Three topics - Select ONE European country and then summarize THREE different issues affecting that European country today. - 4% of final grade.

Summary 1 - Pick just one out of the three topics in your first assignment and describe it. - 18% of final grade.

Summary 2 - Find another two articles on the same topic that provide different/contradictory points of view. - 18% of final grade.

Discussion - Find another two articles on the same topic, read them, integrate them with your previous summaries and provide your own point of view on the issue. - 40% of final grade.

Class participation (through class exercises and quizzes) - 20% of final grade.

PLAGIARISM: the Department of English has decided on a no-tolerance rule on plagiarism. Any kind or AMOUNT of plagiarim will result in an "F" grade for the whole subject with no option to withdraw. More information

This subject counts as one of your writing requirements. As such, we will be helping you to improve your writing. Every assignment has been designed to help you focus on a few specific writing elements. Initially we just ask you to use academic English (not informal English) and to write sentences that can be readable. Later assignments will evaluate how well you can summarize key ideas and provide your own.

To help you with all of this we have created some “writing instruction” material (simple ideas, easy to implement) that we’ll be sharing with you during class. We will be giving you feedback on your writing and, hopefully, help you write good essays. We will be evaluating your writing together with the content you write, your critical thinking skills, the organisation of your text and how you use references. Have a look at the rubrics (each element evaluated will have the same weighting but remember not all elements will be evaluated in all the assignments).