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Organization Analysis Essay

For this assignment, your task is to select an environmental organization (local, state, national, or international) and systematically describe/assess its work on water by promoting sustainability, conservation, and/or restoration; advancing environmental protection for aquatic resources; protecting or enhancing biodiversity in surface waters or wetlands; and/or exploring matters of ethics and water. Your writing doesn’t have to be overly formal (e.g., feel free to use the first-person point of view, if you wish, for readability), but your prose should be clear and your analysis rigorous. Cite all sources you use in APA format, including the organization’s website and related documents. Keep quoting to a minimum: emphasize your own words as you summarize info from the organization and analyze it.

Formatting guidelines:4-5 pages, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, 12-point font size. No separate title page is needed. Use the headings below under “Writing the Analysis” to organize your discussion.

Choosing an Organization

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of environmental organizations that work on water conservation and sustainability issues. Any of these, whether large or small, well-funded or volunteer only, are suitable for this assignment. I recommend you select an organization for which there is relatively abundant information, whether through its own website; news or magazine articles that profile the organization; documents, videos, or projects that it has produced; interviews its staff have granted; etc.

Writing the Analysis

As you research the organization, take notes on it according to the analytic categories and questions below. Feel free to think of your own questions that relate to these main categories. Use the organization’s own sources about itself, but also use online research tools to look up sources that might shed an alternative perspective on the organization; and/or do a bit of digging on its key people. You should organize your discussion by using the following headings for your paper.

Introduction to the Organization

A basic overview of the organization: How big is it? Where is it located and when was it founded? Who is in charge of it and where can we find basic information about it? What in particular is it noted for and how well-known is it? What about it appeals to you and why did you choose it for this assignment?

Mission and Scope

What is the organization’s formal mission, if it has one explicitly stated? What do you make of that mission statement? How wide or narrow is the scope of its work? What kinds of issues, projects, problems, etc. does it address?

Relevance to SUST 220 Issues

Discuss the organization’s connection to sustainability and water. Note and assess its relevance to the more specific themes of SUST 220: conservation, water quality, pollution, wastewater management, wetland ecology, environmental justice, sustainable development, etc.

Authority and Credibility

How authoritative is the organization? Who are the official voices within the organization (one person or many)? Do they speak for a wide constituency? Are their views/efforts/projects respected and valued? (and if so, by whom?) What kind of credibility do they have as a source of information, for example, as an advocate for water conservation?

Political Perspective and Espoused Values

What kind of political/ethical perspective does the organization espouse? Does it present itself as an objective source of information, and if so, is that presentation persuasive? How important or central a role does science play in this organization? If it advocates for a particular position, assess that advocacy: is it radical, moderate, non-partisan, or something else? How is the organization funded? Is it a non-profit or for-profit enterprise? What does it do with its money, as far as you can tell? Bear in mind that few if any organizations are truly objective; indeed, the claim of objectivity may mask a subjective and self-interested perspective. Therefore, advocacy of a particular value system, ethical framework, and/or political position does not necessarily imply a flawed bias.

Usefulness of Website and other Sources

Assuming that the organization has an online presence (website, Facebook page, Twitter feed, etc.), how useful and well-constructed are those online sources? What kinds of things do you learn from them? If you located other sources of information about the organization, note them here and briefly discuss their accessibility, usefulness, etc.

References

Use APA style and hanging indent format, as in these examples:

Bukro, Casey. (February, 1985). Deep Tunnel carving out respectability. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1985-02- 25/news/8501110375_1_deep-tunnel-chicago-river-pollution-control.

Winters, M., Brauer, M., Setton, E. M., & Teschke, K. (2010). Built environment influences on health transportation choices: bicycling versus driving. Journal of Urban Health, 87(6), 969-993