English 202A

English 202A Writing in the Social Sciences 

Course: English 202A -18Time: TTH 2:30 – 3:45 pmLocation: 2 Deike

Instructor: Xiaoye YouOffice: Burrowes 135Phone: (814) 863-0595Email: xuy10@psu.eduOffice Hours: TTH 1:00-2:15 pm by appointment 

Course DescriptionThe purpose of English 202A is to familiarize you with various types of research in social sciences and to help you learn to formulate ideas and create cohesive pieces of writing from the information you have collected. It will introduce you to a variety of researching strategies from which you should begin to develop your own approach towards research and towards the types of writing that are useful in your future career. The goals for this course include:  - Becoming more comfortable with the writing process (e.g., developing, drafting, editing, revising)- Learning how to identify and explore issues and questions- Improving critical reading skills- Developing and implementing your own research strategies- Learning how to filter and synthesize collected information for use in the development of a convincing and logical argument- Learning how to write ethically and responsibly, including using appropriate formats to document a variety of sources- Becoming more experienced with evaluating the work of others (e.g., peer critique)

Required TextsBonnie Stone Sunstein & Elizabeth Chiseri-Strater. (2002). Field Working: Reading and Writing

Research (2nd Ed.). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. Joe Glaser. (1999). Understanding Style: Practical Ways to Improve Your Writing. New York:

Oxford University Press.  Materials Many of the materials you will need for this class will depend greatly upon your own choices in the research process. However, minimally you will need a large folder or a binder with notebook paper (for in-class work and taking notes) and plenty of space to store assignments. You should also have a couple of computer disks to store and backup your work.

Course URLhttp://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/x/u/xuy10/Teaching/2006Spring202A/Index.htm

AssignmentsThere will be six primary assignments and some small exercises throughout the semester:  - Research Proposal (3-4 pages) –10 points- Observation Paper (4-5 pages) –10 points- Literature Review (4-5 pages) –10 points

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- Interview Report (4-5 pages) –10 points- Ethnographic Essay (8-10 pages) –20 points- Field notes (3 sets) –20 points- Exercises on style – 20 points All papers handed in should: (a) be typed; (b) be done in black ink on letter-size paper; and (c) have one-inch margins on all sides. Final drafts will be evaluated on the basis of content, organization, vocabulary, grammar, and conventions. The grading scale is as follows,

94-100 points = A 90-93 points = A -84-89 points = B 80-83 points = B -74-79 points = C 70-73 points = C -60-69 points = D 59 and below = F Plagiarism and Ethics You must do your own original work in English 202A and appropriately identify that portion of your work which is collaborative with others, or borrowed from others, or which is your own work from other contexts. Whenever you quote passages or use ideas from others, you are legally and ethically obliged to acknowledge that use following appropriate conventions for documenting sources. To borrow someone else’s work without acknowledging that use is an act of academic as well as professional dishonesty, whether you borrow an entire report, a single sentence or an original idea. If you have doubts about whether or not your use of your own or other’s writing is plagiarism, please come to see me and I will be happy to discuss it with you. Following this primary principle: Be up front and honest about what you are doing and about what you have contributed to a project. Any act of plagiarism will result in an F for this course and may lead to disciplinary action by Penn State University.  In addition to following the basic principles of fair use of others’ work, you are expected to adhere to another basic principle: treat others with the respect that you would wish them to grant you. “Others” includes the people you work for and with (classmates and instructor); the people you write to (audience); and the people you write about. In the classroom, this principle includes not talking while another person is talking and respecting others’ opinions even when they differ from your own.  AttendanceUniversity policy requires that you attend every class. In this class, you are allowed 3 absences before your grade is affected. Please note that I do not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences, so do not bring me any doctor’s notes, stories, or notes from your mother. If you contract a major illness or have some other significant problem which interferes with your attendance, please notify me as soon as possible, and we will discuss it. I reserve the right to fail any student who has missed 7 or more classes. Being excessively late for class also counts as an absence.  ResourcesThe Undergraduate Writing Center, in 219 Boucke, offers free tutoring in writing for students who need extra help. You can make use of their services on your own by dropping in at the Center or by making an appointment to see a writing tutor (814-865-9243). 

