Dr.
Monday September 18, 2006
Posted September 6, 2006
The exam covers the first
four units. Its purpose is to measure
your grasp of the concepts and information and your ability to apply the course
material to selected topics. There is
one take-home question and a proctored, in-class exam. The take-home question is due no later than
12:00 on September 18. It must be
submitted electronically. The proctored exam will be given in class on September
18.
Please note: deadlines are
very strict. Take-home exams submitted
after the deadline won’t get credit. You
must take the proctored exam when it is scheduled; make-up exams are generally not available in this class.
These instructions provide detailed directions for the take-home question. They also provide information about the kinds of questions you may encounter when you take the in-class exam.
40 points out of 100 on exam
Was Malthus right when he
warned that human population might outgrow the capacity of the earth to support
it?
Your response should
consider the following:
1. the concerns raised by Malthus in 1798, and by others
since that time;
2. major criticisms of Malthus;
3. the growth of human population and changes in the food
supply in the
twentieth
century, and possible explanations for hunger in the world
today;
and
4. the possible implications of the demographic transition.
Your response should be an
essay in the range of 3 to 6 pages, typed in a 12-point font and
double-spaced. If you
include illustrations (maps, graphs, etc,), these do not count against
the six-page maximum. But make
sure that any illustrations can be included in a Microsoft Word or text file,
as all essays must be submitted electronically.
When you submit your essay, please submit also a completed copy of the
References and Acknowledgments form. Because this form is required, no works-cited
page is needed.
When I read your essay, I
will ask myself whether it addresses the topic and whether it shows a good
grasp of the course materials. Good answers will make specific references to
the course materials (e.g., Rubenstein, page 56). The material you need is located
predominantly in Unit 3 and in lectures related to it. Your opinion is important, but it must be
supported by good information and sound reasoning.
When you are ready to submit
your exam, send an e-mail to the instructor at dtait@rsu.edu.
The subject line must read “Human Geography Exam Essay,” followed by your full
name. For example: “Human Geography Exam
Essay, George W. Bush.” Attach both files, the essay and the references and acknowledgments
form, to your e-mail.
60 points out of 100 on exam
The in-class exam will test
your recall of information and concepts in Units 1 to 4 and your ability to
apply them. The exam may include some or all of these
kinds of questions: identifications,
map questions, fill-in-the blanks items,
matching items, true/false and multiple-choice questions.
You have been preparing for
this exam sine you began working in this class!
You won’t be starting from scratch; you will be building on work you
have already done.
Units 1 through 4 are
designed to provide you with the information you need.
1. Each unit has a reading assignment. The text-book includes lists of key terms in
each chapter.
2. Each unit includes a
statement of objectives; these state what you should be able to do when you
master the unit.
3. The professor has lectured on many key topics
included in the exam.
There is a lot of material
in these four units. The professor knows
that. It’s unlikely that anyone in the
class will know all of the key terms well and/or master all the concepts and
information. The proctored exam will
provide enough flexibility for you to use what you know. You will be able to do fairly well even if
there are questions you can’t answer easily or accurately. Learn as much as you can; accept that you
probably won’t know everything.
Perfection is not required.
For descriptions of possible
types of questions, please read on.
An identification is a short
written response, a paragraph or so in length, in which you provide the
relevant basic information and, where appropriate, an example. If the term “map” appeared, for example, your
answer should define “map” and give at least one example of a kind of map.
The exam might include maps
and ask you to identify certain features of them, for example, the names of
provinces of
You would be asked to supply
a word or words to complete a sentence.
You might be asked to match
sets of terms, for example, names and types of regions.
You might be asked to decide
whether a particular statement is true or false.
You might be asked to choose
the best available answer to a
question selecting from four or five possible responses.
Notes Allowed
You may bring to the exam
one 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper with all the notes you want, front and back. No books allowed, and no other memory-assist
or communication devices of any kind will be permitted. Use of any non-approved device, source of
information, or unauthorized assistance by any other person will be considered
cheating and will result in a grade of zero for the exam, and could result in
other sanctions under the University’s Academic Integrity policies.
Pencil Needed
Please bring with you a #2
pencil suitable for marking a Scantron. You may want to bring a pen for other parts
of the in-class exam.
What you don’t need
You do not need to purchase
a Scantron or a blue book. The professor will provide any necessary
materials other than your pencil, pen, and notes.