ASSIGNMENT:Write a 5-6 page essay on the theme of your choice, using the suggested or other articles and your class notes as your reference. A good essay will pull together thoughts and insights from a variety of readings synthetically, and use examples from class discussion or film viewings, rather than merely listing the arguments of two or three authors. Where you can, you can also insert appropriate quotes from the articles. Your own insights or commentaries are also appreciated.Whenever appropriate you can refer to film viewings, poems or paintings we discussed in class, or insert your own examples.You need to include a bibliography and cite references (including page numbers) in your text even if you do not quote directly but take some ideas from an author.

3) City and Mental Life
How does the modern metropolis affect what Simmel calls “mental life?”
Elements you could include in your discussion:-Organization of time-space in the Modern (capitalist) city (Harvey, Foucault, Modern Times, Metropolis)-Effect on social relations; class (Harvey)-Effect on human psychology (Simmel, Soja, Fischer, Vidler, Stallybrass and White)-Preoccupation with the correct “reading” of the city, Order/Disorder (Fisher, Brooks, Stallybrass and White)-Physiognomy-The disciplining gaze (Foucault, Stallybrass)-The “gaze” of the flaneur (Benjamin; Brooks)-Self as actor (Fisher, Bowlby)-Consumption (Bowlby); commodity Utopia (Benjamin)

Topic: Use of virtual teams in global corporations

Explore it further in 6 to 10 pages. Identify and discuss the current trends in use of virtual teams in global corporations.

Support your opinions and statements with a minimum of 7 or more references from sources published within the last ten years and be sure to integrate concepts, theories, and readings from our work over the semester. You can cite scholarly and practitioner-oriented journals, newspaper articles, and YouTube videos about the topic, but not Wikipedia, vendor websites, or other non-academic sources. The UMUC library can help you identify appropriate sources. See the Library tab in the Resources dropdown menu at the top of our classroom for more information about the services provided by the UMUC library.

Use APA format for citations, references, and quotations. This means your list of references should start on a separate page, and should be double spaced, with a hanging indent and no spaces between entries. Your paper should be 6-10 pages (not counting the cover or reference pages), double spaced with one inch margins and a font size of at least 11 points. Writing should be in 3rd person.

Mindful Reading Assignments (MRAs) are short essay prompts broken into two parts:
First, you must write a paragraph or two carrying out one of the following tasks:
Identification: Identify what the ethical conflict is in a particular case presented in a
reading.
Explication: Articulate an argument, theoretical principle, or the main outlines of a theory
presented in a reading.
Definition: Define a concept presented in a reading.
Evaluation: Briefly evaluate an argument presented in a reading. Application: Apply a
theoretical concept or principle presented in a reading.
Second, you must develop a specific, informative question about a reading. Ask a
question that is actually a meaningful question. Make sure that it’s not just some basic
comprehension question that can be answered by reading the text. It must be a serious
request for further expansion or clarification.
This week:
1. Read:
Philosophy of Mind – Heil (attached)
Models of Minds
a) “General Introduction”
b) “Minds and Bodies as Distinct Substances” – Descartes
c) “Psychological Predicates” – Putnam
d) “Computing Machinery and Intelligence” – Turing
Minds and Bodies
e) “Minds and Bodies as Distinct Substances” – Descartes
f) “Sensations and Brain Processes” – Smart
g) “Epiphenomenal Qualia” – Jackson
2. Task: Explain one of the arguments from the readings as clearly and exactly as
possible in your own words.
3. Question: Develop a question about something from the readings. Is there a concept
that you don’t quite get? Does something need to be clarified? Have you tried to apply a
concept to your own observations and found it confusing?

THE PITCH — PREPARATION

 

Once you’ve found an event, get it OK’d by me. Once you have the OK to Turn it in via email.cover the event, write your pitch. Some of this information will become a part of your 24-hour article. For example, the pitch AND the article will include information on where and when the meeting was held.

