Updates 7/25/25
Timeline: Weeks 1-4
- Personal chapter review of environmental topic
- Personal environmental values assessment
- Three personal potential project ideas
- Group presentation of chapter
- AI Support: Topic development and refinement
- Deliverable: 6-page chapter review + values + topics & group presentation of chapter
All due dates on schedule and course Google calendar.
Back to Main Project Page
Overview
Phase 1 establishes your foundation for the entire project. You’ll deeply engage with an environmental topic through a textbook chapter, explore your personal environmental values, and generate three potential project ideas that could become your TPG proposal. You will also present the textbook chapter content, with fellow students, in class.
- You will receive an email with your assigned chapter and other students assigned the same chapter
Combine Part A, B, and C below into a single document and turn in on due date (see schedule)
Part A: Chapter Review (4 pages)
Your Assigned Chapter
You will be assigned – randomly – a chapter from the course text, Paul Robbins, John Hintz, and Sarah A. Moore, Environment & Society: A Critical Introduction (3rd edition; RHM for short).
Writing your Chapter Review
Write for interested non-experts – people who want to understand the topic but haven’t read the chapter, like your fellow students.
Include your name, course name, assignment name, and date.
Page 1: Chapter Summary
- Key concepts and issues related to your chapter
- Major perspectives from the first half of the book (chs. 2-10) that apply to your chapter topic. You may have to dig into material in the first half of the book
- Central debates or controversies
Pages 2-4: Detailed Analysis
- Develop three key aspects of your chapter topic in depth
- Show how different theoretical perspectives illuminate the topic
- Analyze the environmental and social context of the topic
- End with your assessment of the chapter’s major takeaways
Part B: Environmental Values Assessment (1 page)
Understanding Your Values
Before developing project ideas, it is essential to understand what drives your environmental thinking. Values shape what projects and approaches will genuinely motivate you.
Complete the Assessment
Review the Environmental Values page and identify:
- Your top 3-4 values from Schwartz’s 10 types
- Your environmental values profile using Bouman’s 4 categories
- How these values connect to your academic/professional interests
Write Your Analysis
Honestly assess your values – this isn’t about having the “right” environmental values, but understanding your authentic motivations.
Part C: Three Project Topics (1 page)
Generating Ideas
A viable idea is vital! Use your instuctor, the Science Librarian, potentially other OWU faculty and staff or off-campus professionals to discuss your ideas. Develop three potential TPG project topics that could become funded undergraduate research. Each topic idea should:
- Connect to your values and interests
- Address an environmental (or other) issue
- Be feasible as a TPG-funded project (focused, doable, within cost parameters)
- Have potential for real-world impact
AI Support Available: Use AI Worksheet 1: Topic Development to:
- Brainstorm connections between your interests and environmental issues
- Refine vague ideas into specific project concepts
- Identify potential challenges and resources needed
- Develop more focused research questions
- Copy the AI Worksheet 1 to your shared folder and fill out as appropriate.
- incude a link to the completed worksheet in the Topics part of your submission
Project Scope Examples
Your projects could involve:
- Research: Studying local environmental issues
- Community engagement: Education or outreach programs
- Internships: Working with environmental organizations
- Campus initiatives: Sustainability projects at OWU
- Policy analysis: Researching environmental regulations
- International work: Projects abroad (with proper preparation)
Topic Development Process
- Start broad: What environmental issues interest you?
- Connect personally: How do these relate to your values and career goals?
- Get specific: What specific aspect could you realistically investigate?
- Consider feasibility: What resources, partners, or permissions would you need?
- Think impact: How might this work contribute beyond your own learning?
Formatting Requirements
Document Setup
- Google Docs only (no PDFs or Word documents)
- File name: “Chapter Review – [Your Name]”
- Save in: Your shared ENVS 110 folder
- Share with: Instructor (full editing permissions)
- Email instructor when document is complete and shared
Page Format
- Default margins and font
- Font size: 11pt
- Line spacing: 1.5
- Length: 6 pages total
Citation Requirements
Include this source citation:
Paul Robbins, John Hintz, and Sarah A. Moore, Environment & Society: A Critical Introduction (3rd edition). Wiley/Blackwell 2022.
Cite any additional sources you use.
Group Presentation of Chapter
You’ll present your chapter content with several classmates assigned the same topic.
- Your fellow presenters were sent to you in the email with your assigned chapter
- Check the schedule for your presentation date.
- Check the presentation date page (on schedule) for a page of sources and a set of Google Slides you can modify and use
- one group member: download the chapter slides as Powerpoint to your computer
- reupload to one group member’s shared class folder and convert to Google Slides
- share the slides with every student in the group
- develop a 20 minute presentation
- include the chapter topic and all group member names
- divide up the work as your group sees fit
- you can’t include everything – remove some content and emphasize other content you think is important
- enhance the slides with images or other content (avoid video of more than 10 seconds)
- anticipate questions from the audience
- Be a good group member
Success Strategies
Start Early
- The chapter analysis requires deep thinking, not just summary
- Values assessment takes honest self-reflection
- Good project ideas often need several iterations and collaboration with others
Use Available Support
- Office hours: Discuss your ideas and get feedback
- AI Worksheet 1: Systematic topic development support
- Classmates: Bounce ideas off each other
- Writing Center: Help with organization and clarity
Connect Everything
Your best project topics will authentically connect:
- Your chapter’s environmental issues
- Your personal values and interests
- Your academic/career goals
- Real-world problems you care about
Common Challenges & Solutions
“I can’t think of any project ideas” → Use the AI worksheet’s interest mining approach – start with hobbies, places you’ve lived, things that frustrate you
“My ideas seem too big/small”
→ TPG projects range widely in scope – discuss feasibility in office hours
“I don’t understand my chapter” → Read related chapters in the first half of the book; ask questions in class
“My values seem selfish” → Honest self-assessment is more valuable than trying to sound virtuous
Assessment Criteria
Your Phase 1 work will be evaluated on:
- Comprehension: Clear understanding of chapter content and concepts
- Analysis: Thoughtful application of theoretical perspectives
- Values insight: Honest, reflective assessment of your environmental values
- Project potential: Feasible, interesting topics with development potential
- Writing quality: Clear organization, appropriate tone, proper citations
What’s Next?
In Phase 2, you’ll select your strongest topic idea and begin serious research. The quality of your Phase 1 topic development directly impacts your success in later phases, so invest the time to do this thoughtfully.
Questions? Talk to your instructor – this foundational work benefits greatly from discussion and feedback.