The final project for the course will be a research paper that applies the theories we discuss throughout the course to the analysis of a local landscape.  Your field site should be within easy walking or driving distance of campus so that you (and eventually the class) can actually visit the site and use your observations of it in your analysis.  Alternatively your field site may be in Chicago area or Northwest Indiana as long as it is easily accessible via the South Shore Line and a short trip on public transportation within Chicago.  You are welcome to consult with me about possible topics.  You will also need to rely upon other sources, including local histories, archival documents, maps, manuscript censuses, and interviews among other possibilities.  A series of assignments throughout the semester will help you choose a site and figure out how to approach the project.  There are no restrictions on the type of site.  It may be urban, suburban, rural, or even "natural."  Many of the articles and chapters that we will read for this semester will serve as models for your project. Because this is a large semester long project, you need to get going on this right away.  Your paper will need to be between 10 and 20 pages in length. 

Your paper should do the following

 

• Analyze a local landscape or cultural geography issue using the theories that we discuss throughout this course.  That is it will integrate theory and research on the local landscape.
• Include reference to primary sources (local histories, archival documents, maps, manuscript censuses, newspaper articles, etc.)
• Include reference to secondary sources (research on the topic, theory from class readings, etc.)
• Should be 10-20 pages in length (double spaced, 12 pt. Times Roman font)
• Use proper methods of in-text citation and include works citied (for geography this is an Author-Date system—see the Annals of the Association of American Geographers for examples of this citation format.)
• Use section headings
• Include illustrations (photos, maps, etc.) where appropriate.
• Have an introduction that introduces the topic of the paper, a section that outlines the conceptual framework or theories that you are using, a section that applies those theories to understand your chosen topic, and a conclusion.  Variations are allowed. 

 

Importance of Obtaining Feedback

While a very few of you may be able to produce an excellent paper (see below) on your own, you will likely need my guidance and feedback in order to do so.  While I will do my best to reach out to you and offer advice, it is up to you to come see me for help and advice on your paper.  Contact me when you have questions, when you are confused and don’t know what to do next.  Have me look at outlines, read drafts, offer comments, etc. Feel free to talk about how to approach the paper with your classmates as well.  Often they can provide feedback and ideas that I might never have thought of.  As one of my mentors in geography told me, research is a social process!

Sources of Primary Sources

Primary sources constitute the data that you are analyzing for this project.  Almost anything related to your research site may constitute data for your project.  Potential sources include: newspaper articles, magazine articles, census records, public documents, property records, planning documents, fire insurance maps, other historic maps, contemporary maps, air photos, old photographs, contemporary photographs, photographs you take yourself, systematic observations that you make of the landscape, information you get from talking to local experts, interviews, and much more.  You may find these sources in the university library, the local library, city hall, historic society archives, museums, on the web, and in a variety of other places.

Interesting methods that you may want to consider

While your paper might rely upon archival research, there are also some other innovative research techniques that you may want to employ to generate your own primary data.

• Re-photography—try to duplicate old photographs by re-photographing the places they depict.  This allows you to comment upon how the place has changed over time.
• Use a sequence of maps/air photos to show how a landscape has changed over time.
• Do interviews with people or surveys on their perceptions of the study area (may require human subjects approval)
• Map out the site yourself noting significant landmarks and spatial arrangements.
• Sit and systematically observe how people use the landscape (may require human subjects approval).

 

Standards and Criteria

An excellent paper will …

Expertly explain the theories that the author is using and effectively apply those theories to understand a local landscape.  It will say something important not just about the local landscape that is its focus but will also say something important about the theories being used. It may even use the example of the local landscape to critique or improve upon theories in cultural geography.  It will draw from a deep pool of primary sources in the form of local histories, maps, archival documents, census information, newspaper articles, to give some possible examples.  It will also draw from a deep pool of secondary sources and go beyond the literature discussed in the class.  That is it will reference articles from geography journals and other academic journals and books that address the topic. It will include appropriate illustrations that are professionally presented and integrated into the text.  That is illustrations are used to advance the argument and illustrations are labeled, given captions, and are referred to in the text (i.e. See Figure 1).  Finally it will be well written, well structured, use section headings, free of mechanical errors, and properly cited. Above all an excellent paper will provide evidence that the student has achieved the learning goals for the class that are outlined in the syllabus. 

A good paper will…

Include a rough explanation of the theories that the author is using and begin to apply those theories to understand the local landscape.  It will illuminate the history and geography of a local landscape.  Good papers will include both theory and empirical research but the two parts of the paper will be somewhat disconnected from each other.  It will draw from a good number of primary sources and a few secondary sources beyond those discussed in class.  It will include illustrations that illustrate some aspect of the project but that may not fully integrated into the text.  Finally it will be mostly well written, mostly well structured, use section headings (but not always properly, free of mechanical errors for the most part, and properly cited for the most part. It will provide evidence that the student is well on their way to achieving the learning goals for the class outlined in the syllabus. 

An unsatisfactory paper will….

Focus mostly upon the research the author did on their local landscape and largely ignore theory from class or elsewhere.  (Alternatively it will focus mostly upon theory and include very little research on a local landscape.)  It may cite a few secondary sources but they will not be well integrated into the paper.  It will draw from a shallow pool of primary sources, relying mostly upon one or two key sources.  It will include few illustrations and those that are included will are included as an afterthought and are not well presented or integrated into the paper.  It will be written but not well, won’t include section headings, will have an unclear structure, will contain many mechanical errors, and will use inconsistent or improper methods of citation.  It will provide evidence that the student has achieved some of the learning goals for the class outlined in the syllabus, but has more work to do.  

A really bad paper will…

Be a stream of consciousness essay on the general idea of a local landscape that the author may have visited but done little real research on.  It will include no references to theories from class.  It will include few, if any, references to primary or secondary sources.  It will include no illustrations.  It will be poorly written, badly structured, will be almost unreadable because of mechanical errors.  It will not cite anything.  It will show beyond a doubt that the author has failed to achieve the learning goals for the class outlined in the syllabus.