Project Overview: For this project, you'll choose a food or drink item, a cuisine, an invention or an idea,, and then research how four geographic concepts are related to and affect your choice. Instead of presenting your research as a traditional paper, you'll use PowerPoint or similar presentation software to create a narrated presentation. Your presentation will be structured like a paper, including a title, introduction to the topic, main body, summary and conclusions, and references. Creative use of properly cited graphics and photos from the Internet relevant to your topic is required. First, choose a food item, cuisine, invention or idea that interests you. Some will have more information available about them than others, so it's worth doing some investigation before you settle on one. If you're not sure if your desired topic is appropriate, please feel free to ask! Once you have selected your topic, you will then do research to see how each of the following geographic concepts affects or is related to your topic: 1. Regions 2. Cultural Landscape 3. Diffusion 4. Distance decay The first three concepts are well covered in your textbook. Distance decay refers to the fact that influence and interaction between locations decreases as the distance between them increases. As such, it has a significant influence on how things change as they diffuse away from their point of origin. Be sure to address these specific geographic terms and concepts. You don't need to address them in this order, but you do need to address all of them. You may use "subsets" of these definitions (e.g. contagious diffusion) if such subsets exist. Be sure to refer to your text and other reliable resources to ensure you completely understand these concepts. You should be detailed in your treatment of these concepts - for instance, you should explain both how and why your choice varies by region, and how and why it has been affected by distance decay. Remember that geography, as an academic discipline, seeks to explain why things vary from place to place, not just describe how they do.  You will complete this project in 3 separate assignments: an annotated bibliography, an outline, and your final presentation. PART 1: An annotated bibliography Assignment Objective : Assess sources for your research for your final presentation (for credibility, reliability, and relevance) and list references in proper APA format through the creation of an annotated bibliography. Assignment Instructions : An annotation is a summary and evaluation, and your annotated bibliography will include a summary and evaluation of some of the sources (or references) you will use for your presentation. To prepare for this assignment, I recommend that you do the following: Read these directions carefully. Review the sample annotated bibliography provided to you below.  Read the grading criteria below.The grading criteria is a detailed evaluation that I will use to assess your performance. I ...

1. Project Overview:
For this project, you'll choose a food or drink item, a cuisine,
an invention or an idea,, and then research how four geographic
concepts are related to and affect your choice. Instead of
presenting your research as a traditional paper, you'll use
PowerPoint or similar presentation software to create a narrated
presentation. Your presentation will be structured like a paper,
including a title, introduction to the topic, main body, summary
and conclusions, and references. Creative use of properly cited
graphics and photos from the Internet relevant to your topic is
required.
First, choose a food item, cuisine, invention or idea that
interests you. Some will have more information available about
them than others, so it's worth doing some investigation before
you settle on one. If you're not sure if your desired topic is
appropriate, please feel free to ask!
Once you have selected your topic, you will then do research to
see how each of the following geographic concepts affects or is
related to your topic: 1. Regions 2. Cultural Landscape 3.
Diffusion 4. Distance decay The first three concepts are well
covered in your textbook. Distance decay refers to the fact that
influence and interaction between locations decreases as the
distance between them increases. As such, it has a significant
influence on how things change as they diffuse away from their
point of origin. Be sure to address these specific geographic
terms and concepts. You don't need to address them in this
order, but you do need to address all of them. You may use
"subsets" of these definitions (e.g. contagious diffusion) if such
subsets exist. Be sure to refer to your text and other reliable
resources to ensure you completely understand these concepts.
You should be detailed in your treatment of these concepts - for

2. instance, you should explain both how and why your choice
varies by region, and how and why it has been affected by
distance decay. Remember that geography, as an academic
discipline, seeks to explain why things vary from place to place,
not just describe how they do.
You will complete this project in 3 separate assignments: an
annotated bibliography, an outline, and your final presentation.
PART 1: An annotated bibliography
Assignment Objective
: Assess sources for your research for your final presentation
(for credibility, reliability, and relevance) and list references in
proper APA format through the creation of an annotated
bibliography.
Assignment Instructions
:
An annotation is a summary and evaluation, and your annotated
bibliography will include a summary and evaluation of some of
the sources (or references) you will use for your presentation.
To prepare for this assignment, I recommend that you do the
following:
Read these directions carefully.
Review the sample annotated bibliography provided to you
below.
Read the grading criteria below.The grading criteria is a
detailed evaluation that I will use to assess your performance. It
also will help you understand what is expected you as you
prepare your assignment.