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Course Schedule

Week 1 (January 10, 12)Tuesday Course introduction

Course policy and schedule

Thursday Reading: Introduction to Fieldworking (pp. 1-6)Reading: Understanding Style (Chapter 1)*Choosing a Research TopicDiscussion: Possible Research Topics

Week 2 (January 17, 19)Tuesday Reading: “Body Ritual among the Nacirema” (pp.7-14)

Reading: Understanding Style (Chapter 2)Discussion: Stepping in and Stepping out Discussion: Possible Research Topics *Writing: “The Uniqueness of My Community”

Thursday Due: “The Uniqueness of My Community”Reading: “Friday Night at Iowa 80” (pp. 24-43) Discussion: Possible Research Topics*Choosing Your Field Site*Writing: Research Proposal & Consent Form

Week 3 (January 24, 26)Tuesday Peer Review: Research Proposal, 1st draft 

Reading: “Research Portfolio” (pp. 43-45)Reading: “Establishing Voice” (pp. 45-51) 

Thursday

Friday

Peer Review: Research Proposal, 2nd draft Reading: “Field Notes” (pp. 79-98)Reading: Understanding Style (Chapter 3)Practice Note Taking in Class*Writing: Field Notes

Due: Research Proposal, 3rd draft

Week 4 (Jan. 31, Feb. 2)Tuesday Conference

Thursday Conference

Week 5 (February 7, 9)Tuesday Due: Research Proposal, final draft

Reading: “Research Place” (pp. 217-247)   Reading: Understanding Style (Chapter 4)*Writing: Observation Paper

Thursday Reading: “Strike a Pose” (pp. 247-263) 

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Week 6 (February 14, 16)Tuesday Peer Review: Observation Paper, 1st draft

Reading: “Published and Unpublished Sources” (pp. 149-154)“MLA and APA Documentation guidelines” (pp. 475-488)Reading: Understanding Style (Chapter 5)Documentation Exercise *Writing: Literature Review

Thursday Due: Observation Paper, 2nd draft. Due: Summary Reading: Literature Review Samples Library ResearchReading: Summary, Paraphrase, and QuotationWriting: Summarize “In Roadville” (pp. 325-331)Searching for more sources

Week 7 (February 21, 23)Tuesday Conference

Thursday Conference

Week 8 (Feb. 28, March 2)Tuesday Due: Observation Paper

Due: Filed Notes (Set No. 1) Peer Review: Literature Review, 1st draft Box 6: Sharing Your Initial Notes (pp. 83-85) Reading: Understanding Style (Chapter 6) 

Thursday Due: Literature Review, 2nd draftReading: “Research Language, I” (pp. 293-303)Reading: Understanding Style (Chapter 7)*Writing: Interview Paper

Week 9 (March 7, 9) Spring Break. No Class.

Week 10 (March 14, 16)Tuesday Conference

Thursday Out of Town. No Class.

Week 11 (March 21, 23)Tuesday Due: Literature Review

Due: Field Notes (Set No. 2)Reading: “Research Language, II” (pp. 304-315) Reading: Interview (pp. 368-376)Reading: Understanding Style (Chapter 8)Writing: Box 23, 24 (Insider terms, jokes, sayings)Prepare 10 interview questions

Thursday Out of Town. No Class.

