RESEARCH RESOURCES
This page includes various web resources that should be useful in the course, organized by assignment.
PROCESS ESSAY
Science:
Relevant Virginia agricultural data (how much of what is grown where) can be found here:
http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2007/Full_Report/Census_by_State/Virginia/index.asp
Relevant information on timber and forestry (how much of what is grown where) can be found here:
http://www.dof.virginia.gov/econ/stats/index.htm
For information on Virginia's geology, see the link below; see also the divisional data on mineral resources available at the same link:
http://www.dmme.virginia.gov/DGMR/Projects.shtml
If you click on the “Industry” tab, you can also find very specific information about the production of coal, gas, and other natural resources for each county (there are separate tabs for coal, gas, etc.).
Business:
Relevant information on Virginia's local economies (how much of what is made where, how many people are employed or unemployed, etc.) can be found here:
http://onthemap.ces.census.gov/
CAUSE/EFFECT ESSAY
If you are unfamiliar with specific events or important figures from your area, historical markers can be an important place to start. The link below connects the stories behind historical markers with their physical location:
http://dhr.virginia.gov/HistoricMarkers/
ARGUMENT ESSAY
Education:
The state department of Education is an invaluable source of statistical data. At the following link, you can find out about your school district's demographics, graduation rate, test scores, etc. Just follow the tabs:
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/statistics_reports/school_report_card/index.shtml
Religion:
Relevant information on which religious groups are prominent in different areas of Virginia can be found here:
http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/maps/StateMaps.asp
Government:
For help finding county and city government web sites see:
http://www.virginia.gov/government/federal-and-local
For help finding state representatives see:
http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/VGAMain
For help finding what your state representatives do and stand for (legislation/committees) see:
http://virginiageneralassembly.gov/membersAndSession.php?secid=1&activesec=0#!hb=1&mainContentTabs=0
For help determining the demographics of your area by party see (note this map allows you to go back in time and trace trends):
http://politicalmaps.org/2012-virginia-political-maps/
LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY
If you do not know which authors come from your region, the following interactive map will tell you (and, through links, inform you about what sort of literature the author wrote in which time period):
http://www.vate.org/litmapva/litmapva.htm
This page includes various web resources that should be useful in the course, organized by assignment.
PROCESS ESSAY
Science:
Relevant Virginia agricultural data (how much of what is grown where) can be found here:
http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2007/Full_Report/Census_by_State/Virginia/index.asp
Relevant information on timber and forestry (how much of what is grown where) can be found here:
http://www.dof.virginia.gov/econ/stats/index.htm
For information on Virginia's geology, see the link below; see also the divisional data on mineral resources available at the same link:
http://www.dmme.virginia.gov/DGMR/Projects.shtml
If you click on the “Industry” tab, you can also find very specific information about the production of coal, gas, and other natural resources for each county (there are separate tabs for coal, gas, etc.).
Business:
Relevant information on Virginia's local economies (how much of what is made where, how many people are employed or unemployed, etc.) can be found here:
http://onthemap.ces.census.gov/
CAUSE/EFFECT ESSAY
If you are unfamiliar with specific events or important figures from your area, historical markers can be an important place to start. The link below connects the stories behind historical markers with their physical location:
http://dhr.virginia.gov/HistoricMarkers/
ARGUMENT ESSAY
Education:
The state department of Education is an invaluable source of statistical data. At the following link, you can find out about your school district's demographics, graduation rate, test scores, etc. Just follow the tabs:
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/statistics_reports/school_report_card/index.shtml
Religion:
Relevant information on which religious groups are prominent in different areas of Virginia can be found here:
http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/maps/StateMaps.asp
Government:
For help finding county and city government web sites see:
http://www.virginia.gov/government/federal-and-local
For help finding state representatives see:
http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/VGAMain
For help finding what your state representatives do and stand for (legislation/committees) see:
http://virginiageneralassembly.gov/membersAndSession.php?secid=1&activesec=0#!hb=1&mainContentTabs=0
For help determining the demographics of your area by party see (note this map allows you to go back in time and trace trends):
http://politicalmaps.org/2012-virginia-political-maps/
LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY
If you do not know which authors come from your region, the following interactive map will tell you (and, through links, inform you about what sort of literature the author wrote in which time period):
http://www.vate.org/litmapva/litmapva.htm