The outline format: Your outline must be formatted as described. Please note that this format will be assessed in your grade:
Use an alphanumeric sequence
Sections should be indented and aligned
Follow the suggested order of the required elements
Use brief and bulleted but detailed and descriptive phrases.
The required elements: Your outline should contain the following elements in this order:
I. The Introduction: This section previews your topic and the details you will cover in the body of your presentation. It should be very brief, but include:
A. The food, cuisine, invention or idea that you are going to discuss.
B. Why you chose this topic.
C. A preview of the regions where your topic has developed and then diffused to.
II. The Body (Content Sections): In the body, you must address how the four geographic concepts mentioned in the presentation instructions (regions, cultural landscapes, diffusion, and distance decay) relate to your topic.
A. Regions: Discuss the origin region or regions of your topic, with specific attention to the geographic qualities of the region that influenced the development of your topic.
B. Cultural Landscape: Discuss how the landscape in the region(s) described above have been shaped by the culture that gave rise to your topic, and how your topic might be reflected in that landscape.
C. Diffusion: Discuss how your topic has diffused from its origin. Where has it diffused to? What factors led to its diffusion there? What kind of diffusion has it experienced?
D. Distance Decay: Discuss how your topic has changed as it has diffused away from the region(s) of its origin. Explain these changes with reference to the geographic qualities of the regions it has diffused to.
III. The Conclusion Section: this section should contain four to six points that sum up the main points from the body of the outline.
Start your conclusion with one sentence summarizing some basic information about your topic.
Continue with a brief summary (1-2 sentences) about the important characteristics of its origin region(s).
Include a brief note about relevant cultural landscapes.
Include a brief summary (1-2 sentences) about the diffusion of your topic and the distance decay it experienced.
Wrap up the conclusion section with a closing note that provides brief information about why this topic was of interest to you, and a fact about your topic you found interesting.
IV. Reference section: This is not just the reference page; rather, referencing should occur throughout the outline as it will in your presentation. Therefore, your outline should include both a separate reference page containing a minimum of five sources listed in proper APA reference list format AND internal citations throughout the outline where appropriate. Please be sure to see the resources below for assistance regarding in-text citations and reference list formatting, and/or ask me if you have any additional questions.
Please make note of the following tips and tricks:
I understand that this is a rough draft and, as your research and writing continue over the next few weeks, details may be added or changed. Although you do not have to resubmit it to me, I recommend that you update this outline to help you best complete the Final Presentation.
Write your outline so that it has detailed bullets that you can easily then flesh out into sentences for the narration of your Final Presentation.
After your outline is complete, I recommend that you next draft your introductory and conclusion sections for your presentation. This will ensure that all the main points of the outline are incorporated in these two framing sections of your final presentation.
Please note that less than 10% of your outline or presentation should be direct quotes.
All internal citation references should be listed on the reference page, and vice versa.