisher) and the author(s)? 

You must submit your Annotated Bibliography as a “Microsoft Word” document using the template provided (rather than a Word Pad, Works, etc. document).

PART 2: Outline

Assignment Objective: Organize your thoughts and the main points of your research for your final presentation in outline format.

Assignment Instructions:  To help you complete Assignment 3: The Presentation, you will first submit an outline to organize your thoughts and main points. Your outline should be formatted a specific way and must contain the following elements as described below. 

To prepare for this assignment, I recommend that you do the following:

Read these directions carefully.

Read the grading criteria below. The grading criteria is a detailed evaluation that I will use to assess your performance. It also will help you understand what is expected of you as you prepare your assignment.

Message me with any questions!

Be sure to add your name to your outline.

The outline format: Your outline must be formatted as described. Please note that this format will be assessed in your grade:

Use an alphanumeric sequence 

Sections should be indented and aligned

Follow the suggested order of the required elements

Use brief but detailed and descriptive phrases. 

The required elements: Your outline should contain the following elements in this order: 

I. The Introduction: This section previews your topic and the details you will cover in the body of your presentation. It should be very brief, but include:

A. The food, cuisine, invention or idea that you are going to discuss.

B. Why you chose this topic.

C. A preview of the regions where your topic has developed and then diffused to.

II. The Body (Content Sections): In the body, you must address how the four geographic concepts mentioned in the presentation instructions (regions, cultural landscapes, diffusion, and distance decay) relate to your topic. 

A. Regions: Discuss the origin region or regions of your topic, with specific attention to the geographic qualities of the region that influenced the development of your topic.

B. Cultural Landscape: Discuss how the landscape in the region(s) described above have been shaped by the culture that gave rise to your topic, and how your topic might be reflected in that landscape.

C. Diffusion: Discuss how your topic has diffused from its origin. Where has it diffused to? What factors led to its diffusion there? What kind of diffusion has it experienced?

D. Distance Decay: Discuss how your topic has changed as it has diffused away from the region(s) of its origin. Explain these changes with reference to the geographic qualities of the regions it has diffused to.

III. The Conclusion Section: this section should contain four to six points that sum up the main points from the body of the outline.

Start your conclusion with one sentence summarizing some basic information about your topic.

Continue with a brief summary (1-2 sentences) about the important characteristics of its origin region(s).

Include a brief note about relevant cultural landscapes.

Include a brief summary (1-2 sentences) about the diffusion of your topic and the distance decay it experienced.

Wrap up the conclusion section with a closing note that provides brief information about why this topic was of interest to you, and a fact about your topic you found interesting.

IV. Reference section: This is not just the reference page; rather, referencing should occur throughout the outline as it will in your presentation. Therefore, your outline should include both a separate reference page containing a minimum of five sources listed in proper APA reference list format AND internal citations throughout the outline where appropriate. Please be sure to see the resources below for assistance regarding in-text citations and reference list formatting, and/or ask me if you have any additional questions.

Please make note of the following tips and tricks:

I understand that this is a rough draft and, as your research and writing continue over the next few weeks, details may be added or changed. Although you do not have to resubmit it to me, I recommend that you update this outline to help you best complete the Final Presentation.

Write your outline so that it has detailed bullets that you can easily then flesh out into sentences for the narration of your Final Presentation.

After your outline is complete, I recommend that you next draft your introductory and conclusion sections for your presentation. This will ensure that all the main points of the outline are incorporated in these two framing sections of your final presentation. 

Please note that less than 10% of your outline or presentation should be direct quotes.

All internal citation references should be listed on the reference page, and vice versa.

You must submit your Outline as a “Microsoft Word” document (rather than a Word Pad, Works, etc. document)

PART 3: PRESENTATION

Assignment Objective: Develop an audio-narrated PowerPoint presentation based on the research you have conducted about your chosen topic.

Assignment Instructions: Using the course project steps completed to date, you will develop your presentation based on assignment 1 and 2.

To prepare for this assignment, I recommend that you do the following:

Read these directions carefully.

Review the grading rubric below. The grading rubric is a detailed evaluation that I will use to assess your performance. It also will help you understand what is expected of you as you prepare your assignment.

Presentation requirements:

Your presentation will be submitted as an audio-narrated PowerPoint. For instructions on how to create audio narration in PowerPoint, see the following link: Record a Slide Show With Narration. Audio narration is a requirement! 

There must be a visual element (e.g., photos, videos, graphs, figures).

Your presentation must contain approximately 10-15 slides (excluding references) and run approximately 5-10 minutes. 

Please note that less than 10% of your presentation should be direct quotes.

Proper use and pronunciation of geographic terminology are required. 

Be sure to properly cite your work, both internal to the presentation as well as within the reference slide (this includes photos, graphs, figures, videos, etc.).

All references listed on the reference slide should be cited internally within the presentation, and vice versa.

The required elements: Your presentation should contain the following elements in the order listed below. Specific content for each section is detailed in Assignment 2: The Outline.

In addition, I expect that any feedback provided to you from Assignment 1: Annotated Bibliography and Assignment 2: The Outline be incorporated into this assignment. Please go back and review those comments.

Introduction – this section must contain your topic, why you chose your topic, and preview where your topic developed and diffused to.

Body (Content) – this section must contain examine how your topic relates to four geographic concepts: regions, cultural landscapes, diffusion and distance decay

Conclusion Slide – this section must contain four to six points that sum up the main topics of the presentation.

Reference Slide (and Internal Citations) – this section must contain the following: 

Internal citations – This is not just a separate section; rather, referencing should occur throughout the presentation via parenthetical citations anytime you paraphrase, make direct quotes, or use visual components from other sources. Please be sure to cite any language, images, videos, etc. in the presentation that should be cited. 

Reference Slide – Your paper should also have a final reference slide listing at least 5 credible sources researched for your presentation.

Do not include your summary/evaluation from Assignment 1: Annotated Bibliography; simply list the references utilized in your presentation in APA format on the reference slide.

You must submit your Presentation as a “PowerPoint” document

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