5.10 Chapter Assignment
Plagues & Pandemics Assignment
This chapter’s materials focused on four notable pandemics in human history. For this assignment you are required to select another pandemic and write a short essay (1000 words in length, give or take 100 words) in which you answer a series of questions about that pandemic (see below). The pandemic chosen for the assignment CANNOT be among the four pandemics focused on in this chapter or SARS.
It is important to: (1) complete all chapter materials (chapter content, including all embedded links to readings and videos, and the required course materials) prior to starting the assignment; and (2) cite relevant course material (from current and previous chapters) and material from your research on your chosen pandemic throughout your assignment to support your points, credit sources of concepts/ideas, and demonstrate completion of assigned course materials.
Information about some pandemics may not be available, as data was never collected, documented, made public, etc. Some information about the pandemic may be speculative or theoretical in nature. Keep these factors in mind when selecting a pandemic for your assignment and framing your answers to the questions below. If you start your research and find minimal and mostly speculative information, it is recommended that you switch to a different pandemic.
Assignment Formatting, Style & Length
- Assignments formatting requirements: Arial 12-point font; 1 inch/2.54 centimeter margins; single spaced; APA in-text citation style, reference section and cover page.
- Use proper essay/paragraph style.
- Use APA in-text citation style to support points, credit sources of concepts/ideas, demonstrate research completed for assignment and completion of assigned course materials.
- Paraphrase as opposed to relying on direct quotes.
- Proofread your submission to make sure it is clear, well written and intelligible.
Steps to Completing the Assignment
- Identify a pandemic that is NOT among the four focused on in the chapter materials, NOR SARS.
- Research the identified pandemic and find a minimum of 6 sources (in addition to the chapter materials) to help you answer the assignment questions below. No more than 2 of the sources can be media-type resources. The remainder must be academic sources (i.e., peer-reviewed journal articles and books) and reports from government and non-governmental organizations (i.e., NGOs).
- Write a 1000-word essay (give or take 100 words) on the pandemic you have chosen that answers the questions below (ALL questions MUST be addressed in your essay).
- Support the points/arguments you make in your assignment with in-text citations that reference the materials you have found in your research AND those that are in the chapter and eBook. In-text citations to support your points/arguments are essential and required. Be sure to use a diverse range of course materials (from current and previous chapters) as opposed to relying heavily on one, or a few sources.
- Develop an APA style reference section for all material cited (only material cited in the body of the paper can be included in a reference section).
Assignment Submissions Must Include
- Proper APA style cover page.
- Properly sourced, essay style written report addressing the questions below.
- Proper APA reference section that contains all the material cited in the assignment.
Assignment Questions
NOTE: Answers may not be available for every question. If more than a few of the details required to answer the questions are missing, it is recommended that you either do more research or switch to a different pandemic for the assignment.
- How/why is this considered a pandemic?
- When did the pandemic start and end? How many waves occurred and when?
- Where is the pandemic believe to have originated?
- How did the pandemic spread?
- How many people were infected? Once infected, what percentage of people survived? Were there lasting health impacts of infection? What were they?
- How many people died?
- Is there a vaccine to prevent the disease? When was it developed? How effective is it?
- Is there a cure once infected? When was it developed? How effective is it?
- Does the disease persist in the 21st century? When were the most recent diagnosed cases? When was the latest outbreak? Where have recent diagnosed cases or outbreaks occurred?
- How did humans respond to the pandemic?
- What were the social, economic, and political impacts of the pandemic?
- Identify 2 commonalities and 2 differences between the pandemic you identify and the COVID-19 pandemic.