REFLECTION
ESSAY on WIKI
As a group, please write a joint essay (no longer
than 7-8 pages) reflecting your experiences in AMS110: American Identities that addresses
one or more of Essential Questions
outlined in the syllabus OR one or more of the following questions:
What
did we get out of reading about and discussing issues of identity in American
Studies? How have the readings and discussions changed the way we view "Americans,"
"American culture," popular culture, power and difference? How do we
see this course fitting into our overall KU education and our lives outside of
the university?
In answering the
above questions, you must make meticulous, well-cited, productive use of the
texts we have discussed in class.
Please construct this essay collaboratively. You will build this piece
by piece on the Wiki tool, using your group Wiki inside the Reflection Essay
button. Each group needs to organize parts and also organize editing and an
approval system to decide when the essay is complete and offers an analysis
that is agreed to by the group. There will be time in class to discuss this,
but also use email to the group and comments inside the Wiki tool.
Your
grade will be based on the following components:
Proposal 10%
Final
Reflection Essay 20%
Total 30%
(of Final Grade)
TIMELINE
|
R
7/10 |
Proposal
Due |
|
R
7/17 |
30
min. Prep. Time with Group |
|
R
7/24 |
Draft
Due/In-class Workshop |
|
T
7/29 |
Final
Wiki Due on Blackboard |
PROPOSAL
DUE – THURSDAY, 7/10
Together, write a short paper or a detailed outline
that answers the following five questions:
- Which
question(s) will you answer as a group?
- What
sources will you consult?*
- What
is your working thesis or argument?
- How do you
foresee organizing the parts of the essay/collective analysis as a group in a
way that is agreed to by each group member?
- How do you
foresee organizing an editing/approval system to decide when the essay is
complete as a group?
*Note: you must use at least one source
from five of the seven units
discussed in class:
1)
Course Introduction
2)
Who Is an American?
3)
Women, the Mass Media, and the F Word
4)
Color Adjustments
5)
Maid in the USA
6)
Why Marriage?
7)
Obama in '08?
30
MINUTES OF IN-CLASS PREP TIME WITH GROUP – THURSDAY, 7/17
On Friday, 7/18, your group will have 30 minutes
in-class time to work on your collective essay. Please bring your laptops to
class, if you would like.
DRAFT
DUE AND IN-CLASS WORKSHOP – THURSDAY, 7/24
On Thursday, 7/24, we will workshop drafts of these essays in
class, "grading" each group's work using the grading rubric and
offering feedback, before the final essay on Wiki is due. Bring a hard copy of
your group's essay draft to class.
FINAL WIKI DUE ON BLACKBOARD – TUESDAY,
7/29 by 12 noon
(FINAL GRADES ARE DUE BY FRIDAY, 8/1)