Project Phase 4: Integration & Reflection – Introduction to Environment & Sustainability

Timeline: Weeks 13-15
Deliverable: Project Synthesis document
Due Date: [Insert date from course schedule]

Overview

Phase 4 brings together your entire semester’s work and reflects on what you’ve learned. Rather than writing a traditional final paper, you’ll create a comprehensive synthesis document that combines all your completed work with thoughtful analysis of your learning process.

Part A: Document Organization

Project Synthesis Structure

Your final document should include all components in this order:

Assessment of Learning & Process (3 pages – NEW writing)
Chapter Review (revised version from Phase 1)
Annotated Bibliography (from Phase 2)
TPG Proposal (from Phase 3)
Link to Presentation (from Phase 3)

Use clear section headers for each component so your instructor can navigate easily.

Part B: Assessment of Learning & Process (3 pages)

This is the only NEW writing required for Phase 4. Divide your 3 pages as follows:

Page 1: Research Process & Topic Learning

What You Learned About Your Topic

How has your understanding of your environmental issue evolved?
What key insights emerged from your research?
What surprised you most in your investigation?
How did different sources change or deepen your thinking?

What You Learned About the Research Process

How did you develop from initial idea to fundable proposal?
What research skills did you gain (library databases, source evaluation, etc.)?
How did the step-by-step process help you manage a complex project?
What was most/least valuable about the staged approach?

Integration Across Components

How did your chapter review inform your project development?
How did your values assessment guide your topic selection?
How did your annotated bibliography strengthen your proposal?
What connections do you see between all the pieces?

Page 2: Process Evaluation & Suggestions (1/2 page each)

Course Project Process Assessment

Was the step-by-step approach over the semester helpful? Why/why not?
What was the most useful component for your learning?
Which parts were most/least challenging and why?
How did presentations, library sessions, and AI worksheets contribute?

Suggestions for Improvement

Students often find this project complicated and confusing initially
What suggestions do you have for making the process clearer?
What additional support would have been helpful?
How could the project be improved for future students?

Page 3: Personal Development & Future Planning (4 sections, ~1/2 page each)

Conscientiousness Assessment Conscientiousness is the most important predictor of college success and workplace effectiveness. It involves:

Desire to do tasks well and take obligations seriously
Efficiency, organization, and self-discipline
Planned rather than spontaneous behavior
Dependability and achievement orientation

Assess your conscientiousness in this class:

How did you manage the multiple deadlines and complex requirements?
What strategies worked/didn’t work for staying organized?
How could you improve your conscientiousness for future courses and career?
Do you think conscientiousness matters for college and career success? Why?

TPG Submission Consideration

Do you plan to revise and submit this TPG proposal for funding?
If yes, what revisions would you prioritize and what support would you need?
If no, what are the main barriers (time, interest, feasibility, etc.)?
Would you be interested in developing a different TPG proposal in the future?

Transferable Skills Analysis Review the Transferable Skills page and comment on five skills you developed:

Which skills improved most through this project?
How might these skills apply to other courses or future work?
What evidence can you point to of your skill development?
Which skills do you still want to develop further?

Self-Assessment & Grading

What grade do you think you deserve for the overall course project? Why?
Consider your Chapter Review and Annotated Bibliography grades
Compare your presentation quality to classmates’ work
Account for timeliness of submissions and engagement with feedback
What improvements have you made based on instructor feedback?
Justify the grade you believe you’ve earned

Part C: Revised Chapter Review

Incorporation Requirements

Include your Chapter Review from Phase 1, but you may revise it based on:

Instructor feedback you received
What you learned through the research process
Connections you now see to your final project
Writing Center consultations (if applicable)

Revision Notes

If you made revisions:

Note changes you made and why
Acknowledge help from Writing Center or other sources
Use track changes or comments to highlight major modifications

If you didn’t revise:

