One of the most frequently cited goals for science educators has been to provide students with the understanding and skills necessary to engage in science-related civic issues. However, the details on what science-related civic engagement entails or what practices can accomplish this goal are amorphous. Strategies proposed to overcome this challenge include shifting attention from the top down visions of science understanding found in policy-document prescriptions to the everyday interactions individuals have with science. The constant across these strategies is that they bundle together the variety of interactions a layperson might have with some science-related issue including everything from personal health issues to local environmental worries. Using these guidelines, this project is an initial attempt to connect students with their communities <i>via</i> a writing assignment, thus fulfilling two learning goals: written communication, that is seldom addressed in introductory general studies courses, and a better understanding of their communities. By broadening the scope of issues that students could address, this project offered a platform for students to not only find issues they were passionate about but that also impacted their communities. Results from a survey detailing feedback about this assignment will also be discussed.

Using a writing assignment to promote civic engagement in a chemistry course for non-majors

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