1. Prospectus Compose a brief, structured, first draft plan of your paper. It should have the various sections of the paper highlighted (i.e. introduction, conclusion, body, etc.), as well as the main

1. Prospectus

Compose a brief, structured, first draft plan of your paper. It should have the various sections of the paper highlighted (i.e. introduction, conclusion, body, etc.), as well as the main points to be addressed in each section. The objective of the prospectus is to ensure that you are on track with the research paper. The prospectus can be done in point-form and should be no longer than 1000 words (double-spaced, 12-point font, 2.5 cm margins).

Due Date: No later than one month prior to the submission of the research paper. (See theSchedule section for the due dates.)

Please note that your prospectus is not limited to writing only; it can also be creative and arts-based in form and representation, which means that you can choose your favourite medium or mode of expression (e.g., your data visualization, visual art, photos, collage, painting, poem, story, video, play, graphs, tables, etc). This should help You learn in the most meaningful way possible; hence, you are the ultimate author/creator of your prospectus. 

2. Research Paper

Choose ONE of the topics listed below.The research paper should be in essay format (with introduction, body, conclusion, references) and no longer than 2500 words (double-spaced, 12-point font, 2.5 cm margins). Peer-reviewed journal articles and/or government documents must be used as primary sources; websites and magazines can be used as secondary sources. Encyclopediae, including Wikipedia, should not be used as references. In addition, figures (i.e. graphs and photos) and maps should be included to help illustrate any significant point being made in the paper. These visual aids fall outside the page limits for the research paper and should be properly referenced in the document. Referencing style (for facts presented in the paper, as well as any visual aids) must follow the MLA or APA format. More information on these style guides can be found at: http://libguides.lib.umanitoba.ca/browse.php (under the Style Guide section). The paper will be graded based on the structure, arguments made, and supporting information presented for those arguments, as well as the supplementary information. Marking rubrics will be available on the Learning Management System for this course. The due date for each assignment can be found in the Schedule section.

Topics

You are required to answer ONLY ONE of the following:

1. The three physiographic regions discussed in the first half of this course present a continuum in terms of topography – one region is dominated by mountains, one by flat lowlands and the third a combination of lowlands and mountains.  Compare the mountainous terrain of the Arctic North to the Western Cordillera in terms of formation, geology and geomorphology (i.e. landforms).
2. Minerals and oil/gas reserves are a major natural resource in the Arctic North, Western Cordillera and Interior Plains physiographic regions.  Explain the geological setting required in forming the minerals OR oil/gas reserves in each of the three regions.  In your answer discuss the current and potential reserves/deposits.
3. Due to the size and location of the Western Cordillera and Interior Plains, the soils located in these two regions show considerable variation.  Using ONE of the physiographic regions, explain how and why these soil types vary in the region (i.e. the factors that controlled the formation and location of these soil types).

Please note that your paper is not limited to essay writing only; it can also be creative and arts-based in form and representation, which means that you can choose your favourite medium or mode of expression (e.g., your data visualization, visual art, photos, collage, painting, poem, story, video, play, graphs, tables, etc).