Research Project Instructions
(20% of course grade)
Analyze the geography of an economic resource (e.g. where does oil come from?) or economic actor (e.g. where in the world does Uber operate?) Apply concepts from the class readings to interpret the role this resource or actor plays in spatially uneven development.
Turn in a short (2-4 page) fact sheet containing the results of your research. This is a common format used in policy and business communities, to quickly convey an argument and key facts about the topic. A good factsheet curates facts into an easily understood argument. Some examples of factsheets on economic/resource related topics can be found at the:
Environmental Protection Agency (https://www.epa.gov/watersense/state-fact-sheets)
European Union (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/home)
United Nations (https://www.unenvironment.org/resources/factsheet/covid-19-waste-management-
factsheets)
World Bank (https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/factsheet/2019/12/13/fact-sheet-the-international-
development-association-ida) or (https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/factsheet/2020/02/19/anticorruption-
fact-sheet)
World Health Organization (http://www.who.int/topics/environmental_health/factsheets/en/)
Criteria:
Explain how your resource/actor contributes to spatially uneven development
Review at least five academic sources related to your topic (peer reviewed journals)
Analyze at least two quantitative data sources (most projects will require more) using
graphs, tables, or maps.
Submission:
The your fact sheet should include the following elements:
1) Overview:
a. Introduce the topic
b. Research question & thesis
2) Findings:
a. 3-5 most important facts to know about the topic
b. Link to the concept of uneven development
3) Graphics:
a. 2-3 graphics that show the geography of the resource or economic actor
b. Can be maps, graphs, or tables
4) Implications:
a. Why is it important?
b. What should be done about it?
5) References
a. At least 5 academic sources related to your topic.
b. At least 2 quantitative data sources
The design of your fact sheet is up to you. To give you an idea, it could look something like this:
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