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GGR208H5S Population Geography

Winter 2024

Assignment 2: Due March 18, 2024

Submit as a word file to quercus

Value: 25% of course grade

This assignment is based on specific papers from the course reading list. To access the papers, select the Library Reading List tab on the course quercus page. The purpose of the assignment is to develop your critical reading and writing skills and your awareness of the subject matter of population geography.

The following two papers are specific to your assignment.

Figueroa, J. F., Wadhera, R. K., Lee, D., Yeh, R. W., & Sommers, B. D. (2020). Community-Level Factors associated with Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 Rates in Massachusetts. Health Affairs, 39(11), 1984-1992

Platt, L., & Warwick, R. (2020). COVID‐19 and ethnic inequalities in England and Wales. Fiscal Studies, 41(2), 259-289.

The assignment must be written in your own words; there should be no quotations or paraphrasing from the papers and no additional sources may be utilized. Your writing should be concise and provide succinct responses to the tasks identified below. Each task should have a clearly defined response, and each should not exceed the word limited identified.    

Complete the following tasks:

1. State the focus of each paper and identify and restate the main arguments and the conclusions reached. The response should not exceed 800 words. (40 marks)

Identifying the arguments and the conclusions is not a description or listing of the contents of the paper. The following strategies will help:

Identify the research question, both the introduction and conclusion will help. Look for repetition of key ideas and follow them throughout the paper. Notice how the paper is organized. What are the main sections and what is emphasized, and why.

2. What is the purpose of each paper. Why was each paper written, what are they trying to achieve? The response should not exceed 250 words. (20 marks)

3. What the similarities/differences between the papers? Why do these exist? Are these relevant to the conclusions reached? The response should not exceed 250 words. (20 marks)

4. How does each paper contribute to the study of population geography? The response should not exceed 250 words. (20 marks)

Marks will be awarded based on the correctness and clarity of the answers, and the quality of the writing (sentences, grammar etc.) Responses to each question must be double-spaced, typed in 12-point font with 1-inch margins and written in your own words. Quotations and paraphrasing are not allowed, and no other sources may be used.

Submitting Assignments

Assignments are due by 9am.  March 18 to the course quercus site. Please note that this deadline is rigid and that a full day late penalty applies immediately (a 10% penalty at 9.01am., 20% at 9.01am. the following day and so on). Assignments submitted more than five days late will receive a zero grade. Assignments handed in AFTER the work has been returned to the class cannot be marked for credit.

DEPARTMENT AND COURSE POLICIES

· Use of ChatGPT / Generative AI

The use of generative artificial intelligence tools or apps for assignments in this course, including tools like ChatGPT and other AI writing or coding assistants, is prohibited.

· Missed Term Work 

Late assignments will be subject to a late penalty of 10% per day (including weekends) of the total marks for the assignment. Assignments submitted five calendar days beyond the due date will be assigned a grade of zero.

Term Work – Accommodations

1. Accommodations due to late registration into the course will NOT be approved.

2. In courses with final exams, there will be no re-writes or make-ups for term tests/quizzes missed for university-accepted, verifiable reasons. Instead, the final exam will be re-weighted by the value of the term test/quiz.

3. For in-class or online quiz/test, students CANNOT petition to re-write a quiz/test once it has begun.  If you are feeling ill, please do not start the online or in-class test and seek medical attention immediately. 

4. Extension requests are not permitted for open-book, or take-home tests. Extensions are built into the time provided for the test.

5. Assignments cannot be re-weighted to the final exam.

6. For extension requests, the maximum extension (where/when possible) is ONE week.

7. Extension requests must be made IN ADVANCE of the assignment due date.

8. Assignments handed in AFTER the work has been returned to the class cannot be marked for credit.

9. Students are responsible for ensuring a strong, reliable internet connection. Special consideration requests due to poor internet connection (i.e. unable to complete the online quiz / unable to submit assignment before the deadline) will not be accepted.

10. Students are expected to back up their work at all times.  As such, extension requests due to computer issues (stolen, crashed, damaged etc.) will not be considered.

11. Extension requests will NOT be approved for Group Assignments

12. It is every student’s responsibility to ensure that their online submission is submitted successfully by the due date.  Accommodations will not be made for unsuccessful submissions due to, but not limited to: i) the system timing out ii) submitting the incorrect document(s) iii) poor internet connection / no internet connection etc.  

13. Holidays and pre-purchased plane tickets, family plans, your friend’s wedding, lack of preparation, or too many other tests/assignments are not acceptable excuses for missing a quiz, a test, an item of term work, or requesting an extension of time. Such requests will be denied.