3. Message me with any questions!
The reason the annotated bibliography is included as part of the
research project is that writing an annotated bibliography
provides excellent preparation for the final presentation. One of
the issues regarding any type of research is the credibility of the
sources used, particularly those obtained from various websites.
By forcing you to evaluate your potential sources carefully, the
annotated bibliography helps you determine if the sources you
chose are credible and relevant to your topic. It will also help
you understand the topic better, which will help you develop
your presentation.
For this project, you will assess three sources to include:
1) a complete citation for each source,
2) a summary of each source, and
3) an evaluation of each source.
Three sources are required for this assignment (i.e., you are to
write an annotation for each source). However, you must use
five or more sources in your final presentation.
Use the TEMPLATE below to summarize and evaluate each of
your three sources.
Citation:
Written in APA reference list format. For more help with
formatting, see APA handout.
Summary:

4. What is the purpose of the source, review article, original
research? What topics are covered? This section is generally 3-5
sentences that summarize the author’s main point. For more
help, see this link on paraphrasing sources.
Evaluation:
After summarizing the article (or research paper or book), it is
necessary to evaluate it and state where you found it – its
source (e.g.,journal, website, etc.). Briefly answer the following
questions in 3-5 sentences:
What is the format or type of source (e.g., peer-reviewed
journal paper, website, book)? How reliable is the information
in the article, and how credible is the source (e.g., website’s
sponsoring organization, journal or book publisher) and the
author(s)?
You must submit your Annotated Bibliography as a “Microsoft
Word” document using the template provided (rather than a
Word Pad, Works, etc. document).
PART 2: Outline
Assignment Objective:
Organize your thoughts and the main points of your research
for your final presentation in outline format.
Assignment Instructions:
To help you complete Assignment 3: The Presentation, you will
first submit an outline to organize your thoughts and main
points. Your outline should be formatted a specific way and
must contain the following elements as described below.
To prepare for this assignment, I recommend that you do the

5. following:
Read these directions carefully.
Read the grading criteria below. The grading criteria is a
detailed evaluation that I will use to assess your performance. It
also will help you understand what is expected of you as you
prepare your assignment.
Message me with any questions!
Be sure to add your name to your outline.
The outline format: Your outline must be formatted as
described. Please note that this format will be assessed in your
grade:
Use an alphanumeric sequence
Sections should be indented and aligned
Follow the suggested order of the required elements
Use brief but detailed and descriptive phrases.
The required elements: Your outline should contain the
following elements in this order:
I. The Introduction: This section previews your topic and the
details you will cover in the body of your presentation. It
should be very brief, but include:
A. The food, cuisine, invention or idea that you are going to
discuss.
B. Why you chose this topic.

6. C. A preview of the regions where your topic has developed and
then diffused to.
II. The Body (Content Sections): In the body, you must address
how the four geographic concepts mentioned in the presentation
instructions (regions, cultural landscapes, diffusion, and
distance decay) relate to your topic.
A. Regions: Discuss the origin region or regions of your topic,
with specific attention to the geographic qualities of the region
that influenced the development of your topic.
B. Cultural Landscape: Discuss how the landscape in the
region(s) described above have been shaped by the culture that
gave rise to your topic, and how your topic might be reflected in
that landscape.
C. Diffusion: Discuss how your topic has diffused from its
origin. Where has it diffused to? What factors led to its
diffusion there? What kind of diffusion has it experienced?
D. Distance Decay: Discuss how your topic has changed as it
has diffused away from the region(s) of its origin. Explain these
changes with reference to the geographic qualities of the
regions it has diffused to.
III. The Conclusion Section: this section should contain four to
six points that sum up the main points from the body of the
outline.
Start your conclusion with one sentence summarizing some
basic information about your topic.
Continue with a brief summary (1-2 sentences) about the
important characteristics of its origin region(s).

