There are 4 critical thinking projects to be completed over the course of the semester. Every student is responsible for the completion of the projects. The projects will be "published" in the class wiki (see the "Wiki Help" folder in Module 1 or in the Help and Resources area of our class Mygateway site. Click here for additional help).

• The projects are described in more detail in the appropriate course module and specific guidelines can be found following the links below:
  1. Personal Wiki Page, Module 1, 15 points. Due Sunday, June 30 by 11:59 PM.
  2. Project 1: Investigating Taken-for-Granted Norms, Module 2, 25 points. Due Sunday, July 7 by 11:59 PM.
  3. Project 2: Living at the Poverty Line, Module 4, 25 points. Due Sunday, July 21, by 11:59 PM.
  4. Applying the Perspectives: Economy, Module 6 Homework, 10 points (link to McGraw-Hill Connect). Due Sunday, Aug 4 by 11:59 PM. Follow the link in in Module 6, review the senario, answer the questions on the "Connect" web site and click the "Submit Assignment" button in the top right-hand corner. We are looking for about 175-250 words. Identify who is representing which perspective, why that is, and how what each person's comments fit into the perspective. Be detailed and thorough.
• Due dates are posted in the corresponding Modules and can be found on the "Assignments, Readings, and Course Schedule" page.
• Be sure to complete the "Email Feedback Consent." You can find the email feedback consent "test" in Module 1. Until you give consent, you will have to visit Prof. Keel or a TA to receive full feedback on the projects.
• See academic integrity statement and Turnitin information.
• 4 Critical Thinking Projects, 75 points total.

Wiki Help: (Here's a link with detailed instructions for using the wiki editor: http://community.learningobjects.com/Groups/Documentation/Campus_Pack_4.4_User_Guide/Text_Editor and for general information: http://community.learningobjects.com/Groups/Documentation/Campus_Pack_4.4_User_Guide .  You can access this link from the class wiki by clicking on the "Help" link in the upper right-hand corner of the wiki content frame. See also, the tutorials for working in a wiki in the "Wiki Help" folder in each module and in the Help and Resources area of the class MyGateway site.

Basic tips:

• For help creating a personal wiki page, see Prof. Keel's Panopto tutorial, "Working in a Wiki" in the Wiki Help folder of the class MyGateway site--Group Areas page.
• The first page you come to when you open your wiki is the "home page." Don't use this page for a personal page of anything other than the wiki's "home."
• Do not edit any other student's page without discussing such edits in advance.  Wikis are collaborative tools, but use them to collaborate, not dominate. Pay attention to "where" you are when you do your editing.
• Avoid attaching Word documents and the like--do your work on the wiki page, use the wiki to display your ideas and your research work--write your essays as wiki pages.
• Always insure you link together the pages you and your group create--use your "home page" to provide access to sub-pages for the various parts of the project as well as to group member personal pages and a group communication page. Use the sub-pages for the parts to provide links to the various elements and individual essays for each part.
• Create and use a "group communication page" to document discussions you have and the work/additions/edits you do in the wiki. Preface each entry on this page with your name and the date/time.

To Create (or edit) a page:

• From any page in the wiki, click on "New" (or "Edit" if you have already created it and are returning to edit).
• Give your page a name.  Format: Your last name, Your first name: short page title.
• You'll see a variety of "tools" to help you edit your page--you can choose different fonts, and font sizes, format your text, and add tables. You can also add images and links to other web pages (internal to this wiki, as well as to outside web pages). Click the Image or Link buttons, and follow the simple instructions).
• There's no spell check in the wiki, so I recommend typing your essay in MS Word and saving it.  Then, copy the text.  Once you've copied text from a Word, come back to your wiki page (make sure you are in the "edit" frame), click to place your mouse cursor in the page, and then use the "Paste from Word" button.   
• If you know html, you'll find a button that allows you to edit the source code.
• Be sure to click the "Save" button when you are done!
• You'll be evaluated for content, style, and presentation.
• One member is responsible for editing the 'home' page (first page you access when you enter the wiki), and to go through and link all of the other pages together.

Rely on reputable studies, articles, and books. Websites that meet the criteria for reputable work (or here ) can also be used.

Be sure to correctly cite all information used from research resources (in-text citations and a list of references for each page) using the ASA manuscript submission guide (local copy with web citation guidelines or a full version of the ASA Style Guide).  Additional assistance with referencing online resources can be found here. Also, remember we are undertaking an academic activity, so please refrain from using opinion, unreliable or invalid resources, sensationalism, and other non-academic practices. See academic integrity statement and Turnitin information.

Contact the class TA or Mr. Keel if you have any questions.

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URL: http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/010/GroupActivities/ga.html
Owner: Robert O. Keel: rok@umsl.edu
Last Updated: Friday, May 17, 2013 11:10 AM

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