Steps to writing a pitch:

• How: The best coverage starts with good research. Start by checking local newspaper archives for coverage of past meetings. Also check for minutes of the past meetings.
• What: Meeting info: Find meeting information – check time, location, official name of organization/board/commission meeting. If anything is unclear, call the organization and ask for information.
• Why: Research the responsibilities of the organization/governing board meeting. For example, Columbia’s Historic Preservation Commission has three duties.
• Who: Officials: Research who is on the board, how long they’ve served, any topics he/she has put forth or opposed. Use newspaper archives and online resources.
• What: Agenda: Get the agenda for the meeting, if possible. Research the various topics on the agenda in newspaper archives AND online. If necessary, call the organization or officials and ask for clarification.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

24-hour Story Assignment (adapted from Brian Brooks’ assignment)

This assignment has three parts:

— Choosing an event and getting it OK’ed;

— Submitting a pitch for a quiz grade (see the Canvas tab for 24-Hour Pitch);

— Covering and submitting the event within 24-hour of the end of the event (See the Canvas tab for 24-hour story). This involves a two-step process:

1. It must be turned in at the next class session following the event typed and double-spaced, with complete source sheets attached.
2. It must be submitted to Canvas – WITHOUT the source sheet — within 24 hours of the end of the event. Then, bring a hard copy to the next class.

Chapter 15 in News Reporting and Writing discusses how reporters prepare for and write about scheduled news events — speeches, governmental meetings and news conferences. Your 24-hour story may be one of these categories. In either case, the authors’ advice about preparation is relevant.

Find an event occurring sometime between now and Tuesday, Oct. 16, that you would like to cover and feel confident you can write a story about within 24 hours of the event’s conclusion. Here’s the submission spot. You may cover a student government meeting or a visiting speaker’s lecture, but you may not cover anything for which you would have a conflict of interest (besides a Journalism School event).

Email me your plans for my OK.

Be sure to turn in your story to Canvas within 24 hours of the event’s conclusion.

Here’s the 24-hour grading rubric I will use.

The last possible time to submit a story is 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17.  Fair warning: The grading rubric gets much tougher Oct. 15. Your story should be between 500 and 1,000 words, typed and double-spaced pages, with complete source sheets. Bring a hard copy to the next class. If you go over 1,000 words, you will be penalized.

Here’s a PowerPoint with a checklist,  and here are some additional pointers:

24-hour Stories Assignment Sheet

The 24-hour story includes these four steps:

1. Get an event/meeting OK’d via email.
2. Pitch at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. This can be submitted via email.
3. Submit to Canvas coverage of the meeting or event within 24 hours of the end of the meeting or event. The Canvas submission should not include a sources sheet.
4. Submit a hard copy of the article at the next class session WITH a source sheet for every source quoted in the article.

 

HOW TO WRITE A 24-HOUR EVENT/SPEECH STORY:

1. Lead – This should include WHAT was said or done, not what was spoken about.
2. Quote/follow up
3. Nut graph
4. The Rest

Further instructions:

http://journalism-education.cubreporters.org/2010/08/how-to-cover-speeches.html (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

MEETING EXAMPLES:

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/local/councilman-exits-roll-cart-forum-calls-it-a-joke/article_32cd01d7-3d30-54a9-a3ac-c8084ef2c41f.html?comments=focus

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/local/farming-food-experts-discuss-world-hunger-at-summit/article_24e3b075-027c-5b38-9f8d-12a48e8224ac.html?_dc=687825601780.7871 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/education/cps-administrators-discuss-assessment-data-with-board/article_546a6112-e837-5ca3-837a-53252ce49061.html

 

EVENT EXAMPLES:

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/local/charity-chili-cookoff-raises-record-k-for-boys-and-girls/article_21c81252-f993-50ef-9941-d2eb5a08d8ef.html

STEPS TO A SUCCESSFUL 24-HOUR ARTICLE 

1. CHOOSE AN EVENT

The event should be something that is of interest to readers in the community of Columbia/mid-Missouri. It should be an event open to the public such as a speech, lecture or a governmental meeting such as the Columbia City Council meeting or committee meetings, Columbia Public Schools Board meeting or the Boone County Commission meetings.

