Class Assignments

English 130E – Fall 2019

Project #2 – Academic Shark Tank

Persuasion

Writing has the power to create action. Consider the ethnography you’ve written for this class. You have learned the research techniques necessary to identify, describe, and analyze a microculture. Now you will transform your research into action.

This project begins where Project #1 ended. In your paper’s conclusion, you identified your areas of interest for future research on the topic. This is the information you will use to create and present a persuasive argument or appeal.

Mission: Persuade a panel of ‘billionaires’ to invest their money in your research! You will have 2 minutes and 5 slides to persuade the ‘Sharks’ to fund your work.

See the class presentations here!

Project #1 – Ethnography

Writing Our Stories

Think about the microculture you have chosen for yourself. Describe it in terms of the other people involved, what you all have in common, and how you interact. Write about one aspect of the group as an insider. Your research paper will inform your readers about this aspect of your microculture and your role in it. Describe how this group is valuable to you and how being a member has affected your life. Identify and analyze at least one artifact. Remember, this is a story about you and your life. Dig deep and learn about yourself while you practice the Habits of Mind.

Purpose:

To apply the methods of ethnography discussed in class (observation, finding informants, interviews, field notes, thick description, artifacts)
To write a research paper summarizing your findings
To participate in peer review and revisions during writing
To learn more about the various cultures represented in our class

Audience:

Your audience will be your classmates, who will learn about an aspect of your chosen microculture. Relate information in a way that you would find interesting.

Artifacts of the ABA-AGA-ATA-AVA-AMA-AHA Tribe

Artifacts are an important characteristic of ethnography. What is an artifact?

A simple, handmade object (such as a tool or ornament) showing human workmanship; especially, an object remaining from a particular time period. Examples: stone tools, pottery vessels, metal objects such as weapons, and items of personal adornment such as buttons, jewelry and clothing.

How are they useful?

Primary Evidence – Artifacts provide concrete sources for researchers to arrive at conclusions about the past. They can be examined, dated, tested, and applied to the context of their time period. They add a physical dimension to text-based sources.

Extend Knowledge – A cooking utensil from a lost or ancient group of people can help to determine many things about the culture which used it, such as what they ate, how advanced their tools were, and how they prepared their food. This information can provide insight about the hunting habits, food practices, and social customs of the people.

Assignment: Artifact Report

Working in pairs, co-write a part of the tribe’s history using an artifact discovered on their land.

What is the artifact called?

How did the people use it? What was its purpose?

When did they use it? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? Only on certain days?

What does this artifact tell you about their culture?

American Surprises

Five-Paragraph Cultural Essay:

The class will read the article The Land of Big Groceries, Big God, and Smooth Traffic: What Surprises First-Time Visitors to America . Compose an essay about a surprising experience you have had in the US. Use the first-person narrative voice. This essay will use the ‘sandwich’ format:

Paragraph 1: Introduction with a ‘grabber’, background information about you that relates to the thesis, and your thesis statement.
Paragraphs 2-3-4: One topic each, with supporting points.
Paragraph 5: Summary of your thesis and a ‘clincher’ statement.