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Midterm Reports |
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Overview |
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Early in the
semester your team must select a social problem or question
which it will research throughout the semester. The
social problem, which must be approved by your professor, should
focus on a campus or community problem of interest to your team,
your classmates, and your professor. |
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A list of many of the previous
topics covered is available at
http://www.uwec.edu/sampsow/307/2006a/PastProjects.htm.
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Because you are
dealing with a social problem, you will not simply be evaluating
objective issues, you will be analyzing the perceptions and group
dynamics of the various constituencies. Please note that the word
“research” is underlined in the first paragraph of this section.
Do not offer blind, unchecked assumptions: interview key people
and use surveys to gather information about attitudes or concerns.
And be sure to follow the
UWEC Institutional Review Board's Research Guidelines |
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Initial Reports |
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Although your team
will give the classmate frequent progress reports, two will be
graded. The initial progress report (both written and oral) must
focus on identification and analysis of the specific problem,
basically addressing the first two steps of our
problem-solving agenda. |
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Thus, you should begin with Problem-Definition, identifying the specific problem you will
analyze and defining key terms, recognizing the group's
limitations so that you can set realistic goals for the semester.
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Your Problem-Analysis should
identify the causes of the problem and the reasons why you believe
it to be a problem, and discuss the short- and long-term effects.
Be sure to carefully define and explain your goals for this
project, identify any potential obstacles to reaching those goals,
and outline your plan for reaching your goals, |
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The written report should, of course,
meet the
Basic Course Expectations
for research, team projects, and for
written assignments. |
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Your Oral Report to the class
should also meet the Basic Course Expectations
for research and team
projects. The presentation should be 20-25 minutes in length
and should include PowerPoints. Please be sure to give me
copies of your PowerPoints so that they may be posted on this
website.. |
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Your instructor, student assistant,
and classmates will assess your presentation on a rating sheet;
although your instructor has sole responsibility for assigning
grades, he will consider student rating sheets--especially
comments--before assigning a grade for your team. |
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The Oral Report for the Initial Term
Project Presentation will be worth a maximum of 48 points; the
criteria we will use in assessing your team's presentation are
listed below. The presentation and the Question and Answer period
should be planned for 30-35 minutes, of which 20-25 minutes
should be presentation or lecture-discussion and 5-10 minutes
should be Q&A with the class. Be sure that you have
questions to ask the class if the class does not ask you
questions. |
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Rating
Criteria for Midterm Reports on Term Project |
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Presentation: |
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Interesting |
Topic and presentation
stimulated and held my interest.
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Clear |
Developed clear understanding of
topic/problem; logical whole. |
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Organized |
Easy to understand, follow, and
remember |
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Well-researched |
Important
insights from credible resources were cited |
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Informative |
Developed
new insights and understanding
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Important |
Insights and
understandings developed are relevant and
important |
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Well-Supported/Explained |
Clear explanation, language,
examples
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Application of Problem Solving Agenda: |
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Problem Definition |
Accurately defined problem,
its scope, and key terms
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Problem Analysis |
Identified nature, causes, key
factors of problem |
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The
Team |
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Knowledgeable |
Knew topic well,
effectively defined and analyzed problem |
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Dynamic |
Presenters
demonstrated commitment to project and audience |
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Team
Effectiveness |
Well-coordinated, effective
teamwork evident |
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