Introduction
GEOG 2305: Fundamentals of Geography introduces you to a broad spectrum of geographical topics and concepts, ranging from map use and interpretation to global patterns of development. All these topics fall under one or more of geography’s four traditions—the Areal Studies or Regional Tradition; the Spatial Science Tradition; the Earth Sciences Tradition; or the Human-Environmental Interactions Tradition. Remember, too, that geographical questions and research seek to have an applied element—that is, geographers seek to make their discipline relevant to solving everyday problems and/or explaining and deepening everyday phenomena.
This project is designed to capture the applied elements of geographical thinking. Broadly, it asks that you reflect on what you have learned in geography this semester and apply it to your own professional development. To achieve this task, you have two options:
OPTION 1: REFLECTIVE ESSAY
This option requires you to write an essay that responds to the following question: What geographical perspectives will you apply in your future professional development, and how will you do so?
This is an open-ended question, and there are many paths towards responding to it. Your parameters, however, are the following:
- Introduce to your reader the professional goals you wish to achieve in the 1-5 years after graduating from Angelo State University (A.S.U.) Maybe that’s a teaching job at a school. Maybe it’s pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree. Maybe it’s a gap year and entering the workforce while you figure things out. Articulate those goals in writing.
- Connect your professional goals to a topic, lesson, or theme addressed in GEOG 2305: Fundamentals of Geography. This is a broad opening for you to get creative. Maybe you want to connect your future professional work to one of geography’s four traditions. Maybe a particular set of course materials resonated with you, and you think they would deepen a social or physical sciences lesson if your professional goal was to be a teacher. I encourage you to review your course notes and the course syllabus and its learning goals as you brainstorm potential ways to connect your professional goals to geographical thinking. In your paper, tell me how and why these topics, themes, and lessons connect to your professional development.
- In your articulation of both your professional goals and your connections between geography and your professional goals, be succinct and polished. Be succinct: the limit of this reflection paper is 3-3.5 pages, double-spaced, 1-inch margins and a 12 point, standard font. Be polished. In any writing exercise, you should strive for perfect spelling, grammar, and punctuation. This paper is an opportunity to hone your authorial voice and writing skills.
- If you feel the need to cite sources (optional), include a works cited on a separate page in the citation style of your choice. This works cited does not count towards your page total.