Surprise! MU events are OK for this but remember, there are also speeches, lectures and events at Stephens and Columbia colleges.

NOTE: You cannot cover something for which you would have a conflict of interest such as an event sponsored by or at an organization to which you belong.

The event can be your choice, but must be OK’d by me.

Public meeting information:

Columbia City Council, commission and board meetings

http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Council/Commissions/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

See the calendar of meetings here:

https://www.como.gov/CMS/webcal/

Columbia Public Schools

Board Meetings

https://www.cpsk12.org/Page/192

Boone County Commission

https://www.showmeboone.com/commission/meetings/

2. THE PITCH — PREPARATION

DUE: The pitch is due 24 hours prior to the event and counts for a quiz grade.

Once you’ve found an event, get it OK’d by me. Once you have the OK to cover the event, write your pitch. Some of this information will become a part of your 24-hour article. For example, the pitch AND the article will include information on where and when the meeting was held.

Steps to writing a pitch:

• How: The best coverage starts with good research. Start by checking local newspaper archives for coverage of past meetings. Also check for minutes of the past meetings.
• What: Meeting info: Find meeting information – check time, location, the official name of organization/board/commission meeting. If anything is unclear, call the organization and ask for information.
• Why: Research the responsibilities of the organization/governing board meeting. For example, Columbia’s Historic Preservation Commission has three duties.
• Who: Officials: Research who is on the board, how long they’ve served, any topics he/she has put forth or opposed. Use newspaper archives and online resources.
• What: Agenda: Get the agenda for the meeting, if possible. Research the various topics on the agenda in newspaper archives AND online. If necessary, call the organization or officials and ask for clarification.

3. AT THE MEETING

• How, who, why: Get there early. Get copies of any handouts. Introduce yourself and talk to officials there and to anyone from the public. Why are they there? Is there a particular topic they plan on raising at the meeting.
• How and who: During the meeting. Count who is attending. Listen and watch, not just those holding the meeting but anyone in attendance.
• What, who, how: Take notes, including notes on what you’ll need to follow up on after the meeting.
• If someone leaves early after an emotional outburst, you may want to go out and catch up with him or her and ask for contact information so you can talk to her or him later, and so you can go back to the meeting so you don’t miss anything.

4. AFTER THE MEETING

• Double check: Check on anything you did not understand. Was there a term you haven’t heard before? An amendment you don’t know about? A regulation or situation you didn’t learn about in your research? Don’t be afraid of telling someone you do not know what her or she was talking about. DO NOT RELY on looking it up when you get back to the office.
• Follow up: Try to get telephone numbers or emails so you can check back later in case you realize as you write that you missed an important piece of information. Make sure you ask how late you can contact them or when they would be available for follow up.
• Reaction: If appropriate to the topic, ask what meeting officials and those attending expect to have happen later, what they wished had happened, etc. Reach out to people beyond the officials. Find out what real people think as well as those in positions of power.

5. WRITE THE STORY

• Put the news in the lead – what happened or what was said. Never start the lead with “A meeting was held …” Start with the most important thing that was said – not that a group met. Remember the goldfish. You have six seconds to catch a reader’s interest.
• Think about what a reader wants to know. Did the board/group vote? Did the board or group discuss something a reader is concerned about? Rarely, if ever, is a chronological rendition a good approach.
• What’s the most important thing that was decided/discussed at the meeting?
• As a journalist, it is your job to be critical and analytical, so you decide what is most important while taking readers’/viewers’/listeners’ concerns into consideration. Remember your target market.
• Watch out for libel issues. If someone declares something potentially libelous about someone, you cannot simply print that EXCEPT in the case of privilege. (NRW p. 448)

FINAL TIPS:

1. Remember, you can always ask a classmate or friend to read the final product.
2. Reading your own work out loud will help you self edit and find any mistakes that might have missed when you read it over.
3. If you are uncertain of anything, review Chapter 15 in News Reporting and Writing. It discusses exactly how reporters prepare for and write about scheduled news events — speeches, governmental meetings and news conferences.

