REPRESENTING CLIMATE CHANGE
Field Research Assignment (15%)
Please read the assignment carefully and complete each of the steps outlined in the instructions.
Find an organization that is actively working to promote climate (in)action and/or to make
demands for climate justice. Examples may include, but need not be limited to: campus groups,
environmental NGOs, advertising campaigns, corporations, think tanks, climate denial groups,
political parties, activist movements, and artist collectives. The assignment must have a
coherent essay structure that combines description, analysis, and scholarly research to develop
an argument about how this organization works to represent climate change.
Description of the Organization
Conduct in-person or online field research to learn more about the organization under study.
Write a short description that introduces and provides relevant contextual background on this
organization. Limit the description to 350 words and focus on the following questions:
• What type of organization have you chosen to analyze?
• Where is the organization located? What are its primary objectives?
• Who works for this organization? Who is responsible for decision-making?
• How does the organization represent climate change? (Ads, website, social media,
petition campaigns, art works, policy papers, political communication, etc.)
• Who is the target audience for these messages? (students, citizens, fans, customers,
social media users, etc.)
Research and Critical Analysis
Identify and carefully examine one campaign or strategy that this organization has used to
represent climate change to the public. Subject this example to critical analysis, developing an
argument that draws on at least one relevant course concept and one academic source from
your own research. Limit the analysis to 650 words and use the following questions to guide the
argument and analysis:
• What meaning is communicated by the chosen example?
• Does this message effectively represent climate (in)action or demands for climate
justice? Why or why not?
• What tactics were used by the organization to spread this message?
• How does scholarly research support your analysis of this communication strategy?
The field research assignment should be no more than 1000 words in length with standard 1-
inch margins and 12-point font. Additional pages are permitted for your bibliography, no cover
page is required. The assignment must include your name, a title, page numbers and proper
citations, using academic citation consistently.
Please save your assignment as a word document (.doc)
Field Research Assignment (15%)
Grading Rubric
Description of the Organization
1. Clear topic statement and introduction
• The introductory paragraph is effective at:
i) introducing the chosen organization
ii) introducing how the organization represents climate change
iii) introducing an argument concerning the effectiveness of one climate-related
communication campaign or strategy
2. Well organized and structured description that considers the following questions:
• What type of organization have you chosen to analyze?
• Where is the organization located? What are its primary objectives?
• Who works for this organization? Who is responsible for decision-making?
• How does the organization represent climate change?
• Who is the target audience for these messages?
Research and Critical Analysis
3. Coherent essay structure that combines description and analysis to develop a convincing
argument:
• Quality of argument and analysis
• Ample evidence provided to support the argument and analysis
• Reference made to at least one relevant course concept to support analysis/argument
• Reference made to at least one outside academic research to support
analysis/argument
Format
• Quality of writing (citations, spelling, grammar, etc.)
• Evidence that all instructions for format and citation were followed carefully
Comments
Grade:
