Download WRITING LONG ESSAY

WRITING TERM
PAPER
Dr. Alex B. Owusu
What is your Research Topic
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Clear statement of topic
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Understanding what you want to
write
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Where and how
How to begin
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Comprehensive Proposal
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Work Plan
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Meeting Schedules
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Literature review
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Field Design
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Analysis and final Report
Proposal
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Introduction
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Background to the study
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If I want to study Desertification
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The nature of desertification
What we know
What we don’t know
What remains to be known
Proposal
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Problem Statement
Concise statement of what the
student seeks to understand
 Or what the study seeks to
unravel
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Eg. In a study of desertification in the
upper East
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Quantify the extent of desertification
What are the anthropogenic drivers
What do local people know about
desertification
Objectives
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Objectives are actionable
statements
The are specific things you will
do to solve your problem
Break your research problem to
actions, which will provide
answers to your research
questions
Proposal
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Hypothesis/propositions
H1
 H0
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A is not likely to be caused by B
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There is likely to be linear
relationship between C and K
Proposal
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Conceptual Framework /
Theoretical Framework
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A theory or model for analyzing
your work
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Eg. In study of crime my conceptual
framework or theoretical framework
is:
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Predator – prey
Ecological framework
Proposal
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Methodology
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Types of data required for the work
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Source of data
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Provide a list
Where are you going to get the data
Object of measurement
Indicators
How you will collect the data
Data Analysis
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For example in crime study I will like to use
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How are you going to analyze the data
spatial Autocorrelation analysis
In the study of desertification
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Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and apply
Multispatial validation Technique
Proposal
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Rationale
Why is this study necessary
 What contribution is the study going
to make
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Proposal
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Preliminary notes on the study
area
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Summary of the study area
Proposal
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Expected Results
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What do I expect from this study
LITERATURE REVIEW
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After your long essay you would have told us
a story
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The story line
Give background to the problem
 Tell us what others have said about the problem
 What others have said that are consistent,
inconsistent, complete, incomplete, what needs
further explanation and why
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This part forms your literature review
Study Area
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Geography of the study area
Location
 Physical geography
 Other spatial attributes
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Social and economic
Characteristics of the area
Analysis
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Process the data collected and write
about the results of the analysis
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Spatial
Attributes
Opinions
Similarities and differences
Percentages
Cross tabulations
Spatial correlations
Graphs
Maps
Charts etc
Conclusions
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Summary of key findings
Conclusions drawn
What do you recommend based
on findings and conclusions
drawn
References
Departmental requirements
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Citing in the text
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Kwasi Acheampong 2000 (Acheampong 2000)
Alex Barimah Owusu 2009 (Owusu 2009)
Website
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Daily graphic on Thursday September 3rd on Ghanaweb
In the text (Daily Graphic 2011)
References:
Acheampong, K., (2000). Theories of Crime in Ghana. Ghana geographic
Journal; 21, 112-133
Agnew C., Warren A., (1996). A framework for Tacking Drought and Land
Degradation, J. Arid Environ. 33, 309-320
Owusu, A. B., (2009). Desertification and its impact on food security in the
Upper East Region, Ghana. Journal of Arid lands. 46, 33-45
Wesites:
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Daily Graphic www.ghanaweb.com 03/09/2011
Rules
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15 pages
Double spaced
number
Consistent and consecutive
numbering of tables and figures
Topics
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Monitor vegetation growth on the lower Volta.
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Monitoring urban sprawl with remote sensing, a case of
kasoa.
Application of remote sensing to monitor desertification in
Upper West.
Application of remote sensing to monitor thermal
emission, a case of Accra.
Analysis of deforestation pattern in the Nzema district
using remote sensing.
Assessing the impact of gold mining on the land a case
study Kyebi.
Using remote sensing to analyze vegetation cover
change over time. A case study of Amenfi west district
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Land cover and land use in Ghana, a
study of Tamale.
Monitoring forest cover change of the
forest zone of Ghana from 1990 to 2000
Analysis of deforestation patterns in
Aburi since 1990 to 2000
Impacts of small scale mining on
agriculture, a study of Tarkwa.
Assessing the nature of vegetation
change in Afram Basin
Assess the impacts of the Bui dam on
vegetation cover
Assess land use or land cover change of
the Akuapem range
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ASSESSING URBANIZATION IN GREATER
ACCRA.
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EVALUATING URBAN EXPANSION AND LAND
USE CHANGE IN WESTERN REGION
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QUANTIFYING FOREST COVER CHANGE IN
AZIM FROM 1990 TO 2000
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QUANTIFYING HUMAN SETTLEMENT AROUND
THE RIVER VOLTA FROM 1990 TO 2000