 

 

1. The lead should include the most important thing that happened or was said. New reporters often waste the leads of their stories, particularly those stories about a scheduled event — a speech, meeting or news conference.

A bad but all too common lead tells the reader: A meeting was held. This lead tells the reader little more than the reader would have known before the event took place. Council meetings are held on the first and third Mondays of the month as they have been for decades. That the council met last night can hardly be news.

2. Another common shortcoming to avoid is a weak news story–too little reporting supporting the writing or a story about the obvious rather than the unusual. A test for the effectiveness of the 24-hour story is the news value packed into the lead. When the lead stands alone, is there a good, obvious piece of news there? If yes, one will probably produce a good story. If the lead is weak, the story probably will be poor.
3. Make sure you have at least three sources in your news article. A third difficulty you may encounter in this assignment is the availability of news sources. Of course, that is a continuing problem in all of daily journalism. The reporter just finds other sources for the story or finds other angles to write about. You may need to get to the event early and stay afterward to talk to other sources for the story. Or you may want to call and interview people about the event prior to it so you can have context and background for your reporting. Remember: Even if you are covering a speech, one source is not sufficient. You’ll need at least three,and preferably those three will have different perspectives on the event. Also, if you’re covering a speech or governmental meeting, be sure to include information about the audience: Who’s there? How many people? If you do not have that information, your story will need more reporting and will not earn more than a C+.

Your final task as a team is to prepare a Strategic Plan Report as outlined below.

Each team must create or revise a mission statement and strategic plan for an organization.  This could be for an established small business, church, school, or another non-profit organization with which a team member has a relationship.  It could be for an organization featured in one of the textbook case studies. Alternatively, it might be for an imagined startup venture in an emerging industry.  Your team will be formed early in the trimester and will work together throughout the trimester.

Among key project tasks and deliverables would be:

1. At initial sign-in, each student will be asked to specify first and second choices regarding type of organization for the team project work, drawing from the following options: federal government, other public sector, US military, healthcare, education, other nonprofit, large corporation, small business/startup venture, banking/financial. Choices are due at end-of-day Monday, end of Week 1.
2.   Create a team agreement and project plan that will serve to guide the team’s work during the semester; about three pages due in the designated Study Group Forum at end-of-day on Monday, end of Week 6, clearly marked as version for instructor review (Find Team Agreement Template in Content Week 6).
3.   Conduct brainstorming sessions to define and advance on team objectives, posting recorded conversations/minutes in the team’s discussion area, ongoing over the semester.
4.   Conduct research on critical internal and external factors affecting organization competitiveness and performance, ongoing over the semester.
5.   Write a Strategic Plan Report that: i) describes the organization’s mission, vision, values, and objectives, ii) outlines the strategic plan and iii) explains the business model complete with outlook projections due in the designated Study Group Forum at end-of-day on Wednesday, Week 12, clearly marked final version for instructor review.
6. Each student should contribute a short assessment statement for posting in a Final Reflections discussion forum during Weeks 11-12.
7. Complete Confidential Peer Reviews conducted in the individual Team Assessment Assignment area and due by end-of-day on Friday, Week 12.

Note: The team project is intended as an academic exercise between the team and professor.  The project findings are not intended to satisfy any consulting obligation to an organization and may not be distributed outside of the course venue.  Also, the selected organization should not be the focus of any team member’s individual assignments in this course.

Grading:  The Strategic Plan Report accounts for 20 percent of the course grade.  I will be looking to see your level of critical thinking and assess how well you applied course concepts to critical aspects of strategic planning, with attention to how persuasive you are in conveying what you did, how you did it, and the cogency of your arguments and discourse fluency.  The required team agreement and work plan is ungraded. To make this useful, it should be viewed as a “living document” that you would wish to review and revise as you proceed through the trimester. See Team Agreement Template posted in Content/Week 6.

