FINAL ESSAY OF THE QUARTER

TIPPING POINT : For this assignment, you will upload the final draft copy of your essay to turnitin.

 

The essay should be attached as a Microsoft Word document and should be about 4 pages in length, double spaced.

There are two essay topics to choose from.

Write a 3-4 page double spaced essay on one of the following topics:

1. How might one or more of the ideas in the book The Tipping Point apply to your chosen profession or your major?

2. Locate a trend [social, political, cultural, or other] that seems to exhibit a "tipping point" phenomenon. Provide a brief explanation of why you think this phenomenon meets Gladwell's three criteria for tipping point phenomenon: a) contagiousness b) little causes having big effects c) not gradual but dramatic change.

THIS ESSAY IS DUE TO TURNITIN.COM BY JUNE 9TH, THE LAST DAY OF THE QUARTER. You are more than welcome to bring me a rough draft to revise with you or to turn in the essay early. I have had some great revision-interactions with some of you and would be more than happy to continue that practice!

HERE ARE SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS THAT MIGHT HELP YOU PROCEED--OR THEY MAY CONFUSE YOU MORE---BUT i HOPE NOT!

The Tipping Point is a book that has applications all over the place, so if you have an idea and want to get some conformation on it, post it here--or email me.

Here are some examples that I have thought about in the past week:
>>>food culture(ever since the original Iron Chef, food has become an obsession in the U.S.);
>>>wine culture;
>>>reality tv (be careful--this is not a simple issue)
>>>sushi (seriously, there was a time when Bako had no sushi restaurants);
>>>barefoot running(even Nike now has minimalist shoes);
>>>mud races, color me rad races;
>>>cancer awareness walks;
>>>paper or plastic? ecological awareness;
>>>ipads in the classroom;
>>>common core in education;
>>>slavoj zizek(if you are a philosophy major, you might know him);
>>>ted talks;
>>>digital data storage in hospitals;
>>>smart infusion patient care;
>>>robotic surgery;
>>>various ideas regarding globalization in business(read the World is Flat if you have not);
>>>neuroplasticity in kinesiology.
>>>low carb diets (Bako used to have a krispy kreme. It was killed by the low carb diet trend--so sad!).

That was just a quick brainstorm. People often write about Facebook or other online issues, os if you choose that route, do something unique! But for each of those topics listed, there are implications that can be gleaned by examining the idea in light of the Gladwell book.

Enjoy!

dr. s