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Interdisciplinary Minor in Global
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Three letters are required. As part of the requirements for this course, you need to write three letters concerning current environmental or ecological issues and deliver them to the instructor so that they can be mailed in a timely fashion. Each letter must be accompanied by a one-page background report. The deadlines for turning in the copies are listed on the syllabus. Make three copies of each letter: one to mail, one to pass in for credit, and one for yourself. Deliver the signed letter and the stamped addressed envelope (not sealed yet) with the extra copy to the instructor. The instructor will mail the letters. The letters must be delivered to the instructor so that they can be mailed in time for the deadline on the issue.
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Suggestions on writing letters are posted at Sample_letter. Instructions for the background reports are at http://darwin.bio.uci.edu/~sustain/issueguides/help/backup.htm
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How to find appropriate issues. You must write one letter on a local issue, one on a state issue, and one on a national or international issue. The web site for the course has a selection of issue guides from which you can select. You can also find relevant issues by reading the newsletters listed on the web site. Newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register are also good sources. Another source could be a Draft Environmental Impact Report, which often has to be published before a project gets approved, and is open for public comment for a limited time so that you can argue for or against several alternatives.
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Check your choices of topics with the instructor. You may also send a draft of your letter to the instructor and we will read them and make suggestions for improvement.
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Ask for a specific action. The issues targeted by your letters should be as specific as possible. . Don't just complain about something or ask for a general policy - for example, do not simply ask them to "do what they can to save the whales". Ask the person to do something specific. For example:
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Please introduce legislation to...
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Please co-sponsor the legislation that has been introduced by...
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Please vote yes on....
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Please vote no on....
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Please increase the budget allocation for....
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Please remove the budget allocation for...
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(For President or Governor):
Please sign Bill number....
Please veto Bill number...
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- Timing is important. It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to be sure the issue is timely. Please do not rely on the issue guides for this, as we do not have time to update all of them every day! A letter that reaches your representative after a vote is held is useless. A letter sent months before an issue is considered is likely to be forgotten. Your letters need to be completed, and the copies handed in for credit in a timely manner, i.e. before the decisions are made concerning the issue you're writing about. Don't leave it too late to get started or it may be difficult to find timely issues. For national issues, you can always get the Bill Summary and Status from THOMAS -- U.S. Congress on the Internet.
- Whom to address. The letter must be addressed to someone who is in a position to do something about the issue, and it must be sent before the deadline for action on that issue. For Bills in the U.S. Congress, write either to your House Representative or your U.S. Senator, depending on which house of congress is presently considering the bill. For Bills in the State legislature, write to your state senator or assembly member. For completed bills awaiting signatures (or veto) write to the President or Governor.
If an important issue is coming before a committee, where legislation is actually drafted, and if your own representative is not on that committee, consider writing to the committee chairperson and other key committee members. Also write to your own representative, asking that he or she convey your sentiments to the chairperson and other committee members.
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When you write to a committee or a commission, you should address separate letters to each member. For example, when you write to a
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You do not need an individual office address to write to a member of the U.S. Congress. The preferred address for all representatives, and senators, is as follows:
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The Honorable ____________
United States Senate
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The Honorable ____________
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For Environmental Impact Reports and other proposed actions open for public comment, the appropriate addressee will be listed in the report. In many cases the officials preparing the reports are required to respond and to publish their responses, with a summary of the comments, in the final report.
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You can also write a letter to the editor of a newspaper, either to bring up a new issue or to respond to one that has been the subject of an article, editorial or a previous letter to the editor. Note that some newspapers have a length limit, typically 150 words. This means you must choose those words very carefully!
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More sources of information. For the U.S. Congress, read Writing Congress - everything you need to write effective letters to Congress, in one place. Excellent sources of information about State issues and representatives are the California State Senate user's guide and tutorial, Official California Legislative Information and the California League of Conservation Voters - Ecovote Online page. Make sure that you address your letters to the appropriate person for each issue, (see California State Senate user's guide and tutorial). If you don't know who your representatives are, you can find out at http://www.govengine.com/stategov/california.html. Contact environmental groups both on and off campus. They have already done a lot of research on some issues and that can save you time.
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Don't plagiarize! Plagiarism is totally antagonistic to the principles of every educational institution. It replaces a useful learning experience with a pathetic exercise in cheating that will, sooner or later, get you into academic trouble. Don't do it!
Plagiarism means copying other documents or parts of other documents and passing off the copy as your own writing. It is very easy to plagiarize from the web; but this is no more acceptable than any other kind of plagiarism. Fortunately it is also very easy to detect and there will be severe penalties. Changing a few words to disguise the copying does not change the nature of the offense. DON'T DO IT!
Feel free to use material from web sites in researching issues, but DO NOT use or copy material from sample letters. It is OK to send copies of sample letters, but DO NOT hand them in for credit! Write your own letters! As far as the Bio65 writing requirement is concerned, use of sample letters will be considered plagiarism and you will receive no credit for such letters. -
Your letter and background report must be submitted to turnitin.com. You will be given a class ID so you can do this. In order to avoid confusion, please observe the following rules:
Do not include any quotes in either the letter or the background report. Both must be written entirely in your own words.
Do not repeat the questions in the background report. You can number your answers to match the questions.
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Format. Your letter should be typed, include the name and address of the addressee and the date, and include a return address. It should be one page long (single spaced), and should clearly state what issue you are addressing and what your opinion is on that issue. Introduce yourself and show that you have expertise. If you are taking a University-level course on Biodiversity and Conservation, that makes you better qualified than many other correspondents and your opinion might therefore carry more weight. Support your position with facts. It's a good idea to follow the suggestions in CFN Action Guide or Sierra Club's Activist Tips - Take Action. Look at your representative's voting record on related issues in the past, and comment on those votes (favorably if possible!). A recommended format is to organize your letter into three paragraphs:
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State your reason for writing and say who you are.
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State your position with supporting evidence. Include a relevant personal experience if possible. Refer to a bill by its specific number. Avoid emotionalism -- stick to the facts. Offer an alternative approach where appropriate.
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Request (not demand) a specific action, such as a vote for or against a bill. Ask for a reply and for more information. Offer your assistance.
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Grammatical errors will definitely lose you points. Read the link for examples.
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Spelling mistakes will also cost you points. Use a spell checker!
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Responses. If you get a reply, or if your letter gets published somewhere, please email the response to the instructor so we can share it with the class, or bring the response to class and tell the class about it!
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Background Report. You also need to write a one-page (single-spaced) background report to be handed in with each of your letters. It should cover the five points listed in the grading rubric, and these should be numbered accordingly:
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Grading. The following rubric will be used for grading letters and background reports:
Student ID Number: |
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Letter: |
Points (0-1.0 in steps of 0.1) |
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Addressed to an appropriate person, w/ correct address & date |
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Timely (decision not made yet) |
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Makes a definite recommendation for action |
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Persuasive & specific arguments, congenial ending |
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No spelling or grammatical errors |
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Background Report |
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Description of pending legislation or decision that can be influenced by writing letters |
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Description of the species /habitats being affected and their importance |
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Arguments in favor |
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Arguments against |
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Sources of information |
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Total points (Possible 10) |
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