8 Quizzes (20 points each)

There are 8 Quizzes in this course. Each quiz highlights key political geography concepts from the assigned chapter reading.

You can find detailed directions for the Quizzes and the grading rubrics in the module where they are assigned.

8 Discussions (20 points each)

Each Module has initial discussion questions to answer. Discussion activities provide an opportunity to reflect on course readings, assignments, and your experiences while applying them to a problem. Discussions can help prepare you for course projects and assessments. All discussion board posts should be thoughtful, reflective, and concise.

You are required to follow the discussion guidelines [PDF] to participate in the discussions throughout the entire course.

8 Current Event Assignments (25 points each)

The purpose of the current event assignments is to apply some of the knowledge you have learned from this course to your present day environment. There are 8 current event assignment submissions.

For this current event assignment, find an article in a newspaper, weekly magazine, or web-site that relates to a key glossary term listed at the end of this week’s assigned textbook chapter. The article should be typical newspaper article length and cover the topic in sufficient depth that you can relate to it and explain it. If it is necessary to provide additional geopolitical context and background, you may also draw from 1-2 other sources.

Provide the following when posting this assignment: 

• Introduce and define (in your own words) the key glossary term that helps you to understand this event.
• Summarize the important points (events or issues) covered in the article.
• Overall, your 250-300 word summary should highlight the significance of political geography concepts in helping readers to understand current events in the world around us.
• Use the Political Geography Research Guide provided by NOVA Library to get information about using library resources and about plagiarism.

You can find detailed directions for the Current Event Articles and the grading rubrics in the module where they are assigned.

8 Blog Posts (20 points each)

There will be 8 Blog Assignments.

You can find detailed directions for the Blog Assignments and the grading rubrics in the module where they are assigned.

Use hyperlinks to connect to any sources that you refer to in your post, but also include an APA formatted reference list at the end of your post. Use political geography terminology from the course readings to help explain your thoughts, ideas, and information. Expected response length is 200-250 words.

After you write your blog post, be sure to comment on at least two other student blogs. Make sure they are constructive and respective as well as substantive. Substantive posts are posts that summarize the students' comments, acknowledges students' responses to question, responds with follow-up comments/questions, and interacts with other students in a courteous and respectful matter.

You should make your initial blog post earlier in a module and then make at least two other substantive responses to your fellow students blogs by the end of the module.

Research Paper

You will be turning in your completed research paper in Module 8. Throughout the course, you will be working on aspects of this paper as individual assignments. With regards to the paper overall, you will pick any one country in the world and write a very detailed 10-12 page, double spaced, 12pt font Research Paper describing its:

1. Political government structure
2. Political borders and how they have changed over time
3. Demographics and population migration patterns
4. Issues in classical and/or critical geopolitics
5. Past and current political issues based on race, culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and religion
6. Historical and current political conflicts
7. How geography (physical, economic, cultural/human, and historical characteristics) has influenced the country’s development in the past and/or currently.
8. Any future political geography predictions you may have for the country given its current and past politics.

The organization and narrative flow of the paper is up to you. Be sure to use full APA Format and have at least 10 well documented and cited sources of information. Five (5) of these sources must be from academic journals.

• Topic (15 points)
• Annotated Bibliography (20 points)
• Outline (15 points)
• Draft (50 points)
• Final Paper (100 points)

Major Assessments*

There are three proctored assessments in the course. They are to check your understanding of the concepts learned in the course. Two of the assessments direct you to go outside, make observations, and apply geographic thinking in the real world. Read assignment instructions 1-2 weeks in advance of the due date to give enough time to complete the work.

The proctored assessments require you to submit your pictures/videos. Failure to follow the directions to submit pictures/videos will result in a grade penalty.

• Introduction Discussion (20 points)
• Project: Maps in the Wild (50 points)
• Project: Spaces of Politics (50 points)

*These major assessments require combined average of 60% to pass this course.