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Week 12 (March 28, 30)Tuesday Reading: “Ralph’s Sports Bar” (pp. 378-391)

Reading: Understanding Style (Chapter 9) 

Thursday Due: Interview Paper, 1st draft Peer Review: Interview Paper, 1st draft Reading: Understanding Style (Chapter 10)

Week 13 (April 4, 6)Tuesday Due: Interview Paper, 2nd draft

Reading: “From Details to Verbal Portraiture” (pp. 409-425)*Writing: Ethnographic Essay*Possible Sections for the Ethnographic Essay

Thursday Reading: “Questioning Your Draft” (pp. 425-436) Reading: “Thickening Your Draft” (pp. 437-447)

Week 14 (April 11, 13)Tuesday Conference

Thursday Due: Interview Paper Peer Review: Ethnographic Essay, 1st draft*Writing: Reflection Paper

Week 15 (April 18, 20)Tuesday Peer Review: Ethnographic Essay, 2nd draft

Thursday Conference

Week 16 (April 25, 27)

Tuesday Conference

Thursday Due: Ethnographic EssayDue: Reflection PaperDue: Research Consent Form Due: Filed Notes (Set No. 3)Course Evaluation

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Writing Sample: The Uniqueness of My Community Directions:  Everyone belongs to a variety of communities. For example, you can be a resident of a small town, a member of fraternity house, a marching band, a football team, an agriculture interest group, or an ethnic community. Choose a community that you belong to and write a short essay of about 500 words to describe things that make this particular community unique.

Choosing a Research Topic If you have not yet decided on a topic for your English 202A research, the following writing will help you analyze the options available for you:  1. Make a list of all the topics you would be interested in writing. Write down anything that occurs to you, even if it seems “dumb” or difficult. You can go through a phonebook to identify interesting subcultures or sites for research.2. Pick three or four of the topics that seem the most promising to you: Things that are most interesting to you and then follow all of the guidelines we have set for choosing a research topic. 3. Take some time to write on each of the three or four topics you’ve selected. Answer the following questions for each topic: - What would be the advantages of doing this project?- What would be the disadvantages of doing this project?- Why am I interested in this topic? What is it/about it that I like?- What are my preconceptions, biases, assumptions, and prior knowledge about this topic? Would these feelings get in the way of my research?- What possible people could I interview about this topic? Would these people be interesting to speak with? Why or why not? 

Choosing Your Field Site Picking your field site is one of the most important things you will do in this class. You are choosing a site that will be the topic of your research for this semester; if you choose a site that has a subculture that is fascinating for you, you will enjoy your research. If you enjoy yourself, chances are that you will put more time and energy into your research, which will result in a better grade for you. Follow these guidelines for choosing your field site. Choose a site you feel a connection with. This may mean choosing a site with a subculture you have had a lifelong interest in, or it may mean picking a site with a subculture you have recently become curious about. You may choose to “step in” to a site that is unfamiliar to you, or you may choose to “step out” of a more familiar site. Chose a site that you can reasonably “step in” and “step out” of. Sites such as your church, your fraternity, your sorority, or your job will be too difficult to research because you have such strong loyalties and commitments to the people there. You are so much a part of those subcultures you will not be able to remove yourself enough to write about them. It is also more interesting to find out about something new. Also strong negative feelings about a site can hinder your research. If the subculture at a site makes you very angry, upset, or repulsed, your

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feelings can get in the way of research.  Choose a site that is easy for you to access. You must pick a site in the State College area that you can access many, many times throughout this semester. You may be interested in mountain climbers or circus clones, but if you cannot easily access these people throughout the semester, you will not be able to complete your research. Also, you may need special permission to conduct research at some sites, such as public schools. If you cannot quickly and easily obtain permission for your research, you will not be able to finish assignments. Choose a site with a distinct subculture. Sites like airports, malls, and restaurants may cause problems for you because the people who frequent them have no connection to these sites. The more public a site is, the more difficult it can be to find a subculture. Also, if a site is too private—for instance, a group of close friends or a family—it may prove difficult to research. Ask yourself these questions when choosing your site: Do people at the site share feelings of belonging? Would they identify themselves as part of a group linked to that site? Do they use insider language? If your answers are no, your site does not have a distinct subculture. Choose a site that you can enter. Some field sites contain a subculture that is so closely knit that you cannot “step in” enough to conduct your research. Such a site might have a subculture that is too private or too hostile for you to talk to people or to just hang around and observe. Make sure your site has people that will be willing to give you information. Choose a site, rather than a topic. In this class, you will need to conduct field research, which means that you should start with a specific place you are going to research. Having a specific site will give you the opportunity to observe a subculture and interview its members, as well as to conduct library research and develop theories. Simply having a topic will lead you to a typical library research paper, which is not the object of this class. Choose a safe and legal field site. Some field sites may seem like interesting topics for your research, but illegal or dangerous activities that go on there make your research a hazard. Other sites might be dangerous to visit alone or at night. Think carefully about whether your site is safe enough to visit with no worries. In addition, make sure that your observations of the subculture are legal, (for example, do not choose to observe a bar if you are under 21.) It could be beneficial to choose a site that relates to your future career. Previous students have had success networking and learning more about a future career by choosing a field site related to that field of study. Be unconventional and creative. If you have an original idea for a field site that sounds interesting to you, I am willing to work with you if at all possible to make it happens. Research can be very enjoyable if you are excited about what you are studying—choose carefully, and have fun!

