The Role of the Environment on Health

This is a TEAM PROJECT. That means, in groups of two or three, you will be required to choose a topic following guidelines below, research and write (collaboratively) the paper, and submit.Please find your group no later than class time, Jan 27th. Use the discussion entitled: "Midterm and Final Project Group Finding" to post topic ideas and to find people with similar interests. Once you have determined your group, please email me your group members (just one person from the group, please) or come to class on Tuesday and let me know. I will then create groups based on your group in canvas, which will give you access to Google Doc inside Canvas as well as a private space (with myself having access too, mind you) to share documents, make discussions, upload files, etc).

Each paper will receive a group score (based on the score of the paper submitted) and an individual score (based on the level of participation and contribution for each individual member). The group score will be worth 80/100 and the individual score will be worth 20/100.

In order to document individual contribution, you MUST create the paper using Google Doc (you need a google email to access this, if not there is something called EtherPad we could use, too, you'll have to let me know your access ability). When in Google Doc, please make notes as to who contributed which part of the report (or consider using different font colors for each person's contribution and provide a key to which color belongs to which individual). I will review this Google Doc (so please include me as part of the Google Doc email invite) and award these 20/100 points based on participation. Please submit a FINAL VERSION of your report, without annotations, to the assignment dropbox as well for grading purposes.

For the final project, you will continue to work in the same team on the PSA. Points for the PSA will follow this same scheme. Since you may not be able to annotate your actual PSA with who contributed what, you will submit a word document outlining the process of creation and the roles of each individual in that process and development. Submit that along with your PSA in the final week.

Reflection: Think back to the week one discussion where you identified several environmental issues that you felt were a potential issue to you or loved ones. Or, consider environmental health issues that have been in the news lately. Perhaps the role of xenoestrogens on breast cancer, or maybe fluoride on osteosarcoma, perhaps pesticide application and Parkinson's, stomach cancer and artificial sugars. You may want to talk about asbestos and mesothelioma, or hexavalent chromium and cancer.Find a topic that is important to you that directly relates to a known (or correlated) health impact.

For This Project: You will be researching the role of your chosen environmental exposure/issue on human health. This paper will serve as the research for your Final project, which is developing a Public Service Announcement (PSA) for your chosen topic. So, please choose an issue that will translate well into a PSA. Consider the link between these two topics and choose something you're passionate about!

For your paper, please follow the outline below:

Introduction

Brief introduction to your topic. Why is it an issue?

Disease Background

In this section, give background on the health impact related to exposure issue. For example, if your health outcome is diabetes, you should discuss diabetes in general in this section.

Environmental Impact on Disease

Relate the environmental impact or toxicant to your disease. Make the connection for how the issue is relevant to your audience. For example, if your topic is the role of pesticide son developing diabetes, provide the relevant research that connects pesticides and diabetes. Don't forget to include contradictory studies. You should always present both Pro and Anti research to strengthen your argument, but show any potential weaknesses in studies as applicable, to strengthen your argument.

Exposure Prevention

In this section, consider all aspects of possible prevention from an individual, community, and population perspective. Consider policy and procedure, recommendations for how to reduce exposure, whatever is appropriate for your topic.

Conclusion

References

Please use at least 5 references, where at least three are peer-reviewed journal articles from 2010-current. Use as many additional headers as you need but please keep the Level 0 headers as above. You should expect to address these topics in 4-6 pages, times new roman, APA-style, double spaced. Don’t forget to update your Table of Contents before final submission.

Midterm Grading Rubric

Beginning

Developing

Accomplished

Exemplary

Scientific Analysis of Case Study

0-7

Student’s analysis is explained but not supported by arguments.

8-14

Student’s analysis is explained but not all opinions are supported by arguments.

15-21

Student’s analysis is explained but arguments are vague.

22-30

Student’s analysis is explained and logical arguments are clear and strong.

Application of Scientific Principles In Student’s Own Words

0-4

No scientific concepts or principles are assessed.

5-9

Scientific concepts or principles are assessed inappropriately and incorrectly; or did not use student’s own voice but used direct quotes more than 5 times.

10-15

Scientific concepts or principles are assessed inappropriately or incorrectly; or not in student’s own voice (used between 3 and 5 direct quotes).

16-20

All scientific concepts or principles are assessed appropriately and correctly in the student’s own voice without using more than 2 direct quotes.

APA Style and Reference

Usage

0-4

Sources are not credited in responses and/or student did not use any references.

5-9

Sources are not always credited and/or student used only 1 reference.

10-15

Sources are credited each time they are used, but incorrectly, and/or student used only 3 references and may or may or may not include peer-reviewed journal articles from 2010-current.

16-20

Sources are credited correctly each time they are used, and student used at least 5 references where at least three are peer-reviewed journal articles from 2010-current.

Grammar

0-3

Four or more incomplete sentences, run-on sentences, spelling or grammar errors

4-6

Three incomplete sentences, run-on sentences, spelling or grammar errors

7-8

One or 2 incomplete sentences, run-on sentences, spelling or grammar errors

9-10

Complete sentences,

no run-on sentences, and

no grammar or spelling errors

Participation

0-4

Individual did not complete assigned tasks or completed them significantly poorly resulting in additional work by team members to complete the report

5-9

Individual participated unequally toward the research and writing of the report or fulfilled appointed role by the group with major issues associated with completeness or timeliness or quality.

10-15

Individual participated somewhat equally toward the research and writing of the report or fulfilled appointed role by the group with some issues associated with completeness or timeliness or quality.

16-20

Individual participated equally toward the research and writing of the report or fulfilled appointed role by the group completely.

Total

100 points