GEOG 401 New Capstone

Fall 2009 syllabus

Below is the official class schedule of activities and assignments. Please recognize that a syllabus is always tentative and subject to updating. Please look and listen for changes announced electronically or in class.

E-resources, including readings, lecture notes and links to other information are in red. Additional readings will be announced & posted. Please have readings completed before the day in which they are discussed.

GEOG 401 Migration/Mexico Capstone Course, Vera Cruz, Mexico

Date

Topic & Assignments

Readings & Assignments

September

1

Sept 08

Intro to Course & Context
Geographic Traditions
Research Projects

*National Geography Standards
*NatGeogStds -- World in Spatial Terms
*Pattison (1964) on geography's traditions

2

Sept 15

Envisioning Final Project
Data needs
Significance
Motivations for the Research
#1: What is Geography?

*Jackson (2006) on thinking geographically
*Lewis (1985) on going beyond description
Text to be determined
*Skills in Professional Geography

3

Sept 22

Doing Field Work
Research design
Qualitative Research

*Zelinksy (2001) on geography fieldwork
*Monk & Bedford (2005) on Geography Research
Qualitative Research Bibliography

4

Sept 29

The "Literature"
Research Ethics
*Guthman on Pollan
#2: Your Project

On Being a Scientist: Responsible Conduct in Research, NAS (1995)
Maxwell on Methods, 1996
Maxwell on Research Questions, 1996

October

5

Oct 06

Qualitative Methods
Interviews & Surveys
Transmitting Results
Discuss Experiences & Findings

*Freidberg French Beans, Ch. 1 2004(esp. 18-31)

6

Oct 13

Data Analysis
Revisit Hypothesis
Revisit Research Plan
#3: Research and Data

Kaldjian & Hoffman, Rural Wisconsin, Latino Labor, and the Migration Paradox, p. 3-11, Kaleidoscope II, 2007

7

Oct 20

Bibliographies

Bonnett (2008) Ch. 1 -- Katie/Trevor

8

Oct 27

Conference Preparations
AAG West Lakes AAG Annual Meeting, Oct 30
Macalester College, St. Paul

Bonnett (2008) Ch. 2 -- Leatrice/Tom
NSF Guide to Proposal Writing
Maxwell on Proposal Writing

November

9

Nov 03

Data Compilation & Analysis
Continue Fieldwork
Draft Assignment #5 (Fri)
#4: Annual Meeting Report

Bonnett (2008) Ch. 3 -- Bekka/Chris
The Art of Writing Proposals, SSRC 1995
Monk and Bedford on Writing Proposals, 2005

10

Nov 10

Conclusions & Recommendations
Continue Fieldwork

Bonnett (2008) Ch. 4 -- Jenna/Bill

11

Nov 17

Report on progress
#5: Literature Review

Bonnett (2008) Ch. 5 -- Kaldjian

12

Nov 24

Fine Tune Final Draft

Exam

December

13

Dec 01

Presentation of Results
#6: Practice Presentation

14

Dec 08

Assignment #7a: Public Presentation

Final Exam: Final Project Due, 15 December at 3:00 p.m.