The semester research project asks you to explore how history, culture, environment, landscape, and land use have shaped a sense of place in the Lehigh Valley over the last 50 years. For more on the entire project, see Sense of Place Research and Story Map Project.docx

For this part of the project, you’ll submit a draft of final paper (8-10 pages), plus works cited, and at least one map, one photograph or image, and one graph or table of information (of your creation). Discuss your interpretation of the aspects of your chosen waterways history, present condition and future using the themes and perspectives discussed in class. Think of this as an exercise in historical, cultural, geographical and environmental interpretation. Your paper does not need to include all of these aspects, but it should be expressed through your particular lens of interpretation (i.e., cultural or scientific). Begin by formulating a thesis statement (Links to an external site.). This thesis statement should be included in the first paragraph of your paper.  Following the development of your thesis statement, I want you to outline your paper before you write it. See this (Links to an external site.) and this (Links to an external site.) for examples. You’ll turn in the outline when you turn in the paper.

The most important goal of this assignment is to look at your chosen waterway, ask questions about it, and think about its past, present condition and future with reference to historical and geographical themes weve reviewed in this course.

Youll need to do significant archival research to locate old documents and artifacts, such as: newspapers, water quality data, maps, photographs, advertisements, personal accounts, etc. You may also talk to local people and see what they have to say.