Module QA Assignment Instructions On Line Envs 100 Please Pr

Moduleqaassignmentinstructionsonlineenvs100pleaseprintthe

Module “Q&A†Assignment Instructions — Online ENVS 100 Please print these instructions to use each week. This 2â€part weekly assignment is worth a significant portion of your course grade. Remember, we don’t have any quizzes or exams! ïŠ Instead, this assignment ensures us both that you are learning the material well. GOALS: • Reading comprehension — To deeply understand the information in each module’s readings • Synthesis — To synthesize information found in multiple sources • Critical thinking — To see where you need clarification on concepts, and learn to write good questions • Research — To find reputable sources and research answers to questions • Contextualizing — To put “book learning†about science into the context of society and daily life • Discussion — To interact with your classmates about course concepts • Writing — To practice writing clear, understandable prose with good grammar and spelling To do this assignment, you must first read and study all of the module’s assigned readings. (This will help eliminate simple questions that are easily answered in the readings.) Then, you will post your work to the specified Canvas discussion board, in the message box of a discussion board post. (I won’t be able to read fancy formatting or attachments; they don’t “compile†well in Canvas.) Your grade will be based on completing the following activities and posting them correctly before the deadlines. I’ll be looking for substantive content, and a clear, professional style. Yes, spelling and grammar do count! Part A is due by end of day Wednesday (by 11:59pm). Part B is due by that Friday night (board locks at 11:59 pm). Part A – Synthesis and Questions: After reading all of the module’s assigned material, submit the following information in ONE COMBINED POST to the discussion board called “Q&A #__â€.

The subject line should be brief and should clearly state: (a) YOUR FULL NAME and (b) PART A. ï¶ Example: If your name is Sophie Daniels, your Part A post’s subject line would be “Sophie Daniels’ Part A†1) Synthesis of the Module’s Readings Summarize and synthesize the module’s readings. This should be a coherent, comprehensive synthesis of information from all of the assigned sources, plus related readings of your choosing. Please include the following information; expand the list if you want: • What are the main concepts? (highlights for an interested friend or family member) • What new terminology did you learn? (discuss a few key terms) • Which figures and diagrams are particularly useful? (sketch/describe) • How does this connect with information from earlier in the quarter? • What is the most interesting thing you learned? • What is the most important thing you learned? ï¶ Helpful Hint: Use this as an opportunity to create comprehensive “reference sheets†of information! All course assignments are openâ€book, so it will be handy to have these with you when you work on other assignments. 2) Four or More Questions In the same post, write a numbered list of at least 4 substantive (“meatyâ€) questions you have, based on the module’s readings. Your questions should be generated from reading multiple sources (not just one). These questions may concern specific facts or concepts, they may be questions about how multiple concepts relate to each other, and occasionally they may be related to cultural, ethical, social, and/or political questions that arise from the reading. We’ll use these questions to generate discussion in Part B.

They should be real questions that occurred to you, which are potentially answerable by some research by one of your classmates in Part B. (That is, they should NOT be along the lines of “How can people think that it’s okay to ____?â€) Start each question with a question number. Each question needs to be in a separate paragraph (separated by line breaks). ï¶ Helpful Hint: Remember, the answers to your questions should NOT be directly found in the module’s readings; instead they should add further insight into the topic. However, if you are “stuck†on a particular concept, you may post a question about it, by saying (for example), “This is my understanding of mantle convection: [a few sentences of summary]. What is unclear to me is: [pose question].†In Part B, your classmate would then try to clarify and expand on the concept of mantle convection, after additional research from credible sources. Alternatively, you are welcome to post individual questions about concepts to the MAIN discussion board, so you can get an answer before other assignments are due. Don’t make us wonder where your sections (synthesis, mostâ€"interesting/mostâ€"relevant, questions) begin and end: Separate them with line breaks. Remember to make a numbered list of your questions. ï¶ Helpful Hint: The best Part A posts have been 600+ words, not including the questions. A bare minimum length for a “Câ€" grade on the summary/synthesis section would be about 400 words.

