Focus Discipline Writing Assignments: Step by Step Instructions

Essay One

• Business
• Writing Topic:
• Explore the area of marketing in business. What is marketing? Using examples of specific products, explain the importance of the four marketing utilities and the law of supply and demand in business. Also speak a bit about how the principles of marketing have changed as a result of the Internet
• How to do your research:
• Begin with the Business page of our web site.
• Then search the Internet to find at least ONE additional resource that is not linked to our page. Send the URL to me in an email message.
• Biology
• Writing Topic:
• Write a well-organized essay in which you explain why the mitochondria are so important to the function of the cell and what their role is in metabolism and energy production.
• How to do your research:
• Begin with the Biology page of our web site.
• Then search the Internet to find TWO other resources to use for your essay.
• Send me the URLs in an email message.
• Computer Science
• Writing Topic
• Go to the pages Unsung Heroes of Computing: 5 Visionaries Who Changed the Face of Technology. Choose ONE of these visionaries and do an in-depth exploration of how that person changed the face of technology.
• How to do your research:
• Begin with the Computer Science page of our web site.
• Then search the Internet to find at least TWO additional resources that are not linked to our page. Send the URLs to me in an email message.
• Diet and Nutrition
• Writing Topic:
• Explain why it is important to understand the basic principles of diet and nutrition. How does this understanding help us in our everyday lives?
• How to do your research:
• Begin with the Diet and Nutrition page of our web site.
• Then search the Internet to find at least ONE additional resource that is not linked to our page. Send the URL to me in an email message.
• Sociology
• Writing Topic:
• Explain, using specific examples from your own life, your observation of others or your reading, which of the four agents of socialization you believe is most important.
• How to do your research:
• Begin with the Sociology page of our web site.
• Then search the Internet to find at least ONE additional resource that is not linked to our page. Send the URL to me in an email message.

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Essay Two

 You should then search for additional, new resources. Be sure to email me the URLs of any sites that you find.

BUSINESS: Discuss the psychological factors involved in advertising. How do advertisers use the basic determinants of consumer behavior--needs, motives, perceptions, and attitudes--in designing product advertisements? What types of ads are most likely to appeal to or change our needs, motives, perceptions, and attitudes?

BIOLOGY: Research the neurotransmitter, dopamine. Explain how this neurotransmitter works and what its function is in the body and the brain. Be sure to concentrate on how dopamine affects behavior. What happens when something goes wrong in the system; for example, when there is too much or too little dopamine? What treatments are there?

DIET AND NUTRITION: Explain the meaning of homeostasis. Why is maintaining the body in a state of homeostasis important to our general health and well-being? Some of the problems resulting from a body out of homeostasis were mentioned in the textbook reading. What other negative consequences can you think of?

COMPUTER SCIENCE: Describe the field of natural language processing. Refer to the history of the field and to the developments and problems in computer speech recognition. You should use the information in the "Artificial Intelligence" reading in your textbook, the three texts I gave you, and any additional sources you find on the Internet.

SOCIOLOGY: Think of a time when you changed your behavior to conform to the group. Describe the situation in detail. How old were you? What type of group was it? How did you feel at the time? Looking back, how do you feel about your actions? Would you behave in the same way today? Why/Why Not?

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Research Project: Topics and Assignment

You will do TWO drafts of EACH SECTION of your project. This means that you will draft the Introduction TWO times; THEN you will draft the Body paragraphs TWO times; and finally you will draft the Conclusion TWO times.

It will take you several weeks to complete this assignment.

1. A first draft of the INTRODUCTION AND A clear and coherent OUTLINE of the BODY and CONCLUSION is due on

Thursday, April 25.
2. The revised INTRODUCTION AND The first draft of the BODY are due on Thursday, May 2--REMEMBER THAT THE LAST SECTION OF THE BODY IS "MY RESPONSE"--In this section you must explain, IN DEPTH what you learned from doing this research project. You should talk about what you learned about both your focus discipline and the process of doing research. You may also include what you learned about reading and writing. This section is important, so BE SPECIFIC.
3. The revised INTRODUCTION, the revised BODY AND The first draft of the CONCLUSION are due on Thursday, May 9
4. The FINAL DRAFT OF THE COMPLETE PROJECT is due Thursday, May 16.

• Go to the Learning Resources page of our web site.
• Click on the name of your focus discipline and begin with the resources I have already linked to that page.
• Print out AT LEAST ONE resource that I have linked.
• Next, go to the Searching for Information page of our web site.
• Use one of the search engines on that page to find AT LEAST ONE additional article to use for your project.
• Print out the article AND email the URL to me at esl91 [at] yahoo.com

• SOCIOLOGY: Discuss "The Looking-Glass Self" theory proposed by Charles Horton Cooley. Describe the theory and its features. Explain how this theory relates to the influence of the various agents of socialization in the development of an individual's self-concept.
• COMPUTER SCIENCE: Research recent developments in online or distance education. Search the Internet to find information on colleges and the online courses they offer. Choose 2 different online courses and evaluate them, comparing and contrasting how well you think they fit the goals described in the article, The Impact of Information Technology on Education in the 21st Century."
• BUSINESS: Discuss how sales and marketing strategies have changed as a result of developing technology. What changes have occurred in advertising with the development of computer technology? How has developing technology expanded the marketplace for both businesses and consumers?
• BIOLOGY: Research in genetics has produced many important discoveries such as the structure and function of DNA. In the past several years a large project, known as the Human Genome Project, has been undertaken to try to determine the details of the complete set of human genes. Describe the Human Genome Project, and explain some of the important issues involved in it.
• DIET AND NUTRITION: Research common eating disorders. Find information on Anorexia Nervosa and on Bulimia. What seems to cause these eating disorders? Who is most likely to develop these eating disorders? Compare and contrast the symptoms, consequences, and prognosis for people suffering from each of these eating disorders. How do doctors treat people suffering from eating disorders? Are these treatments usually successful?