The goal of the assignment is to explore a subject that is of particular interest to you, and demonstrate your ability to think critically. Select a country of particular interest to you: someplace you’ve been, someplace you’d like to go, someplace you’re just interested in, or someplace you’ve never heard of until now! In this paper, you should: Describe the basic geography of this country and its relationship with any bordering countries. Discuss and/or mention the following: major physical features (and any cultural impact/importance); major metropolitan areas (if any); ethnic and/or religious regions; and the native language. Include information about the population, and the status of your country as more developed; less developed; or developing. Highlight cultural details that may be specific to your country. Include a hand-drawn map of the country. (Note that this image is not included as part of the five-page minimum length requirement.) Provide proper citations, including a bibliography; and if any photos, maps, or illustrations are included, they should be given proper credits. Your paper should be between five and six pages in length, double spaced, with one-inch margins, and twelve-point font. This assignment should be completed in Microsoft Word and submitted as an attachment. If you have a problem submitting the assignment, please contact your instructor. Writing Guidelines Carrying on and dragging out a discussion of a particular topic can be almost as bad as not saying enough. A general guideline for writing papers is a three-step process: An introduction telling the audience/instructor/reader what you are discussing—what your paper is about. The next segments/paragraphs/chapters should be the meat of your paper—what you really have to say, presented in a logical and flowing manner. The last segment of your paper is the conclusion—restating or summarizing what you have just said. Someone once summed it up for me: “Tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em; Tell ‘em; and then tell ‘em what you told ‘em.” Please do not forget to cite your sources when appropriate, and include a bibliography, no matter how brief. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Wikipedia is not a valid academic source. There are a variety of government websites that will provide you with more accurate information, and here’s a tip: when all else fails, try a book! Your instructor will be glad to discuss your paper or review your rough draft prior to the due date; use the messages tool for correspondence. Grading Criteria You will be graded on the clarity and completeness of your paper as well as on the quality of your writing. This paper is worth 100 points, and a top grade will reflect meeting the requirements as well as a strong effort in writing. A middle grade will reflect a basic understanding of your topic, and an average effort in writing. A low grade will either demonstrate a lack of understanding about your topic, or minimum effort in writing. Consult the following rubric for further information regarding grading of this assignment: Criteria Ratings and Description Points Map 20 points Included and complete with required elements and presented in a clear and understandable fashion. 10–19 points Missing details or is unclear. 0 points Map absent from paper. 20 Effort in Construction of Paper 10 points Well written, properly formatted, and research evident. 5–9 points Includes errors, formatting problems, and lack of effort evident. 0 points Effort is absent; research missing. 10 Mechanics and Grammar 20 points Proper grammar used, meets length requirements, and sources and source page present. 10–19 points Lacks material, and/or has poor sources. 0–9 points Includes more than ten grammatical errors and requirements are largely absent. 20 Body of Paper 50 points Discussion includes broad content and covers the suggested elements in the project assignment to result in a comprehensive discussion of the subject to meet the requirements for a cultural geography assignment. 20–49 points Details missing, and/or the paper lacks descriptions. 0–19 points Details are absent, or seriously lacking. 50 Total Possible 100