Have attached:
1. Final Paper proposal
2. Final Paper Guidelines
3. Course syllabus & learning objectives.
Final Project Guidelines (I just need the paper)
The final project for this course will be a paper on an issue of the student’s choice related to the class theme “water resources and climate” . A real world problem in relation to water and climate should be presented. The total grade for the final project (30%) will be based on the written paper (15%) and the presentation (15%).
A mandatory project proposal will be due on Feb 23rd for topic approval. The proposal will not be graded; it is meant to ensure an appropriate topic and it is a prerequisite for the acceptance of the final project. For the proposal, we request the submission of a document of one page maximum, describing the project motivation, potential aims and sub-aims if any, and how you plan to approach your paper (data/evidence/facts collection + methods of research explained). Failing to turn the proposal in a timely manner will forfeit the submission of the final project or points removal from the final written project.
The student will be responsible for reading primary source peer-reviewed material on the topic, evaluating the scientific uncertainty behind the issue, and recommending adaptation options and/or management approaches and/or strategies as appropriate, depending on the topic/case considered in the project.
We reiterate – any water-climate issue proposed, studied and/or solutions discussed should be backed by science at least and/or scientific consensus, reliable data and/or facts/evidence. No personal thoughts or discovery is needed. The student will also be responsible for making the appropriate links and associations with the relevant theoretical material covered during the course and the issue you research on. Students are expected to choose an interesting issue that solves a problem the world or a region is currently facing.
The written paper will be due on Apr 22nd. This paper will be evaluated based on: 1) demonstrating a critical understanding of the peer-reviewed ONLY scientific literature and consensus knowledge that addresses the selected topic; and 2) proposing a creative, but feasible solution/management/adaptation strategy to the issue. The wide range of strategies can be proposed, but an approach demonstrated in the paper should have proven to be realistic or adapted elsewhere, and so you test its applicability in your case with confidence. The written paper grades will be an average from the individual evaluation of the instructors.
The presentations will take place on Apr 25th. The presentation will be evaluated by the ability to clearly present the problem and potential solutions to your peers, to address any questions and to defend the proposed adaptation strategy on a timely manner (TBD before the presentation). Be creative on how you “sell” / communicate your case to everyone.
Presentation grades will be an average from the individual evaluations of the instructors.
Specifically, we ask you to focus on a single issue or case study in any place of the world that links water and climate. It can be a regional-scale or continental-scale issue, this is up to you.
The written paper should have between 5 and 8 pages (including figures, but excluding references and the Abstract). Illustrations are highly encouraged but please keep the number tables at minimum.
The text should have 1-inch margins, 11-point font and be single-spaced. The written paper should generally cover the following topics:
An abstract between 200-300 words is requested in the first page of the project:
ABSTRACT. A summary of the findings. The motivation for studying this problem. Your objectives. Your approach to investigate that issue. Your findings. What are the management/adaptation strategies proposed?
Other components:
1. Introduction. Big picture. How is this particular problem related to the global issues of water and climate?
2. Description of the particular problem in your case study. What are the factors and main drivers responsible for this issue? How do you land on to your objectives? What are the objectives?
3. Data and Method based on existing knowledge: Which are the climate and water characteristics for the study region those are known? Climate characteristics may include climate seasonality, climate variability and known drivers of the distinct time scales of climate variability for a region. What will be the future scenarios of the same for this area (according to existing knowledge)? Is there any paleoclimate study in the region?
4. Data and Method based on NEW knowledge: Not required but if you end up implementing items you learned from the class workshop, it is considered as an added advantage to jack up your grades based on TRUE applicability.
5. Potential solutions: What are the potential solutions for the stakeholders? We are encouraging you to identify the “audience/stakeholders” who will benefit from your research case. Please think about this very early on. Are there similar cases in the other regions with which you can compare and boost confidence in your proposed solutions?
6. Discuss difficulties or uncertainties in the possible solutions to the issue in your case study and propose a “way forward”.
7. Please include at least one DEI issue in relation to research topic and study region?
e.g. inequity of climate impacts globally and environmental justice, lack of access to climate data.
The format above is just a general (detailed) guideline. Other formats will be ok as long as those comply with the requirements and/or expectations from this project. The most important thing is to be as clear and thorough as possible regarding your topic of study, while staying FOCUSSED. Remember that the topic of study must be related to both WATER and CLIMATE.
Some useful resources are:
– Climate Change Handbook for Regional Water Planning
– Climate Change and Water, Chapters 6, 7 and 8