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Joe Doe 9999 Dormitory HallPennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park, PA 16802(814) 555-1212

Date

I give my permission to Joe Doe to use my written and spoken words in his/her research project written for Writing in the Social Sciences (ENGL202A) at The Pennsylvania State University. I understand that I may read and approve the final draft of the materials he/she uses about me in his/her project.

Signature __________________________________________________________________

Address ___________________________________________________________________

Phone number ______________________________________________________________

I prefer to use this pseudonym _________________________________________________

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Research Proposal 

Overview One of the most important things you do this semester is to pick a field site for your final paper. Most of the assignments we work on this semester will either contribute directly to your final paper or give you strategies and skills that will be useful for the final project. Because of this, it is very important that you pick a field site and subculture to study that you will find interesting and that is rich enough to build your final project around.  It is important that you follow the guidelines we established in class for choosing a filed site. You must pick a site in the State College area that you can access easily because you will need to visit this site numerous times over the course of the semester. You also must pick the site where the people of the subculture you wish to study will give you permission to hang around, take pictures, conduct interviews, make observations, etc. You MUST visit your field site and/or talk to them on the phone before you finish your proposal. You should not choose a site that is dangerous, difficult to access, too familiar to you, or too upsetting for you. Remember—you need to pick a field site AND a subculture! For this assignment, you will write up a proposal for your research project, and the field site you choose will be approved by me. Requests to change topics during the semester due to outstanding circumstances will be considered on a case-by-case basis. However, because all of our work throughout the term will lead up to your final paper, a topic change will necessitate rewriting all of the papers we have done to that point. For this reason, you should think carefully about the filed site and subculture you propose.  Goals for this assignment To gain practice in writing a research proposalTo analyze your preconceptions and biases about a subcultureTo practice giving and receiving feedback on your writing and the writing of your classmatesTo initiate contact with your subculture

The document you will produce Writing a 3-4 pages proposal on the field site and subculture you wish to study this semester. This paper MUST include:  - A description of the filed site and subculture you wish to study- The reasons you wish to study this field site and subculture- The preconceptions, assumptions, biases, and prior knowledge you have about this subculture and field site- The issues, problems, or larger concerns involved in this subculture and field site- The people you think would be “key informants” for your paper- Describe your first encounter with the people at your field site, whether it is by phone or in person- You MUST attach the permission form to your final Proposal or I will not grade it.

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Field Notes The field notes that you take for this class are vital to your final project. It is critical that you record objective facts and details as well as your reactions, thoughts, and responses to these facts. You should develop a system of field notes that is comfortable for you and easy for you to work with. You might need to develop a system of shorthand or some abbreviations for yourself so that you can write more quickly. It is important that you sit down with your notes after each visit to your site for 20-30 minutes. In this time, you should read through the observations you have made, add reflections when ideas occur to you, and make sure you (and your instructor and group members) will be able to read your notes in the future. The following are things that can be included in your field notes:  - Specific facts, numbers, details (i.e. signs, notices, number of people present, décor)- Sensory impressions (sights, sounds, textures, smells, tastes – be vivid)- The response of the members of the subculture to you (Do they notice you? Do they

