Data Project 3

Due date: by 11:59 PM ET at the end of Week 6.

For this project, you will use the class data posted in the “Shared Data” Discussion containing the Week 5 Water Footprint Data Tables.

This data project will address Course Outcomes 1 and 3:

• interpret quantitative information to determine effects of human activity on the environment and to evaluate environmentally sustainable decisions
• effectively communicate and use scientific evidence regarding human impact on the environment with emphasize on sustainability and global citizenship

Description

This data project will be composed of two parts.

In Part I of your report, you will compile class data from the Week 5 Eco Moment on your water usage (found in the “Shared Data” Discussion, under Water Calculator Data) and summarize/analyze it with Excel (or similar spreadsheet program).  Discuss what trend(s) you see in the class data that relate to course concepts.  Think about the best way to present your findings–tabular or graphical form?  There is no “right answer” here, as long as you pick a format that highlights your main findings and support your table(s) and/or graph(s) with clear text that interpret the results.  Do any of the findings surprise you?  Why or why not?

In Part II, you will research and discuss possible solutions to the environmental problems reflected in the class data. Here, you will want to support your argument with reliable, scientific resources (e.g., peer-reviewed scientific papers, white papers, and government websites). Be sure to end with a strong concluding paragraph that summarizes the main data trend(s), along with the merits and relevance of your chosen solution(s).

Format

The page limit for your written report for both Part I and Part II is 2 pages, plus 1 page for the data table/graph(s) you use to present your findings in Part I. The page limit does not include an optional title page, the reference list, and the appendix with the raw class data. The report should be double-spaced with one-inch margins all around and use a 12-pt font.

Here is the order in which to present the various project components:

1. Part I = describe the class data we collected, include the methodology, relevant web tool (if applicable), the mean and sample size for each result, table/graph(s) that depict the main findings and/or trends; interpret the table/graph(s) for the reader
2. Part II = summarize research on possible solutions; be sure to incorporate reliable in-text citations and focus on relevant, attainable solutions
3. Reference List
4. Appendix of Raw Data = screenshot or copy in the Excel table showing all the class data (no analysis or mean)

Reflect on these quotes and think about your learning outcomes in this course. What did I learn this week? How will my behavior change? Are there new ideas I can use at work and in my relationships with significant others? How can I advance globalization? How will I promote social justice? What can I do to make this world a better place to live in for others?

“Of THOSE TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS EXPECTED”
— Luke 12:48

“Be kind—everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
— PLATO

“If you don ‘t understand yourself, I don ‘t know how you can lead.”
— Kelly Shimansky
    Human Resources Executive

“Trying to plan for the future without a sense of the past is like trying to plant cut flowers.”
— Daniel Boorstin (1914-2004)
    Historian

“We ‘re told every day, “You can ‘t change the world.” But the world is changing every day. The only question is….who’s doing it? You or somebody else?”
— J. Michael Straczynski
    Screenwriter & television producer

“A positive thinker does not refuse to recognize the negative, he refuses to dwell on it. Positive thinking is a form of thought which habitually looks for the best results from the worst conditions.”
— Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1883)
    Cleric and Writer

“If you create an act, you create a habit. If you create a character, you create a destiny.”
— Andre Maurois (1885-1968)
    Novelist & Essayist

“I cannot know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know is that the truly happy among you
Will be those who have learned to serve.”
— Albert Schweitzer