Essay on "Global Trade"

Quoted Instructions for "Global Trade" Assignment:

OVERVIEW

This paper will require you to do some research on a dimension (form) of globalization that is of interest to you. In this paper, you will follow a specific process that is designed to help you think clearly and retrospectively about your topic. Your paper should exceed 2500 words, which normally work out to about 7 pages of written discussion. This paper not a report; it is a critical response.

Responding versus Regurgitating

Regurgitating something you read means simply repeating (without thinking about) the text, facts and points in the article(s) or books you read. In many vocational programs, students are frequently asked to prepare reports and regurgitate or re-phrase information that is available to them. Unfortunately, there is often little room for critical analysis in a simple report.

Regurgitation means you are simply summarizing and haven*****t been thinking critically. This paper should be a critical response, not a regurgitation.

A response is much more complex than a regurgitation. A response requires you to analyze something from multiple perspectives. Most themes in globalization are represented by both pro- and anti- globalization perspectives.

In your response, your task is to identify and describe BOTH the pro- and anti- globalization rationales for your selected topic.

In a good response, you ask and answer relevant questions, explain your reasoning, and clarify your ideas. If you make an assertion, you will have to defend your claim and prove the validity of your interpretation by supporting your point of view with new facts and information that often contrasts with the facts and information in the article(s) you criticize.

Regurgitating means shallow, uncritical writing; responding requires questioning. Questioning is a search for meaning and involves critical thinking. Your response should raise questions regarding the authors***** point(s) and idea(s). In the end, you may sympathize with one perspective more than another; in fact, you should do so and state your reasons for falling on one side of the debate, all things considered.

The perspective or position you take in your critical response should contrast with the position taken by one of the author(s) whose published article(s) you criticize. Your response should criticize the article(s) and question the authors***** idea(s), logic or philosophical position.

Critical responses to the comments of other participants in the course may be used, if properly referenced, but may comprise only a small portion of your response. You should emphasize the published article(s).

It is expected that participants in the course will have already developed the basic skills necessary for writing a critical response.

Structure your response using the following guidelines and steps (d through g). Use section headers to identify each of the following steps.

a) Select one of the many complex global transformations affecting our social world today.

b) At the start of your paper, identify the theme in the course that your paper will address.

c) Choose at least two interesting articles related to your theme in which the authors take contrasting positions on the theme. Be prepared to show how the authors differ in their understanding of the issue or theme. Ensure your theme has global implications and is not an issue limited to Canada, although you certainly must demonstrate how Canada and Canadians are affected; you earn marks by showing this. A critical response is like an essay but it conforms to the steps indicated below.

Following these 4 steps (d through g) earns marks.

d) Regurgitation - In this assignment, the first step is to identify the author(s) and source(s) and summarize what has been said, reported or written. In fact, in this section you are doing a simple report, simply repeating what the authors have said and their main arguments. This will require some paraphrasing of the author(s). You should also include at least one direct quotation attributable to the author(s) with a proper citation. Direct quotes should be limited to no more than two complete sentences each. This portion of your response will contain little, if any, of your own opinion and will be essentially a regurgitation of what you*****ve read.

Citation of the sources of your authors***** articles here is critical. Without proper citations, the instructor will not be able to refer to the articles you are using for your critical response. Whether you use APA or MLA methods of citation (the APA method is recommended at Georgian College), complete citations are required. Further details on this are included in later in this document.

e) Question ��" Question the validity of an idea, position or statement made by an author you read. This is your *****˜Point of Contention.*****

The Instructor will look for this and award marks for explicitly stating your objection or question. State your reason(s) why you are questioning the author(s). In this step, you do not need to defend your own position. Your purpose is to raise doubt and question whether something you*****ve read is valid. In this step, your task is not to prove that your author is wrong, although in the final step you may wish to make this assertion. There will likely be some truth in what every author has to say and you will be frustrated if you attempt to show why your author is *****˜dead wrong***** or *****˜doesn*****t have his facts right***** or other such things.