approach you?)- Quotes that seem important- Summaries of conversations- Insider terms (reserving a page in your notebook just for insider terms and definitions is a

good ideas)- Questions about people and behaviors you see and want to investigate on future visits- Your thoughts, feelings, opinions, responses- Any possible meanings, patterns, issues, problems or tensions that occur to you- How do the members of your subculture interact with each other (formal, rowdy, cautious,

etc)- Physical description of the embers—clothes, haircuts, accessories, habits, logos, music, etc

—similarities and differences- Notes on cultural artifacts- Possible interview questions or topics- Possible informants- Possible written sources, magazines, handbooks, guidelines, as well as web sources and

library sources- Maps, diagrams, sketches- Interviews (the more interviews you gather, the more successful your project will probably

be)- What is the overall impression or felling you get from this site- Basically, anything that happens, anything you see, hear, etc, anything that you think of or

feel in response to your field site and subculture is fodder for your field notes. Double-Entry Field Notes- Left-hand column records observable facts and details in the field site- Right-hand column records the researcher’s subjective, reflexive responses to those facts

and details- Subjective responses and interpretations from right-hand column can be expanded during

reflections after you leave the field site- Examples of double-entry notes: P. 87. Your field notes should not only be double entry, but also should: - Be 5-7 pages in length for each set.- Include date, time, and place of observation.- Include page numbers (either continuous page number or for each observation)

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- Be legible. Your field notes will probably be handwritten. However, they must be legible to others because you will be sharing them with your group as well as with me.

- You must bring in both your original handwritten notes as well as a Xerox copy of them to hand in to me.

- Field notes will be turned in four times throughout the semester. Please keep an eye on the calendar for Due Dates

Observation Paper Overview As we have seen through the examples of ethnographic research we’ve read this semester, this type of writing includes quite a bit of description and concrete detail. Because, as the ethnographic researcher, you are not relying on the work of others, you must establish yourself as the expert. You will make statements about your filed site and subculture, and you must support those statements by including pertinent details. In other words, you will need to find a way for your reader to see your site through your eyes. In your observation paper, you will develop the descriptive and reflective style of writing you will need to create in the final ethnographic research paper, which will be similar to the examples we have read in class. I’d like to see you take this opportunity to develop an engaging and lively writing style through the use of first person (I, me), vivid details, original metaphors, and reflection on your field site and subculture. 

Goals for this assignment To use your field notes as the basis for a finished piece of writingTo consider, before you write, how you want your writing to affect your readerTo blend objective and reflexive writing into a cohesive pieceTo write using vivid and concrete details that appeal to the sensesTo incorporate conversation into your writing

The document you will produce  Write a 4 to 5 page observation paper that must include the following:  - First person writing (I, me) that blends objective detail with reflexive reactions.- A variety of sensory details (NOT only visual).- Concrete and vivid images and details that involve/impact the reader.- Writing that shows your readers the field site rather than tells them about it.- Word choice that creates and builds a mood, atmosphere, ambiance, etc.- Conversation summaries, quotes, insider terms, or stories that contribute to your

observations.- An introduction that draws the reader into your observation.- A logical organization scheme that leads your reader through the field site. This paper must be typed. It must have double-spacing, one-inch margins, and 12-point font. It should make use of a title, paragraphs, transitions, proper grammar, appropriate word usage,

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and correct spelling. If you have questions about the observation paper, you may make an appointment and visit me during my office hours.

 Literature Review Essay

In this assignment you will look for four pieces of publicly available published material to summarize. The published materials may be articles in journals, magazines, newspapers, or material from websites. Locate four publications you think will give you information that will be helpful in your final ethnographic report. You may have to locate more than four and select the best ones. Each of the publications you use should run at least 2000 words.  

This assignment has two main parts: 

1. a straightforward summary of each of the five documents, and 

2. a framework for the summaries.  