7. Include a brief note about relevant cultural landscapes.
Include a brief summary (1-2 sentences) about the diffusion of
your topic and the distance decay it experienced.
Wrap up the conclusion section with a closing note that
provides brief information about why this topic was of interest
to you, and a fact about your topic you found interesting.
IV. Reference section: This is not just the reference page;
rather, referencing should occur throughout the outline as it will
in your presentation. Therefore, your outline should include
both a separate reference page containing a minimum of five
sources listed in proper APA reference list format AND internal
citations throughout the outline where appropriate. Please be
sure to see the resources below for assistance regarding in-text
citations and reference list formatting, and/or ask me if you
have any additional questions.
Please make note of the following tips and tricks:
I understand that this is a rough draft and, as your research and
writing continue over the next few weeks, details may be added
or changed. Although you do not have to resubmit it to me, I
recommend that you update this outline to help you best
complete the Final Presentation.
Write your outline so that it has detailed bullets that you can
easily then flesh out into sentences for the narration of your
Final Presentation.
After your outline is complete, I recommend that you next draft
your introductory and conclusion sections for your presentation.
This will ensure that all the main points of the outline are
incorporated in these two framing sections of your final

8. presentation.
Please note that less than 10% of your outline or presentation
should be direct quotes.
All internal citation references should be listed on the reference
page, and vice versa.
You must submit your Outline as a “Microsoft Word” document
(rather than a Word Pad, Works, etc. document)
PART 3: PRESENTATION
Assignment Objective:
Develop an audio-narrated PowerPoint presentation based on
the research you have conducted about your chosen topic.
Assignment Instructions:
Using the course project steps completed to date, you will
develop your presentation based on assignment 1 and 2.
To prepare for this assignment, I recommend that you do the
following:
Read these directions carefully.
Review the grading rubric below. The grading rubric is a
detailed evaluation that I will use to assess your performance. It
also will help you understand what is expected of you as you
prepare your assignment.
Presentation requirements:
Your presentation will be submitted as an audio-narrated
PowerPoint. For instructions on how to create audio narration in

9. PowerPoint, see the following link: Record a Slide Show With
Narration. Audio narration is a requirement!
There must be a visual element (e.g., photos, videos, graphs,
figures).
Your presentation must contain approximately 10-15 slides
(excluding references) and run approximately 5-10 minutes.
Please note that less than 10% of your presentation should be
direct quotes.
Proper use and pronunciation of geographic terminology are
required.
Be sure to properly cite your work, both internal to the
presentation as well as within the reference slide (this includes
photos, graphs, figures, videos, etc.).
All references listed on the reference slide should be cited
internally within the presentation, and vice versa.
The required elements: Your presentation should contain the
following elements in the order listed below. Specific content
for each section is detailed in Assignment 2: The Outline.
In addition, I expect that any feedback provided to you from
Assignment 1: Annotated Bibliography and Assignment 2: The
Outline be incorporated into this assignment. Please go back
and review those comments.
Introduction – this section must contain your topic, why you
chose your topic, and preview where your topic developed and
diffused to.
Body (Content) – this section must contain examine how your

10. topic relates to four geographic concepts: regions, cultural
landscapes, diffusion and distance decay
Conclusion Slide – this section must contain four to six points
that sum up the main topics of the presentation.
Reference Slide (and Internal Citations) – this section must
contain the following:
Internal citations - This is not just a separate section; rather,
referencing should occur throughout the presentation via
parenthetical citations anytime you paraphrase, make direct
quotes, or use visual components from other sources. Please be
sure to cite any language, images, videos, etc. in the
presentation that should be cited.
Reference Slide - Your paper should also have a final reference
slide listing at least 5 credible sources researched for your
presentation.
Do not include your summary/evaluation from Assignment 1:
Annotated Bibliography; simply list the references utilized in
your presentation in APA format on the reference slide.
You must submit your Presentation as a “PowerPoint” document