ASSIGNMENT 8 Instructions

Assigned:  October 30, 2006.
Due:  In class Wednesday November 8, 2006.


Assignment Eight has two parts.
Part one:
In part one of this eighth and final assignment, you now will review all of the key elements of your thesis proposal - context/purpose; hypothesis/research question; literature review; and methodologies - as part of the peer review process. This is the final working draft of your detailed research proposal before completing the final thesis proposal. The Final Thesis Proposal project is DUE by FRIDAY DECEMBER 15, 2006, at 4 pm. Your final proposal should be a minimum of 6 pages in length of text (1” margins, 12 CPI font, etc.), should utilize the full, complete bibliography already developed, and should have a clearly stated set of potential methodologies or research strategies. NOTE*** Make sure you EDIT your work, SPELL CHECK, and REVIEW for mechanical, stylistic, and syntax errors. Your goal in the final proposal is to have a clean draft with an absolute minimum of editing and grammatical errors. The grade for the final project will reflect (a) the effort you put in to submitting a grammatically sound paper, and (b) the overall structure of the proposal, including demonstrated thorough and detailed engagement with the literature and a well-constructed research problem and appropriate methodologies.

Part Two requires you to analyze and discuss the following article for analysis and critique.
(A)
This assignment addresses the theories and empirical approaches to understanding the role of music and identity in the social construction of regions and places.
ARTICLE by Hudson, Ray (2006) "Regions and Place: Music, Identity, and Place," Progress in Human Geography, Vol. 30 (5), pp. 626-634; Available Online Article or in the WKU library.
ASSIGNMENT: Summarize the article's key issues and identify its working hypothesis. Address the following issues:
        (a) What was the main theoretical and empirical thrust of the article? On what existing concept or theory did the author base his analysis?
        (b) How did the author use the literature review process to support his arguments?
        (c) What was the key "so what" rationale that drives this article? Did the author make a convincing "scientific" analysis to support his interpretation?
        (d) What did YOU think of the article, its presentation, and findings? Were any biases or persuasive elements evident in the article?
        (e) What do YOU think the article suggests about the social and spatial challenges ahead for geoscientists?

Submit a 3-5 pp. paper (1" margins all around, 12 CPI Font Arial, double-spaced, page numbers, bibliography and graphics additional).


For help on this assignment, call (270) 745 4555, or e-mail david.keeling@wku.edu.

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Last updated on October 16, 2006
Department of Geography and Geology, Western Kentucky University
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