Part B – One Researched Answer: Read your classmates’ summaries and questions and then select ONE classmate’s Part A question to respond to. Submit the following information in ONE COMBINED POST to the “Q&A #___†discussion board. Reply directly to your classmate’s original post (thereby creating a threaded discussion). Do not alter the subject line except to add at the end: (a) YOUR NAME and (b) ANSWER to Q#____. ï¶ Example: If you are Janice Wood, and you are answering one of classmate Michael Baxter’s questions, your Part B subject line would be “RE: Michael Baxter’s Part A – Janice Wood’s ANSWER to Q#4†1) Answer One Question Read your classmates’ questions, and provide a researched answer to ONE of the 4+ questions posed in ONE classmate’s Part A. Most of these will be factual questions, and some may require also providing your educated opinion. In any case, I expect you to do inâ€depth research before replying, and cite all of your sources! Your answer should be substantial and cannot answer a question someone else has already addressed. (You may, however, supply clarification if your research disagrees with someone else’s answer.) You also cannot answer your own question. Do yourself a favor and pick a substantive question to answer, or greatly expand on or combine “minimalist†questions. By “substantialâ€, I mean that your Part B answer should be at least 1/2 page (typed, singleâ€spaced, 8.5â€x11†equivalent; at least 300 words), not including the required references list — Probably longer! Provide your answer by replying directly to the posted questions (thereby creating a threaded discussion). In the text box of your post, start your answer with the original question number and the original question itself, in its own paragraph (for example, “Question #3: ‘I’ve read that California might fall into the Pacific Ocean. Is this true?’â€) These do not count toward the minimum answer length. It’s the only way I can see what you are writing about when I grade your Part B. 2) Cite All of Your Research Sources No citations = No credit! Be sure that your sources seem to be reputable. Use 3 or more GOOD sources per answer. Each URL must be complete, must start with http:// , and must be in its own paragraph. By “goodâ€, I mean reputable sources that are NOT wikis, encyclopedias, dictionaries, factsâ€onâ€file, eHows, etc. You may use such sources as starting points for your research, but they are NOT acceptable as “actual sources†and thus will not count toward your 3+ “good sources†(nor will our assigned readings, which I will assume everyone has read). Therefore, if you use them, you will end up with a references list that contains more than 3 sources. Also be careful about “.com†websites; check them out to see whether or not they are reliable/credible/“GOODâ€. Actually, that also holds true for “.org†and “.edu†sites (for example, a high school student’s webpage would not be as credible as a college professor’s; LiveStrong is not a science source). Also check to see whether information you find is old enough to be out of date. I hope to see lots of good discussion generated by these Q&As. Interacting multiple times with the readings — and with your classmates — increases your chances to learn the material fully, find relevance in it, see other people’s perspectives, and feel part of a group endeavor! :) Once someone has officially posted a Part B, you are all welcome to discuss any post, so long as the discussion remains polite and professional. Notes and Hints: • Reserve the Part A question that you wish to answer for Part B. — To ensure that there is no duplication of responses in Part B, please “RESERVE†it as soon as you decide you want to answer it. To reserve a Part A post’s question: Replyâ€threaded to the post, changing the subject line to include “Q#___ RESERVED by [your name]†at the end. This also helps ensure that you don’t get “scoopedâ€. First come, first served! ï¶ Example: If you are Janice Wood, and you plan to answer one of Michael Baxter’s questions, your reservation subject line would be “RE: Michael Baxter’s Part A – Q#3 RESERVED by Janice Wood†• If you didn’t do Part A, can you do Part B? — Yes. If you didn’t do Part A of this assignment, please contribute to your classmates’ options for Part B by posting at least the 4+ questions by Friday noon. Then you may reserve a classmate’s Part A question and do Part B for credit. “Something is better than nothing.â€ ïŠ • If you did do Part A, can you skip Part B? — Yes, though your grade will of course be impacted. I will grade your Part A, to check that you have read, thought about, and synthesized the week’s readings. • Um, where did my post go? — Always check that each post went where you intended it to go (to the right discussion board, and that you threaded it to the right classmate’s original post). Reâ€post correctly if necessary. • Wow, that’s interesting! — Examine the comments posted by your classmates. Some of the discussions generated may provide good ideas for journal questions or for further research. As a courtesy: • If you see that someone else has selected a classmate’s question that you’ve already officially reserved, please tell them (nicely), so they can choose another question. • Do not reserve a classmate’s Part A question — and do not post your Part B — until you have at least posted 4+ questions. • Unâ€reserve the classmate’s Part A question if you change your mind about it and/or if it turns out that you will not be doing Part B for some reason. • Reserve a classmate’s Part A question before you start researching it. Checklist for Q&A Assignment — Online ENVS 100 For Part A: Preparation: I have read the module’s assigned readings (see Syllabus and Theme Readings) Content: My Part A covers all of the module’s assigned readings My Part A is written well (content, word choices, grammar, spelling, no plagiarism) My Part A contains all of the required sections: Summary & Synthesis (concepts, terminology, figures/diagrams) Connections Mostâ€"interesting, mostâ€"important 4 or more good questions My Part A is long enough to fully cover the material (ideally >600 words, plus the questions) My Part A questions are good (substantive, not simply answerable in the assigned readings, potentially answerable via a classmate’s research) Format: My Part A post has the correct subject line (“My Name’s Part Aâ€) My Part A post’s body is text in the Message Box (not an attachment) My Part A paragraphs are separated by blank lines My Part A questions are in a numbered list, with each question in its own paragraph Posting: I posted my Part A on time (dateâ€stamped by Wednesday 11:59 pm, the week the readings are due) I posted my Part A to the correct week’s Q&A discussion board (“Q&A #__â€) I checked that my Part A posted properly and is readable For Part B: Preparation: I have selected an unreserved Part A question to research for my Part B I have threaded a “Q(#) Reserved†message to the classmate’s Part A My “Reservation†has the right subject line (“RE: Classmate’s Name’s Part A – Q#___ RESERVED by My Nameâ€) My “Reservation†posted properly and is readable If I did not post Part A on time but want to do Part B, I posted 4+ questions (by Friday noon) Content: My Part B addresses the question that was asked My answer At least 3 good references My Part B answer is substantive and long enough (>300 words, plus the question and references) My Part B references are good (strong and reputable; not wikis, encyclopedias, dictionaries, commercial, old, etc) Format: My Part B post has the correct subject line (“RE: Classmate’s Name’s Part A – My Name’s ANSWER to Q#1â€) My Part B post’s body is text in the Message Box (not an attachment) My Part B post starts with the numbered question in its own paragraph My answer At least 3 good references My Part B references are in a numbered list, with each source in a separate paragraph My Part B website URLs are complete and begin with http:// Posting: I posted my Part B on time (dateâ€stamped before Friday 11:59 pm; the board LOCKS AT 11:59 pm Friday) I threaded my Part B correctly (threaded to my “Question #___ Reserved†message) I checked that my Part B posted properly and is readable

