Hello!
How are you? Here is our fall semester final writing assignment (後学期の期末作文).
Themes
Your choice of topics will be open! You have a choice to develop another topic from
any one of the different themes we have covered over this semester since
September:
Here are some notes about the choices of themes and topic ideas in them.
For the final assignment, you can choose the theme that was most interesting to you and write another paper about a topic area in it. The only thing is that you do not write about
the same thing you wrote about before – you must have a different topic area!
For example, if you wrote about an educational system, choose something different about the theme of education – for example, a different approach to education such as Montessori schools, or the Steiner system of education, or within Japan, the terakoya, and how the system worked (did it have grades, or testing, or some kind of promotion to advanced learning based
on a student’s ability, and so on).
Some extra notes
Education:
For education, for example, you can write about an educational system in
another country, a specific type of education - for example, science education,
or a specific subject - such as math or chemistry.
As for educational systems, one challenging and very interesting approach would be for you
to choose two (2) educational systems and compare and contrast (比較対照して)
them. If you choose this challenge, look for these points in your comparison and contrast:
Number of years in different levels of school (for example - how many years in elementary school, then junior high school or high school)
Requirements of students on different levels of schooling (for example - entrance exams if
there are any, passing of certain subjects to advance to the next level of education, and so
on)
Unique educational subjects or requirements in a certain country (for example - in Vietnam, university students, men and women alike, are required to do military training once a year. Some other countries require some kind of national service - often military, but sometimes
non-military as part of entering into a higher level of education)
Once again - you cannot write about what you did before! Write about something different than what you did.
Economics:
For economics, many of you were very interested, and wrote very well, about new trends
in economic activity such as cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, and their impact on economic activity. You can focus on another problem or controversy (問題、議論) with cryptocurrency, such as the possibility of collecting salaries in Bitcoin, or the level of security required to make safe transactions with cryptocurrency possible.
Themes
Your choice of topics will be open! You have a choice to develop another topic from
any one of the different themes we have covered over this semester since
September:
- Education & psychology
- Economics
- Engineering & biology
Here are some notes about the choices of themes and topic ideas in them.
For the final assignment, you can choose the theme that was most interesting to you and write another paper about a topic area in it. The only thing is that you do not write about
the same thing you wrote about before – you must have a different topic area!
For example, if you wrote about an educational system, choose something different about the theme of education – for example, a different approach to education such as Montessori schools, or the Steiner system of education, or within Japan, the terakoya, and how the system worked (did it have grades, or testing, or some kind of promotion to advanced learning based
on a student’s ability, and so on).
Same with economics, or engineering and biology – as another example, if you wrote about Bitcoin, write about another cryptocurrency, arguing for or against its use based on its
features. Or within engineering, write about another device or invention and how it works to show cause and effect.
features. Or within engineering, write about another device or invention and how it works to show cause and effect.
Some extra notes
Education:
For education, for example, you can write about an educational system in
another country, a specific type of education - for example, science education,
or a specific subject - such as math or chemistry.
As for educational systems, one challenging and very interesting approach would be for you
to choose two (2) educational systems and compare and contrast (比較対照して)
them. If you choose this challenge, look for these points in your comparison and contrast:
Number of years in different levels of school (for example - how many years in elementary school, then junior high school or high school)
Requirements of students on different levels of schooling (for example - entrance exams if
there are any, passing of certain subjects to advance to the next level of education, and so
on)
Unique educational subjects or requirements in a certain country (for example - in Vietnam, university students, men and women alike, are required to do military training once a year. Some other countries require some kind of national service - often military, but sometimes
non-military as part of entering into a higher level of education)
Once again - you cannot write about what you did before! Write about something different than what you did.
Economics:
For economics, many of you were very interested, and wrote very well, about new trends
in economic activity such as cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, and their impact on economic activity. You can focus on another problem or controversy (問題、議論) with cryptocurrency, such as the possibility of collecting salaries in Bitcoin, or the level of security required to make safe transactions with cryptocurrency possible.
You are not limited to cryptocurrency in terms of economic topics, but as a recent development it is a good example.
Once again - you cannot write about what you did before! Write about something different than what you did.
Engineering: For engineering, you could choose any device or invention from the past or present. It can be something invented and used in Japan, or around the world, invented elsewhere and brought into Japan, or invented in Japan and exported out into the world. If you choose this area, think of these points:
Once again - you cannot write about what you did before! Write about something different than what you did.
Engineering: For engineering, you could choose any device or invention from the past or present. It can be something invented and used in Japan, or around the world, invented elsewhere and brought into Japan, or invented in Japan and exported out into the world. If you choose this area, think of these points:
- What it is
- Who invented or first made it
- When it was first made (and sold or marketed)
- Who uses it (- or - who used it)
- What it is (or was) used for
- Very important - what it is (or was) made of (in terms of materials and parts)
- What impact you believe it has has on society or worldwide (including what personal impact it has had on you)
- Any other details you believe are worth noting (especially any materials properties such as tensile strength, with characteristics such as brittleness, elasticity, and so on
Once again - you cannot write about what you did before! Write about something different than what you did.
Psychology & biology:
I will only note in a short way about psychology and biology as they are possibly a little less interesting overall for many of you - though you are free to write about topics with these themes as well. But in whatever you do with these themes - make sure once again that they are not the same as what you have done before.
How much to write
I will only note in a short way about psychology and biology as they are possibly a little less interesting overall for many of you - though you are free to write about topics with these themes as well. But in whatever you do with these themes - make sure once again that they are not the same as what you have done before.
How much to write
I would like you to write 5-6 paragraphs – but if you can go longer that would be great! I would like you to write as much as you can, and to push yourselves - many of you can now write to great length!
As I have said before, anything shorter than three (3) paragraphs will not be acceptable. Please remember that our time is tight - so you might not have the time to re-write.
As I have said before, anything shorter than three (3) paragraphs will not be acceptable. Please remember that our time is tight - so you might not have the time to re-write.
Deadline (締め切り)
It will be January 20th, 2020 (1/20/20).
Now here are the board notes for our class on 12/16:
Now here are the board notes for our class on 12/16:
Good luck! I will look forward to reading your great writing – and please relax over the break for a job well done in your first year of university!
Image: By Masahiro Hayata from Tokyo, Japan - Alley, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9681059
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