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Future City Competition
Georgia Region
RM 150 Bldg. N, SPSU
1100 South Marietta Pkwy
Marietta, GA 30060

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SPSU Home >> Future City Competition >> RESEARCH ESSAY

RESEARCH ESSAY

SCORING                    UP TO 75 POINTS

DURATION                  APPROXIMATELY 10-12 HOURS                 

DEADLINE                   DECEMBER 14, 2012                 

 

In the RESEARCH ESSAY component of the FUTURE CITY COMPETITION students research the year's topic and write an essay (maximum of 1000 words) on how that topic influenced or shaped the design of their city.

 

THIS YEAR'S RESEARCH THEME

 
"Rethinking Runoff:
Design Clean Solutions to Manage Stormwater Pollution"
 
 
What happens when rain falls in cities?
            
Hard surfaces—like roofs, sidewalks, and parking lots—prevent rain from soaking into the ground.

Instead, rainwater turns into runoff. It flows quickly over surfaces, which can lead to flooding. As it moves, runoff carries pollutants into storm drains which empty directly into the waterways we use for swimming, fishing, and drinking water. In a matter of minutes, rain becomes stormwater runoff—a serious source of water pollution. Since a clean water supply is important to every city, it’s time to rethink runoff.

Instead of a nuisance to channel away, runoff can be a valuable resource. Engineers are designing new ways to manage stormwater that make city landscapes act more like natural landscapes. These help reduce runoff, increase the amount of water that soaks into the ground, and improve water quality. Whether your future city receives lots of precipitation or a little, you’ll need to think creatively about managing stormwater.

THIS YEAR'S RESEARCH ESSAY CHALLENGE:

Identify a stormwater runoff problem that is important for your city to manage and design a solution.
 
STORMWATER RUNOFF WEBINAR
 
 
LETS GET STARTED!
 
The national website has a step-by-step guide for moving through the RESEARCH ESSAY component of the Future City Competition. You can visit that site or follow along with the links below.

OVERVIEW

GUIDE STUDENTS THINKING

TIPS

ESSAY OUTLINE

RESOURCES

RULES AND RUBRICS

CHECK PROGRESS

TUTORIAL VIDEO

The video below is available on the national website and hosted on YouTube. It addresses the importance of good communication skills and has tips for writing a successful Research Essay.

 

SAMPLE RESEARCH ESSAYS

Did you know you can read examples of past winning essays on-line. Looking at past winners is a great way to understand what the judges look for and how to be competitive. Sample essays can be found on the National website under the SHOWCASE section. Just click on RESEARCH ESSAY in the FILTERBY section and update the results. Then click on an image and click again to read the essay. You can also click on the link below:

SAMPLE RESEARCH ESSAYS

CITATION

Don't forget about proper citation in your essay. Click the link below for the Future City MLA template.                 

MLA TEMPLATE

 IMPORTANT FORMS

The RESEARCH ESSAY RUBRIC explains the scoring of this important component of the competition. You should review it prior to getting started and cross check with it when your essay outline is fleshed out.                 

RESEARCH ESSAY RUBRIC

You will need to submit a RESEARCH ESSAY FORM as part of the paper work for the Competition. This form can be found under Competition Forms in the column to the left or you can download it by clicking on the link below:       

RESEARCH ESSAY FORM

 

BE A PART OF THE FUTURE! IMAGINE YOUR FUTURE CITY TODAY!