This is a research assignment that is intended to give you some insight to where your food comes from and the impact your food has on the planet and the people that inhabit it. 

GSSC1183 – Food and the City

1

ASSIGNMENT 2: FOOD ANALYSIS AND TRACEABILITY

INSTRUCTIONS
For this assignment, you are required to conduct some research on a chosen food/beverage
item.

Here are the items you may choose from (or you may choose a food you’re curious about):

Coffee Tea Bananas Sugar Potatoes
Cocoa Vanilla (Bean) Honey Beer or Wine Beef

Chicken Fish Strawberries Oranges (or any fruit) Almonds (or any nut)
Milk Eggs Caviar Lettuce (or any

vegetable)
Pop (or any carbonated

drink)

When researching, comment on the areas below. Use the guiding questions to help you. You do
not necessarily have to answer all the questions or all dimensions; use them to get you thinking.

Ecology What is the environmental impact of your item?
Does it contribute to environmental degradation or is it a sustainable product?

Politics How does government regulation impact your product?
Have there been any trade agreements or disagreements about your product?

Culture How has your product contributed to the erosion or strengthening of culture?
Is there anything historical you would like to share about this product?

Economics How profitable (or not) has this product been?

Where are the producers and/or manufacturers located? How does this impact
the product?

Does the manufacturing of this product raise any ethical questions?
How has technology changed the way we produce, manufacture and/or distribute
this product?
Do you have any comment about the workers that produce or sell this food?

SUBMISSION AND GRADING
Submit this assignment by going to BLACKBOARD  ASSIGNMENT 2: FOOD ANALYSIS AND
TRACEABILITY. Please upload your document in this section. Do not type your assignment in the
textbox. Use Word or PDF; Blackboard cannot read Apple’s “Pages”.

Write approximately 600 words. Be sure to cite your sources using APA or MLA style.

Due: Sunday, February 23, midnight
Value: 20% of final mark

GSSC 1183 – Food and the City

2

ASSIGNMENT 2: FOOD ANALYSIS & TRACEABILITY – EVALUATION FORM

Criteria 0 1 2 3 4 5

Content
(Discussion of
Sufficient
Dimensions,
e.g. ecology,
economics,
politics,
culture)

Dimensions barely
discussed

No details on how
food item relates
the dimensions

Dimensions discussed
in mostly general
terms

Very few details on
how food item relates
to dimensions

Most details are
illogical, not clear or
vague

Details are superficial

Dimensions discussed
in general terms

Some details provided
regarding links to
dimensions, but not
enough

Some details illogical,
not clear or vague

Details are superficial
and require more
thought

Dimensions discussed
with some detail

Details show how item
is linked to dimensions

Adequate details
provided between food
item and dimensions

Most details are logical
and clear

Dimensions discussed with
good detail

Details show item is linked
to dimensions

Good linkages made
between food and the
majority dimensions

Details are logical and clear

Details are thoughtful and
reflect some analysis

Details reflect the food’s
impact on most dimensions

Dimensions discussed
beyond the requirements
of the assignment

Links to dimensions are
clear and logical

All dimensions are
discussed in relation to
the food item

Details reflect analysis of
item as well its impact on
the dimensions

Analysis Analysis is missing Analysis exists, but is
not always logical, not
always on topic,
and/or does not lead
to conclusion

Analysis is mostly
logical, on topic and
leads to a conclusion

Analysis is logical, on
topic and leads to a
conclusion

Presents and explores
relevant contexts and
assumptions, although
in a limited way

Analysis is logical, on topic
and leads to a conclusion

Analysis attempts to
integrate and synthesize
some of the evidence

Analysis integrates and
synthesizes all the
identified sources of
evidence, is logical, is on
topic and strengthens the
conclusion

Analyzes the issue with a
clear sense of scope and
context

Connection
to Course
Concepts

Makes no
connections
between ideas and
course concepts

Makes an attempt to
connect ideas to
course concepts

Connections may be
illogical or superficial

Makes few
connections to ideas
and course concepts

Misses the majority of
connections that
could be made

Makes some logical
connections between
ideas and course
concepts

Some connections are
missed

Makes a significant number
of connections between
ideas and course concepts

References No in-text
references or
bibliography
included

In-text citations or
bibliography missing

Citation is not
formatted correctly

In-text citations and
bibliography included

Citation contains
some format errors

In-text citations and
bibliography included
and formatted correctly

Accuracy Writing contains
numerous major
errors – ideas not
clear

Writing contains
major errors and
these errors
sometimes affect
meaning in parts of
the paper

Writing contains some
errors, but meaning is
mostly clear

Paper is free of errors
and ideas are clear

/20%