Team Report: Strategic Plan and Forecast:  The management team should draft a Strategic Plan and Forecast outlining a competitive strategy for the selected organization over a three-year outlook period.

Reference the team’s vision/mission/values/objectives and performance expectations.  Analyze the organization’s industry.

Review company baseline statistics regarding marketing, product design, assembly, human resources and finances which in turn may be summarized in a brief SWOT and tied to financial and market share outlook targets.  Develop annual income statement projections.

Indicate benchmarking criteria.  Specify prudent ex ante measures for dealing with business risks that may arise and could jeopardize performance and survivability. Discuss expected outcomes and cite surveillance data for determining if mid-course adjustments would be required.

The Strategic Plan and Forecast should be an ex ante, forward-looking document.  The team strategy must be tailored to case specifics and might deviate from any particular generic competitive strategy option, such as the low cost leadership or differentiation or focused forms discussed in the textbook.

The report should include a brief introduction indicating report organization and contributions of the participants.  End the report with a summary and conclusions.  The report should amount to around 15 pages of narrative text, not counting title page, any appendixes, list of references or tables and figures, etc.  Demonstrate good grasp of course concepts — but do not include lengthy reviews of literature or repetition of textbook material within the principal sections of the report.  An example table of contents follows.

Example Table of Contents

Introduction

Vision Statement

Mission Statement

Core Values

Objectives

Strategic Plan SWOT Analysis

Overall Strategy

Competitive Strength Assessment

Michael Porter’s Five Forces of Competitive Position

Product Design Strategy

Marketing Strategy

Labor and Compensation Strategy

Financial Strategy

Summary

References

Appendix

Note: This table of contents is a bit long, but I wanted to provide an idea of what you might include.  Also, I would note that planning for a startup venture likely would be more speculative and less quantitative than for an operating business project.

Note on Team Functioning: Each student co-manager should make substantive contributions to the team effort.  Teamwork implies that each member works collaboratively, assumes responsibility for the entire project, and is responsive to teammate needs for assistance.

The Introductory section of the final report should contain a paragraph telling how the study was accomplished, mentioning the individual contributions of each of the team-members.  Please let me know if there would be any unusual situations affecting personal ability to perform as expected.

Team projects figure extensively in all of the top-flight graduate management and business programs.  I believe that they are very important to success in graduate school and beyond.  In cases of gross negligence a student would be dropped from the team and receive a grade of F on the project.  Please, each of you, do your best in support of the team effort.

Explain the ways in which the American Revolution was caused by ONE of the following: Economics, political ideology, social/cultural change. You don’t have to argue it was the ONLY cause, just the ways in which it was a factor.
What was the greatest force of social change in American life during the period 1490-1787? Do not cover a topic that you covered in any of your other essays.
What was the greatest force of economic change in American life during the period 1490-1787? Do not cover a topic that you covered in any of your other essays.
Explain the connections to the Enlightenment ideals embodied in these three things:
-The events leading up to the Revolution (from 1763 to 1775) such as the Boston Tea Party

-The Declaration of Independence

-The US Constitution

In what ways does American history from 1490 to 1787 influence our society today? Choose one to three related major ways, such as events or ideas, talked about in this class. Choose things that, when you learned more about them, gave you a better understanding of present US society. Do not cover a topic that you covered in any of your other essays.
A reminder of how to do citations in parenthesis: (Author year, page number)

For example:

(Oakes et al. 2017, 136)

(Bailey and Kennedy 2016, 45)

For citing class materials use this format: (Class Materials year, Unit number)

For example:

(Class Materials 2018, Unit Four)

Exam Rubric

Criteria (100 points total)

Description

Answer (40)

Overall answer to the question and how well the answer is explained throughout your essay both overall and in the details

Evidence (30)

Use of evidence and sources

Requirements (20)

Length, citations, proofreading

Structure (10)

Thesis, organization into an introduction, body and conclusion, flow from point to point, style, tone

After many delays, ICD-10 was finally implemented in the U.S. on Oct. 1, 2015. The updated diagnosis code system helps to provide more details regarding what is exactly wrong with a patient. Students can read more about the topic here:

https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Coding/ICD10/
http://library.ahima.org/doc?oid=78673#.WkqBXt-nFhE
Instructions:

For this scavenger, students should use their favorite web search tool to identify a recent news article (published within the last 6 months) that has ICD-10 as a primary topic of discussion.

