Research Assignment No.1 –Surveying

This assignment entails observing the physical space and its social uses of your block (or
neighborhood). The following are some of the questions that you can think about while doing
the observation:
• What forms of land use do you see? Do you see mostly businesses, residences, or
public areas?
• What do the buildings look like? What kinds of signs do you see? Do you see
graffiti, murals, or public art?
• What kinds of sidewalk activities do you observe? Who uses public areas? Is
there a variation in terms of who uses these areas at different times of the day?
To complete this assignment, you will write a 750-word paper in which you draw on
course readings and discussions to report on your observation and conclusion. You have to
relate your observation to at least 3 class readings.