You should be able to do this part of the assignment before conducting your research. The instructor may require you to produce this step separately for evaluation as evidence of your planning, work and effort in the preparation of your critical response. This is what makes your assignment a critical response and not simply a *****˜report***** or regurgitation of information. You should keep this portion of your work in a separate file.

f) Research - You must be able to point to textual and other evidence that contrasts with the views of the *****˜Criticized Author***** you have decided to question. Again, your citations are critical. The purpose of your research is to provide support for the objection you raised in the previous step. Therefore, the intent of doing research is to get information that not only supports your alternative view but contrasts with that of the *****˜Criticized Author.***** Provide facts, data, surveys, pictures, et cetera and references to articles which state either fundamental facts or arguments which might suggest the Criticized Author*****s ideas or assertions are not valid and should be reconsidered.

This information in this section should come from a variety of sources and may take 4 or more pages of text to explain. In this section, you will thoroughly discuss all aspects of the global issue you choose to examine. You will, in effect, come to know more about this issue than anyone you know, even, perhaps, your instructor!

g) Response - Do not simply react.1 A response to something usually means you have formed an opinion or made a judgment based on your new understanding and knowledge. Use the information gathered in the previous step to defend your response and judgments as if you are attempting to convince another person, who may disagree with your interpretation, that your perspective is more worthy. In this section, you put your reputation on the line. Beware that radical views and opinions on issues and global social problems are much more difficult to defend. Usually, it is much easier to defend a common or more mainstream position and defend it against radical views.

PROCEDURE

1. Organize your paper ��" Items d-g (above) should be organized sequentially and separately (use subheadings). Substantial marks are earned by organizing your paper according to items d through g. Do not use your own organizational structure (if any).

2. Prepare a cover page for your CRP with the appropriate information (especially your name) according to APA formatting.

3. Provide a list of factoids, graphs, data tables or other esoteric information, include it as an appendix to your paper ��"

you earn marks for this - (an appendix may be a picture, chart, diagram, drawing, graph or other information that is too large to include in the main body of your response and is attached at the end of your document). By doing this, your written response is not interrupted by a visual insertion. When using factoids, you should categorize your information and make use of bullets under each category. However, bulleted information must be presented in proper, grammatically correct sentences, unlike information typically presented in a chart.

4. Make use of your appendices in the body of your response. DO NOT simply attach something as an appendix to the end of your response and fail to inform your readers where to find it.

5. Prepare a citation for EACH information source you use as you gather your information. This will save you enormous time later on trying to remember and re-locate your sources of information. You should build your list of citations as you go along, adding items to your list every time you use a new source of information. Most people will identify and use several different sources of information. Identify BOTH electronic and physical sources of information you use.

Use a database article as one of your sources; you earn marks for this. You should include a *****˜persistent link***** or

*****˜permanent link***** to the article in your references or at the end of your written analysis. A *****˜persistent link***** is not the same as a citation. Persistent links are *****˜permanent***** ��" unlike the *****˜temporary***** links on most internet sites that can easily disappear overnight ��" and are necessary for some databases since you cannot copy items or text from the database articles as they are proprietary (and not owned by Georgian College). However, since Georgian College pays for a license for these databases, you can create a persistent link which you can cut and paste into your Microsoft Word document. Then, by clicking on the link, others can conveniently go directly to the article to read it because it in *****˜permanent***** and your instructor an also easily find it.

6. Using APA style (Georgian*****s standard), place an *****˜in-text***** citation immediately after each direct quote or (when you

paraphrase) at the end of the paragraph which contains ideas, concepts or text you have borrowed from the resources you use in the preparation of your assignment. For lengthy articles, include the page number.

7. Prepare a citation for EACH information source you use as you gather your information. This will save you enormous time later on trying to remember and re-locate your sources of information. You should build your list of citations as you go along, adding items to your list every time you use a new source of information. Most people will identify and use several different sources of information. Identify BOTH electronic and physical sources of information you use.