Next, the student should write a synopsis of the article. The synopsis should not be a point blank word for word copying of the article, but it should just include key points.
After the synopsis, the student should write their opinion on how the items discussed, in the article, impact providers now and moving into the future.
Remember the item being identified should be a news article (not a research project, dissertation, or blog). Students should refer to the web scavenger hunt rubric prior to submitting their work.

Police are called to a residence in which an infant is non-responsive. EMTs arrived at the scene and tried to resuscitate the child to no avail. The parents explained that the infant had been on a changing table, when he rolled off, failing head first onto the tile floor. The father stated that he stepped away just for a second to retrieve a new box of diaper. The mother stated that she was in another room and came running when she heard the impact. The parents further explained that the infant did not cry or make any noises after the impact, hence they called for paramedics. The distance from the top of the changing table to the floor was approximately 3 feet. Both parents denied any child abuse and stated that they deeply loved their child.

During autopsy it was found that the infant had white matter contusion tears. The infant died as a result of a subdural hematoma and DAI (diffuse axonal injury). There was a contusion on front of the skull, galeal, and a linear skull fracture. Absent during the autopsy was an evidence of subarachnoid hemorrhages, retinal hemorrhages, neck injuries, or any other injuries. One interesting observation was that the child has a case of meningitis.

Was the child a victim of Shaken Baby Syndrome? Explain your rationale using the assigned readings as well as and external research

Instructions

Topic for Paper 1: How is a literary theme represented in a short story? You will develop a paper that answers this question and demonstrates the following outcomes for writing and literature. You will be able to ·        Analyze literature for a purpose ·        Distinguish digital or print materials through annotation to demonstrate reading and summary skills ·        Identify a theme in a short story ·        Identify one to three examples in the story that support the theme ·        Write a thesis statement that clearly identifies the title of a story, its author, the theme, and what the paper will discuss about the story and the theme ·        Write clear topic sentences for paragraphs that let the reader know what the paragraph will discuss ·        Write paragraphs that explain how the examples from the story support the theme ·        Arrange a paper by presenting paragraphs in a logical and interesting fashion ·        Write sentences in standard American English that clearly express ideas ·        Demonstrate the MLA style of formatting in the layout of a paper ·        Demonstrate the MLA style of formatting by documenting material from the story within the paper and on a Works Cited page ·        Explain in a clear and logical fashion what you have learned about your writing Hints: Remember that your reader has read the story and is familiar with it. You do not have to spend time on summary. Instead, your development should explain and analyze how the theme is demonstrated in your story. Special Hint about Plot: Be aware that a paper about a piece of literature is NOT a plot summary.  Your plot summary, if you must have one, should provide only the details necessary to highlight the parts of the story that help to develop your paper, such as a short paragraph of five to six sentences. Reflection on your Writing Process: On a separate page of your submission, provide an overview of your writing process for this essay and what you have learned about your writing process by developing your paper. Also note two areas that you would like feedback on, such as thesis statement and topic sentences.

Test a hypothesis about Hungary’s transition towards democracy using a theory – either modernization, or diffusion, and relate it to one or more episodes of democratization in Hungary. Identify both the topic and the hypothesis and write about observable implications on that hypothesis. Explain what you’d expect to find. Write about theoretical alternatives to the hypothesis. Who might disagree and why? What kind of evidence will be needed to rebut the arguments with those that disagree and what has already been written on the topic. Discuss what sources you will use to conduct your research. Note which ones you have already required and what else you might need to acquire