Simply include your original version as submitted

Part D: Integration of Other Components

Annotated Bibliography & TPG Proposal

Include your completed versions from Phases 2 and 3
No additional revision required unless specifically requested
Ensure they’re properly formatted and complete

Presentation Link

Include the link to your Google Slides presentation
Alternatively, you may include brief presentation notes summarizing your key points
Confirm the link works and slides are accessible

Part E: Keywords Completion

Keyword Assignments

If you’ve missed any keyword assignments during the semester:

Contact instructor to get your submitted keywords
Complete missing keywords for partial credit
Note in your Project Synthesis that you’ve completed outstanding keywords

Include a brief note at the beginning of your document if you’ve completed any missing keywords.

Formatting Requirements

Document Setup

Google Docs only
File name: “Project Synthesis – [Your Name]”
Save in: Your shared ENVS 110 folder
Share with: Instructor (full editing permissions)

Page Format

Default margins and font
Font size: 11pt
Line spacing: 1.5
Total length: Varies based on your previous work, but assessment section should be exactly 3 pages

Section Organization

Use clear headings:

Assessment of Learning & Process
Chapter Review
Annotated Bibliography
TPG Proposal
Presentation Link

Success Strategies

Reflection Writing

Be honest and specific – generic reflections aren’t helpful
Use examples from your actual experience
Connect pieces – show how components worked together
Think ahead – how will this learning apply to future work?

Time Management

Start the reflection writing early – good reflection takes time
Review all your previous work before writing the assessment
Don’t just copy and paste – integrate and organize thoughtfully
Proofread the entire document – it represents your semester’s work

Making Connections

Look for themes across your chapter, research, and proposal
Consider your growth from beginning to end of semester
Identify key learning moments when your understanding shifted
Think about applications beyond this class

Common Challenges & Solutions

“I don’t remember what I was thinking earlier in the semester” → Reread your earlier work carefully; look at instructor feedback; consider how your thinking has evolved

“My reflection seems repetitive” → Focus on specific examples and concrete learning moments rather than generalizations

“I’m not sure how to assess my own work” → Use the grading criteria from each phase; be honest about strengths and areas for improvement

“The document seems really long” → That’s okay! This represents a full semester of work – it should be substantial

Assessment Criteria

Your Project Synthesis will be evaluated on:

Learning Assessment Quality

Depth of reflection on both content and process learning
Specific examples and evidence of growth
Honest self-evaluation of strengths and challenges
Thoughtful connections between project components

Organization & Completeness

All required components included and properly organized
Clear section headers and logical flow
Complete integration of previous work
Professional presentation of final document

Critical Thinking

Sophisticated analysis of the research process
Thoughtful suggestions for course improvement
Realistic self-assessment supported by evidence
Forward-thinking about skills and future applications

Final Grading Breakdown

Your complete course project grade (400 points total) includes:

Phase 1: Chapter Review & Presentation (100 points)
Phase 2: Annotated Bibliography (100 points)
Phase 3: TPG Proposal & Presentation (100 points)
Phase 4: Project Synthesis, Attendance & Improvement (100 points)

The Phase 4 grade considers:

Quality of your learning assessment reflection
Completeness of your synthesis document
Class attendance and participation throughout semester
Evidence of growth and improvement based on feedback
Completion of any outstanding keywords

Submission Process

Compile all components in a single, well-organized document
Write your 3-page learning assessment thoughtfully
Proofread the entire document – this represents your semester’s work
Save in shared folder with clear filename
Email instructor when ready for final review

Looking Forward

Beyond This Class

Consider how this project experience prepares you for:

Other courses requiring research and writing
Future TPG applications or other funding opportunities
Career skills in project management, research, and communication
Graduate school applications and research experiences

Celebrating Your Achievement

Completing this project represents significant intellectual growth. You’ve moved from initial ideas to a fundable research proposal – that’s genuinely impressive work that many students never attempt.

Questions? Use office hours for any final clarifications – you’ve worked hard all semester and deserve to finish strong!