Assignment

Write your answers to the following questions in Short Essay Format. Be sure to include reasons and facts as required to support your answers. Total length of response for this assignment needs to be a minimum of two (2) full pages total for both questions; maximum response is four (4) pages total for both questions. Use MS Word or its equivalent. Convert to Adobe Acrobat (pdf) and submit it via Canvas.

Task

Using your own opinion, answer both questions 1 and 2:

1. What innovations or invention (technology) had the biggest impact on civilization throughout history, and why? Think broadly and reflect on technologies that we cannot live without. The technology that you choose must be at least 100 years old or older. Consider how civilization has been affected by this technology over time.

2. What innovations or invention (technology) had the biggest impact on civilization within the past 100 years, and why? Exclude the obvious ones, such as computers, the internet, cell phones, automobiles, and airplanes. Consider how you personally and society have been affected by this technology over time.

Formatting:

Text Size: All of the text in this assignment needs to be set in 12-point size. Please resist the temptation to mix and match point sizes. If you doubt your applications intentions, just select all of your text and insure that it is in 12-point size.

Double Spacing: For this class select all of your text and set it for double spacing. This includes the name block, title and body of your work. This allows space for marking up or making notes while I am reviewing what you have written.

Margins: One-inch margins mean one (1") on all sides. The only text that ends up on the outside of the one-inch margin is the page number.
Name Block: Place the name block in the upper right corner of the page. In this class, the name block should only be on the first page. Put your name first, then the class title and then the date. Please see the example on the next page.

Spelling/Grammar Checking: Remember to do your spelling and grammar checking before turning in your assignments. When doing the spelling/grammar checking keep in mind that some words such as mush and must, woods and words, or there and their, will not be caught by either check. To correct these problems, you will need to proofread your work. I proofread a hardcopy as my last step.

Paragraphs: The first word of the first sentence in a paragraph needs to be indented. At the end of a paragraph, do notinsert an extra blank line. The indentation serves as the visual clue that there is a new paragraph.

Page Numbers: Any homework that has more than one page, needs to have page numbers on it. Please place your page numbers on the bottom of the page. In MS Word, use the footer selection and place the page number in the bottomcenter or at the bottom right of the page.

Content:

Opinion: When a question asks for your opinion, its answer is exactly that - your opinion. Feel free to use your ownopinion, but it is good to back it up with some references.

Stating the Question before Answering It: While some reports require that you state the question before your answer, please refrain from doing so in this class. If you place the question before your answer, you will lose points. I suggest starting the first paragraph of the response to each prompt with something like "In my opinion the technology with the biggest impact prior to 1900 was ...". Feel free to say something different.

Short Essay Format

Short essay format is a format that requires at least two paragraphs for each answer. Please remember that a paragraph is not just one, two, or three sentences in length.