The framework is a normal introductory paragraph and one or two concluding paragraphs in which you briefly discuss the five documents together, perhaps linking the most important or interesting information you obtained from your four sources. 

You should decide which document you will summarize first, second, third, and fourth and provide some logical links between the summaries—for example, mentioning that the next summary contains a different type of information from the last, or elaborates on the information from the last, or approaches the topic from a different perspective. Remember to include a thesis statement in the introduction that will make it clear what the point of this paper is with its four summaries. Your literature review should run around 1500 words. 

Adapted from Leki, I. (1998). Academic writing: Exploring processes and strategies, Second edition. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Interview Paper Overview The interview is one of the most important parts of your ethnographic research because it allows you to gain an insider’s perspective on your field site and subculture. A good way to gain authority as a writer is to let the subculture you are researching speak for itself. It is this combination of your outsider and your informant’s insider views that that is key to writing a successful final paper. Your interviewee has insight about your subculture, and you give it order by identifying themes and issues and by unifying the information you collect into a damn fine piece of writing. This writing will embody the feeling of the interview—the sense of place and of the person you have interviewed.

Goals for this assignment - To identify key informants within your field site and subculture- To create a set of carefully premeditated questions that guide the interview to what you want to explore

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- To include a blend of place, description of person, paraphrase, dialogue, and direct quotation - To blend reflexive reactions and objective writing- To consider how you will represent an informant (the language you will use to describe that person, the way your reproduce a person’s speech, etc.) 

The document you will produce You will create a 4-5 page paper that must include the following: - Physical description of the informant and his/her actions, mannerisms, and personality- A description of the environment in which the interview takes place- A blend of a summary and direct quotation of the informant’s words and your conversation with that person- A blend of reflexive reactions and objective writing- A reproduction of the informant’s voice (imitation of the person’s real speech: “I wanna go” instead of “I want to go” if it reflects the person’s way of speaking)- Selectivity in the use of quotations, paraphrases, reflection, and description that illustrates the interview’s purpose It is important that your interviews and your interview paper have a purpose. I do not want to see a write-up of random questions and answers. Each questions you ask and each thing you include in your write-up should have a purpose and should contribute to a point. For example of interview write-ups in your text, see “The Anthropologist on Mars” (pp. 404-406), “Putting on the Face” on page 261 (a subsection of “Strike a Pose”), and interview with Ginny (a subsection of “Strike a Pose”) on pages 250-252.

(drum roll please…)

Ethnographic Essay—The Final Paper Overview Congratulations! You have made it to the end of the semester, and now it is time to synthesize all of your hard work into a damn fine piece of writing. Unfortunately you will not be able to include every bit of information you have collected through observation, reflection, interview, and library research—that would probably be enough to fill a book. You will have to give your readers a comprehensive view of your fieldsite, and you’ll need to choose information that develops the angle you are taking on your subculture. Each of you, I feel, has improved your writing with each paper you have done. This paper should be the culmination of not only your research this semester, but also of your writing. In this paper, you will have the chance to show how much you have learned about the skills we have practiced throughout the semester—acknowledging preconceptions as well as being aware of how they are changing, writing reflexively, including vivid and concrete language, selecting and incorporating quotations, and summarizing information when necessary. Goals for this assignment - To use all of the information you have collected as the basis for a finished piece of writing - To consider, before you write, the best information to include and organization strategy to

