1. Unit 3 Assignment Instructions
Place Studies Research Essay
Currently, there are many instances of social crisis taking place throughout the country.
And many of these instances can be traced to a certain, specific location. In the cases
where we can geographically pinpoint a social crisis, the place or space where it takes
place often plays a specific, crucial role in the crisis itself.
For this essay, you are to select a social problem or crisis that is central to a specific place
or space. Using research, write a 5-6 page essay unearthing and arguing how the place or
space is the “silent character” in the problem or crisis.
Examples of social crisis*:
• Protests
• Hate crimes
• Tainted resources
• Poverty
• Pollution
• Substance abuse
This assignment requires:
• Research on a social issue/crisis, as well as on its central location
o Must include at least one book, three peer-reviewed articles, and one reliable
website article. Ideally these will be taken from the sources found for the
annotated bibliography assignment
§ Some adjustments may be considered by the instructor if need be
• A clear thesis statement that highlights a stance on the issue and an argument for
how the crisis and the location are connected
• A proposition to a solution to the problem
Audience:
• While writing this essay, consider an audience that knows very little both about the
social issue/crisis and the history/culture of the place/space in which it is located
Format:
• Write in standard edited English and adhere strictly to MLA 8 formatting. Maintain a
professional, well-researched tone throughout
Assessment:
• Student/instructor edited rubric TBD
Optional rough drafts are due as a hardcopy by class on Monday, March 27th
Final drafts are due on Bb Learn on Friday, April 14th by 11:59 pm
*Note: You can think either large or small scale for this assignment. You may be drawn to
researching a widely known crisis, or perhaps a crisis you see building in your tiny hometown
or even in Moscow. All that matters is that you can purposefully incorporate research and
draw a connection between crisis and environment.
“We can assert that the environment has a method of interacting with its
inhabitants… In this context [space] is the silent character which reinforces certain
features.” –Dana Pop, “Analysing Architectural Determinism—the Physical
Environment as a Mnemonic Device”
![Unit 3 Assignment Instructions
Place Studies Research Essay
Currently, there are many instances of social crisis taking place throughout the country.
And many of these instances can be traced to a certain, specific location. In the cases
where we can geographically pinpoint a social crisis, the place or space where it takes
place often plays a specific, crucial role in the crisis itself.
For this essay, you are to select a social problem or crisis that is central to a specific place
or space. Using research, write a 5-6 page essay unearthing and arguing how the place or
space is the “silent character” in the problem or crisis.
Examples of social crisis*:
• Protests
• Hate crimes
• Tainted resources
• Poverty
• Pollution
• Substance abuse
This assignment requires:
• Research on a social issue/crisis, as well as on its central location
o Must include at least one book, three peer-reviewed articles, and one reliable
website article. Ideally these will be taken from the sources found for the
annotated bibliography assignment
§ Some adjustments may be considered by the instructor if need be
• A clear thesis statement that highlights a stance on the issue and an argument for
how the crisis and the location are connected
• A proposition to a solution to the problem
Audience:
• While writing this essay, consider an audience that knows very little both about the
social issue/crisis and the history/culture of the place/space in which it is located
Format:
• Write in standard edited English and adhere strictly to MLA 8 formatting. Maintain a
professional, well-researched tone throughout
Assessment:
• Student/instructor edited rubric TBD
Optional rough drafts are due as a hardcopy by class on Monday, March 27th
Final drafts are due on Bb Learn on Friday, April 14th by 11:59 pm
*Note: You can think either large or small scale for this assignment. You may be drawn to
researching a widely known crisis, or perhaps a crisis you see building in your tiny hometown
or even in Moscow. All that matters is that you can purposefully incorporate research and
draw a connection between crisis and environment.
“We can assert that the environment has a method of interacting with its
inhabitants… In this context [space] is the silent character which reinforces certain
features.” –Dana Pop, “Analysing Architectural Determinism—the Physical
Environment as a Mnemonic Device”](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/researchessayassignment-170225060244/85/Research-essay-assignment-1-320.jpg)
