Geog

Regional Cuisine Paper

GEOG 201: World Geography

Due 4/24

Overview

Short Description

Eat something new from a regional cuisine you are unfamiliar with and write a (1) a 1-2 page reflection on the experience and (2) a 4-page research paper that explores a topic related to the experience. Must engage with either the idea of diversity or globalization (or both).

Objective

This assignment gives you the opportunity to experience a new culture via food. You will use this eating experience as the jumping off point for a short research paper on the food. You may select a regional cuisine of your choosing, but whatever you eat should be new to you. Mexican and Chinese food are probably not the best options here, but I’ve provided some places that would work better if that is the direction you go. The cuisine as a whole does not need to be new to you, but the specific dish you eat should. I encourage you to take this opportunity to get out of your comfort zone. You may also choose to prepare a dish to eat at home. If you are worried about finances, reach out to me and I’ll provide you with the money necessary, no explanation needed.

Once you have eaten, you can take your research paper in a number of directions. Here are some ideas:

· Pick an ingredient. What global and historical processes brought this ingredient to this place? I.e. potatoes in Ireland, tomatoes in Italy, chili peppers in India, etc.

· Pick a dish. What region within the country is this dish from? Is it considered a special occasion dish? Comfort food?

· How has this dish been transformed through globalization? Is this a “fusion” type dish, with influences from many cultures? Has this dish been modified for American palates?

· Immigration. Many dishes are “invented” through immigrant experiences (fortune cookies, pad thai, etc.). Is that the case with your dish? Learn more about those immigrant experiences, either historically (19th century Chinese migration) or today (Latinx migrants in Charlotte).

Food Options

There are many options in Rock Hill and if you want to venture into Charlotte. Some cuisines to search for

· Available in Rock Hill

· Italian

· French

· Japanese (Ichiro)

· Mexican (Taqueria Celeste, Tacos Nayarit)

· Thai (Sila Thai Restaurant)

· Available in Fort Mill

· Indian (various)

· Sushi

· Greek

· Available in Pineville

· Peruvian (Machu Picchu)

· Indian

· German

· Colombian (Los Paisas)

· Available in Charlotte

· Indian

· Peruvian

· Dominican

· Jamaican

· Ethiopian

· Eastern European

· Korean

· Chinese (Ten Seconds Chinese Noodles)

Reflection Paper

Approximately 1-2 double-spaced page should be a reflection on your eating experience. Describe the food, the place, and your experience eating there.

Research paper

This is a 4-page double-spaced research paper focused on a specific topic (see above for ideas).

You will need to use a minimum of three scholarly sources. Scholarly sources are those that are put out by academic publishing companies and journals. You can use the library’s OneSearch function to find scholarly sources. Newspaper articles, blogs, and websites are not scholarly sources and do not count towards the three required sources. Your paper should use in-text citations and an accepted citation and reference style (i.e. APA, MLA, Chicago). Please reach out to me if you are uncertain about how to find sources or to properly cite them in your paper. Your Works Cited should begin at the top of a new page after your research paper. Be sure to pay close attention to punctuation, capitalization, and formatting. Your works cited page does not count toward the 3-pages required.

Formatting

· 1” margins on all sides

· Separate title page that includes:

· A title that is relevant to your topic

· Your name

· The course name and section

· My name

· A research paper that is 1,500 – 2,500 words in length, excluding the title page, works cited, and action plan

· Double-spaced text, with the exception of the works cited page.

· Times New Roman font, 12 pt size

· Page numbers at the bottom of the page

· Ensure that there is only a double-space between paragraphs and that Word has not added additional spacing.

· Only a single space after a period.

A note on Length

It is not possible to meet the expectations of this assignment with a paper that is shorter than the minimum length provided. Revise your paper to ensure that it is sufficiently well-researched and that you have developed your ideas well. Papers that are longer than the maximum length are either too broad for the scope of this assignment, or—more commonly—are excessively wordy. If you find your paper is too long, work on revising it to be more concise. If your paper is too broad in scope, work on narrowing your topic so that it is appropriate for the assignment.

Assignments that do not follow the formatting guidelines provided will not be graded. You will be asked to either resubmit the assignment with correct formatting and accept a late penalty (following the late assignment policy) OR accept a 50% on the assignment.

Paper Rubric

Area	Below expectations	Developing	Accomplished	Exemplary
Paper focus	Fails to identify a relevant local issue or is not clearly defined and/or the paper lacks focus throughout.	Identifies a research topic but may be too broad in scope and/or the thesis is somewhat unclear and needs to be developed further.	Identifies a relevant research topic and a thesis that provides adequate direction for the paper with some degree of interest for the reader.	Identifies a relevant research topic and a thesis that is engaging and thought provoking,
Content	Research is insufficient. Content demonstrates significant misunderstanding of the issues and ideas.	Content demonstrates some level of research and a basic understanding of the issues and ideas.	Content is well-researched. Indicates a good understanding of the issues and ideas are presented with sufficient evidence.	Content is well-researched and indicates strong understanding of issues and synthesis of ideas. Evidences original thought and support for the topic.
Organization	Paper lacks organization and impedes readers’ comprehension of ideas. The paper is missing multiple required components.	Paper is somewhat organized. May be missing a required component and/or components may be less than complete.	Paper is adequately organized. Includes required components (introduction, body, conclusion, Reference List, etc.) for the most part.	Paper is effectively organized. Includes all required components (introduction, body, conclusion, Reference List, etc.).
Writing quality and formatting	Paper shows a below average/poor writing style.	Paper shows an average and/or casual writing style using standard English.	Paper shows above average writing style and clarity in writing using standard English.	Paper is well written and clear using and standard English.

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