Maps capture the power of place. A well-designed map can stoke our imagination, helping us to understand how a place looks or feels. Maps serve two roles. First, maps facilitate visual communication where knowns are presented to map readers. Second, maps permit visual thinking where insights into patterns and trends in spatial data are explored. In GEOG 486, Cartography & Visualization, you will learn and apply cartographic theory creating appropriately designed maps. You will learn how to associate the visual variables to symbolize types of spatial data. This process creates an appropriate visual hierarchy that conveys an informational hierarchy about the underlying message. Thus, techniques in map design will be applied to produce, evaluate, and critique reference and thematic maps.

This case study is an examination of the chemical and sensory impacts of a variety of environmental issues including sand mining, leaking underground gasoline storage tanks (LUSTs), and a railroad.

Wedron is a small, unincorporated town of approximately 100 residents in north central Illinois. A large sand mine has been in operation on the south and west sides of the town for many decades, and the mine property includes several abandoned and active pits, a processing plant, and a train car loading facility. Railroad tracks are located along the east side of town as is a grain elevator (storage and loading facility).

The following information was obtained from the US EPA web site about Wedron, personal visits to the town, and published news articles.

This case study includes discussion questions and data sources for further information.

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This is a 'citizen science' research project where students to apply their knowledge of landslide processes in an investigation of the natural and anthropogenic causes of a real-world landslide catastrophe. Students produce a 'magazine' article discussing the Zhouqu, China, August 8, 2010 landslide catastrophe.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

How to create citations in either APA or MLA format using Microsoft Word (365). 

In this video you will learn about the differences between in-text citations and oral citations. In addition, we will cover the four criteria of citing sources orally. Please watch the Citing Sources Orally video (2 min. 36 sec.) below.  Closed captions in English are available. Recorded with Adobe Spark.  Citing Sources Orally 

This course is a service-learning, project-based studio course that focuses on collaborative design of civic media. Students will work in diverse teams with community partners to create civic media projects grounded in real-world community needs. This course covers co-design and lean UX methods, and best practices for including communities in iterative stages of project ideation, design, prototyping, testing, launch, and stewardship. Students should have an interest in collaboration with community-based organizations.

The Civic Media Codesign Studio is a project-based studio course in collaborative design of civic media. Students work with a range of organizations to create civic media projects grounded in real-world community needs. It covers theory and practice of codesign, including methods for community participation in iterative stages of project ideation, design, prototyping, testing, launch, and stewardship. This semester, the course will focus on building systems of collaboration between municipal government and local care networks to facilitate effective cocreation of policy.

This course is an introduction to the history, theory, practice, and implications of rhetoric, the art and craft of persuasion through

Analyzing persuasive texts and speeches
Creating persuasive texts and speeches

Through class discussions, presentations, and written assignments, you will get to practice your own rhetorical prowess. Through the readings, you'll also learn some ways to make yourself a more efficient reader, as you turn your analytical skills on the texts themselves. This combination of reading, speaking, and writing will help you succeed in:

learning
to read and think critically
techniques of rhetorical analysis
techniques of argument
to enhance your written and oral discourse with appropriate figures of speech
some techniques of oral presentation and the use of visual aids and visual rhetoric.

In a world where climate change has never been experienced, it is time to do something. This poster aims to encourage people to act, by raising awareness of the importance of talking about climate change. This poster highlights the respect for nature by using powerful images and colors.

College Success takes a fresh look at what it means, in today’s world, with today’s students, to be successful in college.Although many of the topics included—from study skills to personal health, from test-taking to managing time and money—will look familiar to those who have used student success texts that have been around for many editions, College Success takes a new approach. The focus is on realistic, practical tools for the students who need them. This is a book designed, frankly, for students who may have difficulty with traditional college texts. The style is direct and to the point. Information is presented concisely and as simply as possible. This is not a weighty tome that discusses student success—this is a manual for doing it.College student demographics have changed considerably in recent decades. More than a third of all students enroll not directly from high school but after a delay of some years. More students are working and have families. More students come from varied ethnic and cultural backgrounds. More students are the first in their family to attend college. More students have grown up with electronic media and now read and think in ways different from the previous generation. With these and so many other cultural changes, more students are not well prepared for a college education with the study skills and life skills they need to become successful students.For each student to get the most out of College Success and their college experience they must understand who they are as it relates to college. To that end, in every chapter students explore themselves, because success starts with recognizing your own strengths and weaknesses. Students make their own goals based on this self-assessment, determining what success in college really means for them as individuals. Interactive activities then help students learn the choices available to them and the possibilities for improving their skills. Skills are presented in step-by-step processes, tips for success in manageable highlighted displays. Most important, students always see the value of what they are reading—and how they can begin to apply it immediately in their own lives.College Success is intended for use in Freshmen Orientation, Study Skills or Student Success courses. A 2009 study revealed that currently nationwide, 34% of college freshmen do not return to their college for their sophomore year. This book is designed to help change that.