ASSIGNMENT 1: RESOLVING AN URBAN CONTROVERSY Credit Weight: 15% of the final course grade Due Date:

ASSIGNMENT 1: RESOLVING AN URBAN CONTROVERSY

Credit Weight: 15% of the final course grade

Due Date: following the completion of Unit 4

Assume that you are an advisor to the city council for the Canadian city of your choice. You've been asked

to research a recent controversy that exists in the city and to develop a short report (5-6 pages; 1250-

1500 words). In your report you must do the following:

1. Describe the issue and its relationship to the city. Briefly describe the aspects of the city that are relevant to your issue (e.g., population, industrial history, cultural history, socioeconomic profile, environmental context, etc.) and outline what makes this issue contentious (1-2 pages).
2. Describe the problem you are addressing.
3. Identify the actors involved and the various views expressed about the issue in question. Consider what interests may be missing from the debate and therefore missing from the news or published reports.
4. Recommend and justify a course of action to the city council. Your solution may be a compromise between the various views articulated publicly, or it may be something new that is suggested to you by your readings.

Your report should

• demonstrate the ability to synthesize and appropriately use information from a variety of sources (e.g., summarize the research; place it in context; note similarities and differences between various presentations/views).
• demonstrate the ability to provide appropriate and sufficient background information.
• be well-structured, well-written, and have a few, if any grammatical and stylistic mistakes (carefully edit your work).
• incorporate both peer-reviewed sources and other sources.
• demonstrate the ability to develop cogent, balanced, and well-supported recommendations.
• include maps, tables, and other figures (as appropriate).
• demonstrate knowledge of an appropriate report format.
• be double-spaced, using 12-point Times New Roman font with at least 1-inch page margins.
• carefully and properly reference all outside sources (including course readings and visuals) using APA Style.
• include an appropriate and creative title that is included on a title page with your name, student ID number, course, assignment name, and submission date.
• have numbered pages.
• stay within the maximum word count and page limit.