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use to present readers with a view of your fieldsite- To build credibility as an author (diverse sources and opinions, concrete description, insider

language, reflexive writing, etc.) - To blend objective and reflexive writing into a cohesive piece. - To write using vivid and concrete details that appeal to the senses- To incorporate many voices into your writing (informants, books, periodicals, Internet

sources, etc.)- Appropriate documentation of sources The document you will produce:  Write a 10-15 page final paper that MUST include the following: -         First person writing (I, me) that blends objective detail with reflexive reactions-         A variety of concrete and vivid images and details that involve the reader interspersed throughout the paper-         A cool title that expresses something about your subculture or fieldsite-         An introduction that draws the reader into your paper-         Writing that shows your readers the fieldsite rather than tells them about it-         Conversation summaries, quotes from informants, insider terms, stories, jokes, slogans, etc. that contribute to the overall picture you are creating interspersed throughout the paper-         A logical organization scheme that helps your readers understand your filedsite and your angle on it -         Information from a variety of interviews, as well as books, periodicals, and Internet resources interspersed throughout the paper-         An outsider or disagreeing viewpoint or opinion-         Proper in-text citation of books, periodicals, and Internet resources to triangulate your study of the subculture.-         A conclusion that ties together all the aspects of your paper and experience-         A works cited page that lists all of the interviews you conducted and other sources you used in your paper. This paper must be typed. It must have one-inch margins, and 12-point style. It should make use of a title, paragraphs, transitions, standard grammar, appropriate word usage, and correct spelling. If you have questions about the final paper, please talk to me in person.

Possible Sections for the Ethnographic Essay

  Preconceptions -         Note how they changed if a major process (remember “Photo Phantasies”)-         May include description of typical members of subculture-         May include prior experiences, etc.-         Analysis of where preconceptions came from-         Don’t forget positive preconceptions First Encounter -         Examples: “Photo Phantasies”-         Could include phone calls or visits

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-         What it foreshadowed about subculture (significance of first encounter—if not significant, not a good subsection)-         Should include a lot of reflexive and reflective writing Background/historical Info -         Only as much as your reader needs to understand your main point(s) and issues/problems/ concerns-         Could be about your site and/subculture-         Could be about the subculture in general-         Should point toward key issues/problems/concerns-         Should include reflexive and reflective writing Setting the Scene -         Should be description-         Shouldn’t be the only description in your paper!!!!!-         Should include people and the site they inhabit-         Should include reflexive and reflective writing-         Example: the intro of “Iowa 80”

Issue/Problem/Concern Driven Sections -         Your paper should include at least one of these-         Can include interviews, library research, observation, etc.-         Should include reflexive and reflective writing-         Shouldn’t be the only place your issues, etc. appear-         Example: “Iowa 80” Insider/Outsider Perspective Section Can include: - societies’ perception of the subculture; - the subculture’s perception of itself (good place for interviews and quotes); - the subculture’s perception of the stereotype- should include reflexive and reflective writing Telling Significant Anecdote -         Should try to be descriptive even if you didn’t see it personally-         Needs to point to the issues/problems/concerns-         Should include reflective and reflexive writing-         Example: “Photo Phantasies” running into cashier in beginning General Tips -         Some sections can be combined-         This is not a comprehensive list of possible subsections: BE CREATIVE! What do you think your reader would want to hear about? -         Some sections can appear more than once in your paper (especially issue-drive section)-         The subsections you choose can’t house all of the information you’ve collected this

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semester—some must be left out. Be selective and make your point.-         Subsections as a whole should provide an in-depth look at your subculture and the issues it faces-          Reflexive/reflective writing, observation, interviews, and library research should appear THROUGHOUT your paper in each subsection.

Reflection Paper

Reflection paper is an opportunity of communication between the instructor and the students at the end of the semester. In the reflection paper (around 400-1000 words single-spaced), you retrospect on everything that you have experienced in this class. You can talk about your general impression of the course, or you can comment on a few things more specifically that have stricken you. The following are some areas you might reflect upon:

1. What have you learnt through fieldworking and writing about your fieldwork? 2. How do you like the class activities, such as the lecture, reading assignments, class

discussions, peer reviewing in small groups, and also teacher-student conferences in my office?

3. What are your complaints and dissatisfactions about this course? 4. What were your expectations for such a course called “Advanced Expository Writing”

before you take it? Have you taken a writing class before that resembles the research-based writing pedagogy in this class?

5. Has this course enriched or changed your life in any ways?

Please send an electronic copy to me and also give me a hard copy in last day of class. Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts with me.

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