Interpretive Essay on the Economics of Sustainability
Ecology, Economics, and Ethics, Fall 2011 

The ENST30501 course syllabus indicates this assignment: An interpretive essay of about 10 pages that explains the significance and role of economics in understanding sustainability. This assignment counts as 32 points toward your final grade.

The grading will be weighted at 8 points each for content, depth, coherence, and effective writing and presentation. Your task here is to demonstrate that you have grasped the course material and that you can explain the intersection of economics and sustainability. The essay is due on or before November 23, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day --- no class that evening.

This essay challenges you to synthesize your study and thinking about how economics intersects sustainability. That is, How does economics either support or undermine sustainability? Put another way, How does the economy relate to sustainability? The readings displayed in the ENST30501 course schedule focus on this overarching concern. The essay captures your thinking and study in an integrated and succinct essay.

Please examine a sample essay on this topic. Realize that the student was enrolled in the graduate school course, Economics of Sustainability, but the assignment was about the same. There were more readings, but I want you to get an idea of how this might be done well.

In the process of responding, you should display how your understanding of economics contributes to extending and deepening your understanding of sustainability. That is, the emphasis here is on sustainability rather than economics per se. (Again, economics is a means and sustainability is the end.)

Your interpretive essay is not a research project but your attempt to explain the meaning of the materials presented in ENST30501: readings, lectures, class discussion, videos. You may draw upon your background, but each of us brings our unique perspective to this task. There is no standard response.

I will grade your essay on two criteria, each worth 8 points:

1. Depth: Demonstrate a reasoned, thoughtful, coherent, and comprehensive understanding of the topic. Depth points to profound, in contrast to shallow.
2. Content: Demonstrate that you have assimilated the readings and other material of the course and reference them in your essay. (Simply refer to the readings by name. If you add your own, then cite them in the MLA or APA format.) Your essay should convey substance.
3. Coherence: Your essay must connect themes, concepts, and analysis into a coherent whole, rather than a mere list of topics. Further, the material must be a careful and comprehensive explanation of the substance of the course.
4. Effective writing and presentation: The essay should be clearly and logically presented, succinct, and intelligible. Eradicate filler and offer substance that is adequately documented. Expect to review and proofread your essay several times to meet this criteria. Obviously, the essay should be free of grammatical and spelling errors.

I will examine each interpretive essay with a fresh perspective. I want to know what your thinking is and how you have internalized the course material. I seek concernful thought and not a rote summary or outline. 

Your term project should be transmitted to me as a MS Word attachment sent to wkhayes@gmail.com.  Paper copies will also be accepted.

I look forward to reading your interpretive essays.