14. For extensions of time beyond the examination period you must submit a petition through the Office of the Registrar. https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/registrar/forms 

How to Request an Accommodation

In the Geography, Geomatics and Environment department, professors cannot grant extensions on term work or allow makeups for missed items. Instead, you must follow the following steps:

1. You must submit an online Special Consideration Request using the following link: https://utmapp.utm.utoronto.ca/SpecialRequest within 24 hours. 

2. Students registered with Accessibility Services are also required to submit an online Special Consideration Request using the following link: https://utmapp.utm.utoronto.ca/SpecialRequest

3. Email your course instructor.

4. ACORN Absence Declaration Tool: Students may utilize this option once per term for a single absence period of up to seven consecutive days. The declaration period must include the day of declaration and may include past and/or future dates, for a total of up to 7 calendar days. Use of this declaration does not require supporting documentation and should be used in addition to the missed term work policy outlined in their course syllabus. It remains the student’s responsibility to initiate the process of academic consideration for missed academic obligations by following the instructions in the course syllabus and notifying their instructor.  Instructors may exclude one term test/quiz, as per the course syllabus. For more information and to declare absence: https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/registrar/enrolment/manage/absence-declaration

Please note that students are required to submit their assignment/lab as soon as they are able, and they should NOT wait for the decision of the committee. Number of days approved for an extension will be calculated from the original assignment due date.

Documentation Submission 

If you have already used your ACORN Absence Declaration (or prefer not to), you will need to submit supporting documentation to the department with your Special Consideration Request:

· Documentation must be submitted to the department within 72 hours of the original assignment due date or test/quiz date.

· The preferred types of supporting documentation are the official UofT Verification of Illness or Injury form or the Verification of Extenuating Circumstance(s) form.  Other forms of supporting documentation will be considered where needed.  

· Please email a clear scan or picture of your documentation (along with your student number, course code, and assignment/test/quiz details) to the GGE Academic Advisor ([email protected]).

· Please retain the original copies of your documentation.  If we need to verify your documentation, we will contact you with further instructions. 

It is your responsibility to follow the appropriate procedures and submit requests for special consideration on time. Failure to do so may result in the committee denying your request. Should you require further information regarding Special Considerations, please contact the GGE Academic Advisor ([email protected]).

Please note that the written explanation and documentation that you submit represent an appeal from you, requesting the opportunity to account for that portion of your grade in some other manner. If a special consideration request is not received, or if the special consideration request is denied, you will receive a grade of zero for the item you missed. If the special consideration request is granted – that is, your reason for missing the item is considered acceptable by the committee – your grade will be accommodated accordingly.

A Departmental committee evaluates each request. Decisions will be communicated by email within two weeks of receipt of all completed documents. Note: It is your responsibility to ensure your email account is working and able to receive emails.  Claims that a Departmental decision was not received will NOT be considered as a reason for further consideration. Contact the GGE Academic Advisor ([email protected]), should you NOT receive notification of your decision within 2 weeks of submission. 

· Academic Integrity/Honesty or Academic Offenses:

It is your responsibility as a student at the University of Toronto to familiarize yourself with, and adhere to, both the Code of Student Conduct and the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters.

This means, first and foremost, that you should read them carefully.

o The Code of Student Conduct is available from the U of T Mississauga website (Registrar > Academic Calendar > Codes and Policies) or in your print version of the Academic Calendar.

o The Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters is available from the U of T Mississauga website (Registrar > Academic Calendar > Codes and Policies) or in your print version of the Academic Calendar.

Another helpful document that you should read is How Not to Plagiarize, by M. Proctor.

All suspected cases of academic dishonesty will be investigated following procedures outlined in the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters. If you have questions or concerns about what constitutes appropriate academic behaviour or appropriate research and citation methods, you are expected to seek out additional information on academic integrity from your instructor or from other institutional resources. 

· University Plagiarism Detection Tool Conditions of Use Statement

“Normally, students will be required to submit their course essays to the University’s plagiarism detection tool for a review of textual similarity and detection of possible plagiarism. In doing so, students will allow their essays to be included as source documents in the tool’s reference database, where they will be used solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism. The terms that apply to the University’s use of this tool are described on the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation web site (https://uoft.me/pdt-faq).”

· How to Query or Challenge a Mark:

Please note that, according to UTM policy, you have one month from the date an item is returned to you, during which time you may query the mark or submit the item for remarking. Contact the Course Instructor in person or by email (@utoronto.ca) for all queries about course marks, or if you wish to challenge a mark. Absolutely no item will be remarked after the one-month period has passed.

Material submitted for remarking must be accompanied by a brief written explanation detailing your reasons for dissatisfaction with the original mark (such as an addition error, or something you think the marker may have missed). The item may be returned first to the TA who originally marked it. If you are still dissatisfied, it may be passed on to the Course Instructor for reconsideration. If a remarking is granted by an instructor, the student must accept the resulting mark as the new mark, whether it goes up or down or remains the same.