Writing Assignments
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5 Main Points (5MPs)The readings assigned in this class have been selected to reflect a variety of perspectives in ethnography and the study of children. Please read the assigned material in advance. This is a seminar and you will be called on to lead discussion. To facilitate discussion and inquiry, 100% attendance and completion of reading assignments is expected. Any absence must be accounted for in writing. Further, each member is expected to bring insights to the discussion—there will be no on-lookers. As a way of structuring this activity, each student must complete ten 5MPs. These are brief written (typed) assignments that list the five main points in the particular reading assigned for a particular class. These will also serve as "sound bites" for you to refer to when called upon to contribute to discussion. Hence, although the 5MPs are designed to be brief, you must be prepared to defend your choices and elaborate on the points in discussion. For a research study also note topic, setting and methods employed. Also ponder the question being asked or the purpose of the study. What conclusions can be drawn? What generalizations can be made about child development or culture and children? Type up your 5MP and use these notes as "cue cards" for yourself as we discuss each of the articles/ chapters in turn. You will be randomly assigned to 12 articles/chapters for your 5MPs, spread out over the course of the semester. You only need complete 10, so you may skip or drop two. If you're absent on the day your reading is discussed, you may not hand in a 5MP. On the other hand, if you are present and have a 5MP due, you will be called on to present your ideas. The 5MP lists can be found on Bb under the “Writing Assignments” link. This is a pass/fail assignment. They are worth 5 points each for a maximum of 50 points. 5MPs only count if you:
You may use your collection of 5MPs and class notes on the Final Exam. |
Critical Summary Paper (CritSum)For this assignment you will write a 1-page typed review of an article-length anthropological study. The articles for the Critical Summaries represent a cross-section of the anthropological literature on childhood. Your CritSum will include:
A sample CritSum is provided on the Writing Assignments page to help you with basic format and layout. You will find a listing of the eligible articles on that section of the webpage as well. As soon as you are able, visit the Anthropology Reception Desk (Old Main 245) and sign out an article from the receptionist. Run a draft of your CritSum by one of your classmates, revise and then submit your draft to Blackboard. Your Rhetoric Associate (RA) will have access to your submission. She will read it and then meet, individually, with you to provide guidance as to how your paper can be improved. After your RA meeting, your draft will be sent back to you on Bb. You will then revise the (ungraded draft) paper and submit the final draft, again on Bb. See class Schedule for specific dates. I will grade them on technical proficiency, including spelling and grammar, thoroughness (evidence that you read the article and can summarize it) and analytical insight (evidence that you understood the article and can relate it to issues raised in the course). CritSums that meet these criteria will be posted to the Anthropology of Childhood Website in the Recommended Readings Section. Failure to meet deadlines, including your RA meeting, will have a severe, negative effect on your grade. Later in the semester you will present your CritSum to the entire class. These presentations should take about 5 minutes. Presentation dates are based on the article you select. The presentations will begin the class period after your drafts are due. Check the Semester Schedule to determine when your article will be “up.” The CritSum is worth 20 points. |
Ethnology ProjectYou are to carry out a small-scale study during the semester. I will work with you, individually, to plan your study and will consult with you during the course of the study. An ethnology is a comparative study where you drawn on several ethnographies of distinct cultures in order to look for underlying patterns of cultural variation or similarity. Broad similarity might be evidence of a biologically based, cultural universal. Variation might be due to differences in ecology or subsistence. A sample ethnology has been prepared by Annette Grove and you will find it in the Writing Assignments section of the class Homepage. The theme of the ethnology should relate to children, families and/or schools. Annette and I have compiled a sample topic list and you will find it in the Writing Assignments section of the class Homepage. You may select one of these topics or design your own study. Your ethnology should have a brief Lit Review stating the problem or general area in which you’ve chosen to explore (e.g. “How do fathers interact with infants?”). Then you will review the Evidence you’ve found, listing and providing brief descriptions of the particular phenomenon as described in several ethnographies. And, lastly, you will prepare a Discussion section in which you try and tease apart what the purpose or function of this particular phenomenon might be (e. g. baby-parading enhances mating opportunities). You have three possible sources. First, you can search on key terms in your topic in The Anthropology of Childhood: Annotated Bibliography that you acquired at the beginning of the semester. This Bibliography runs to 1500 pages. If you find promising sources, you may want to obtain the originals (good opportunity to learn how to use electronic library resources). Second, you can search various archives on your own
such as Under “Welcome” is a list of links. Follow the links for “Find Resources,” then “Electronic Journals List.” You can then click on the e-journal you wish to search. Off-campus access requires authentication, see library site for details. Third, the one source you are required to use is the Human Relations Area Files, a huge archive of ethnographic material. A class period will be set aside to discuss this assignment and to show you how to use HRAF (see Schedule). Your polished draft should be approximately 5 pages, including references. You will submit your draft by April 9th, on Blackboard. Your Rhetoric Associate (RA) will have access to your submission. She will read it and then meet, individually, with you to provide guidance as to how your ethnography can be improved. After your RA meeting, your draft will be sent back to you, via Bb. You will then revise the (ungraded draft) paper. Your final draft must be submitted on Bb by April 17th . Specific submission instructions can be found under the Writing Assignments link on Bb. I will grade them on technical proficiency, including spelling and grammar, completeness of the literature search and review, research design, adequacy of effort, clarity of writing, and originality of thought. The highest accolade will be to publish the best papers on the Anthropology of Childhood website. http://www.anthropologyofchildhood.usu.edu/ During the last week of the semester, you will share your results with your classmates. Each student will have approximately 10 minutes to present. Preferred style is to talk us through the study using prepared notes and overhead transparencies. There will be time for questions and discussion. Further instructions can be found on the Writing Assignment link on Bb. You can earn up to 60 points for your ethnology. Of these, up to 10 points will be awarded for sincere effort and timeliness. Up to 10 points will be awarded for the oral presentation with 40 points remaining for the written report. |
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