Course Documents

Each professor should make available to the students a syllabus of the course. This syllabus needs to include such information as an outline of the course topics, a listing of necessary assignments, a schedule of test dates, and the grading policy. Why? The syllabus serves as an ‘offer’ between the student and the professor. A syllabus does not remove the student’s responsibility for attending class sessions, nor does it constrain the professor from changing the specific elements of the syllabus.

What information must be cited? There is no need to cite facts deemed ‘common’ knowledge. How do we define common knowledge? If the ‘common’ person knows it as a fact, then it is common knowledge. However, there are two exceptions to this rule: if your entire argument centers on a fact, or if the fact is contentious in the discipline (though not contentious to the common person). In both of these cases, cite the fact. It is better to over-cite than under-cite.

Wikipedia is a wonderful encyclopedia, and Dictionary.com is a fantastic dictionary—both are available online 24/7/365. However, neither are acceptable sources for any work you do in this course. The reason Wikipedia is not acceptable is identical to the reasons encyclopedias are not, in general, acceptable: they are excellent quaternary sources. A primary source is a first-hand account of an event. A secondary source is an analysis using primary sources. A tertiary source is summary or compilation of primary and/or secondary sources. Each level we move out introduces inaccuracies and blurring of the differences between terms and theories within the discipline. Encyclopedias are quaternary sources. As such, they give good general background on items, but do not successfully distinguish the fine shades of meaning. This is also the reason using dictionaries is not acceptable. The audiences are the general public. As such, words are used in different ways than we use them in the discipline.

Showing causality requires three things: high correlation, theoretic feasibility, and temporal precedence. In this assignment, you are not required to show causality; you are only required to write causal hypotheses.

Peruse through the atlas for the course. Compare maps. Ruminate on similarities across maps. Contemplate if there may be causal connections between the variables measured on one map with those measured on another. Find the connections. Write five causal hypotheses using the maps in the atlas.

For each simulation year, you need to include the following information in an easy-to-read format: Name; State; Current Year; Current rank; Annual profit from last year; Starting funds for this year (Current cash-on-hand); Total number of ships owned; Total number of ships you will send out this year; Price of fish; Number of fish caught; Total number of ships everyone sent out last year; US$ value of one of your currency; The change from last year (also in US$); Your current strategy; How well you think your strategy is working; Your new strategy, if you are going to change; and Your reflections on how this simulation applies to the current topic in class.

This short paper (about 4 pages) is due on April 25, 2008. It will be graded on how well you pull in class material and explain it using the examples of the Tunawars activity. Do not forget to properly cite and reference your sources. I would hate to fail anyone on this assignment.