Week 1 Discussion 1

This week students will:

1. Review Internet information sources for use in developing research.

2. Describe methods in identifying and narrowing down a topic that is a global societal issue.

3. Explain the significance of scholarly research in academic writing.

4. Describe knowledge and skills gained through participation in general education courses.

5. Discuss the concept of global citizenship in relation to personal, academic, and professional goals.

6. Review APA formatting guidelines as they apply to writing academic papers.

During Week 1, you will look at topics related to your understanding of the purpose of general education courses. Learning through general education courses helps prepare you for the real world beyond the college experience. Upon completion of your general education requirements, the goal is to be able to think more autonomously and evaluate information more critically. Additionally, it is important to have an understanding of political, economic, and cultural influences in relation to your personal, academic, and professional goals.

You will begin your GEN499 journey with the opportunity to get to know your peers in the Post Your Introduction/General Education Outcomes discussion forum. In addition to sharing something personal about yourself, you are also expected to review the five learning outcomes for this course and describe at least three skills you developed through your general education courses.

Next, you will start thinking about your Final Paper’s argumentative essay topic, which will just be the start of many other discussions and assignments in this course. A list of global societal topics has been provided to you within the instructions of your first discussion. Please be sure to choose one that will peak your interest throughout this course. It is very important to take the time to view several of the tutorials, so that you can narrow down your search for scholarly sources more efficiently.

Finally, you have two assignments this week that you must submit to Waypoint for a grade. First, you will demonstrate your current understanding of APA formatting by reviewing a one-page essay and identifying several errors when it comes to writing formal research papers or essays.

You will also write a paper on globalization and the benefits of becoming a global citizen. Just be sure to review the article and video that are mentioned in the instructions to help guide you with your answers to the prompts.