Paper For Above instruction

The assignment outlined for ENVS 100 students emphasizes the importance of active engagement with course materials through a structured two-part weekly discussion task. The primary goal is to foster deep comprehension, synthesis, critical thinking, research skills, and effective communication, thereby enhancing students’ mastery of environmental science concepts while actively participating in peer learning. This assignment diverges from traditional assessments like quizzes or exams, instead using discussion posts as evidence of understanding and analytical thought.

Part A of this assignment involves synthesizing the module’s assigned readings. Students are required to craft a comprehensive, coherent summary that encapsulates essential concepts, new terminology, notable figures, and diagrams within the coursework. The synthesis should also establish connections with prior knowledge from earlier in the course. A key component is identifying and articulating what the student found most interesting and most significant in the material. The expectation is that submissions will be substantial, ideally exceeding 600 words, with a minimum of around 400 words to meet a passing grade. This not only demonstrates thorough reading but also promotes deeper reflection and retention of the material.

In addition to the summary, students are tasked with formulating at least four substantive questions that transcend simple factual recall. These questions should stimulate discussion and exploration of complex concepts, relationships, and broader implications, drawing upon multiple sources beyond the assigned readings. The questions must be thoughtfully developed, avoiding superficial inquiries, and should encourage research and debate among classmates. Proper formatting requires that questions be numbered and separated by line breaks, fostering clarity for readers and responders alike.

Part B involves selecting one of a peer’s questions to answer. Students are expected to conduct in-depth research, utilizing reputable sources, to provide a detailed, well-supported response. The response should be at least 300 words, citing a minimum of three credible references, and should address the question comprehensively. Responses must be properly threaded, with correct subject lines indicating the original question and the respondent’s identity. Proper citation, spelling, grammar, and formatting are essential, as is adherence to deadlines—late posts are not accepted once discussion boards lock.

Overall, this assignment aims to promote active learning, critical analysis, and respectful academic dialogue within the context of environmental science education. Effective communication and diligent research are key to earning a high standard of work and engaging fully with the course content and peer community.

References

• Murck, B. W. (2004). Environmental Science: A Self-Teaching Guide. Wiley.
• CK-12 Foundation. (n.d.). Earth Science CK12 Flexbook. https://www.ck12.org
• Our Ocean Planet. (n.d.). Oceanography in the 21st Century. https://www.oceanplanet.com
• Environmental Science in the 21st Century. (n.d.). Texas Air Quality Case Study. https://www.essci.edu
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2023). Air Quality Index (AQI). https://www.epa.gov/air-trends
• National Geographic. (n.d.). Pollution Quiz. https://www.nationalgeographic.com
• American Lung Association. (2014). State of the Air Report. https://www.lung.org
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Air Pollution and Health. https://www.cdc.gov
• World Health Organization. (2018). Ambient Air Pollution. https://www.who.int
• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. (2019). State of the Environment Report. https://www.tceq.texas.gov