Again, your work for the week is primarily to continue to move forward on all aspects of your Research Based Project.
—Group Meetings: As described below, each group will be meeting with me on Monday, Nov. 23rd to discuss your progress on the Research Based Project. We will be checking in about the Resource Guide, Symposium Session, and Op-Ed Essay. This is a mandatory session. We will NOT be having class on Wednesday, November 25th.
—Resource Guide:. Many, but not all of you, submitted sample entries of the RefAnnBib. I have provided important feedback, so please be sure to read carefully any comments I’ve left on your documents and be sure you understand what you will need to do to bring your RefAnnBib up to the standards required by the assignment. Some important (and fairly obvious) things to keep in mind:
- You need to actually read every source you write a RefAnnBib. If I’m not sure.you actually read the text, you will get no credit for that entry.
- You need to select sources that directly address the questions your group has identified for its research. We are looking for the best sources, not the ones that simply come up at the top of your search.
- A summary tells us what the article actually says. This is not the same thing as telling us what it’s about. In order to receive credit, your summary must lay out the main idea or argument that the author is making. This means that you have to dive deeply into each source and work to understand its main points.
- Your bibliographic entry (section 1 of the RefAnnBib) must adhere to MLA 8 guidelines. You can find these guidelines online or under the tab at the top of the blog. These guidelines tell you what information you must include in your entry and how it should be formatted.
- Once each member of the group has completed his/her five entries, the entire guide must be assembled. The sources need to be compiled in alphabetical order, according to authors’ last names (or titles, in cases where a source has no author). Your group’s RefAnnBib should have either 15 or 20 entries. To get credit for your work, place your initials in parentheses at the end of each of your five RefAnnBib entries. In addition to the RefAnnBib, your group’s completed Resource Guide will included your Research Questions and a final section in which you offer Additional Resources. The Resource Guides are due on Monday, November 30th.
—Symposium Sessions – Please see my separate post about your Symposium Sessions. These will happen on December 7th and December 9th. All students must attend BOTH of these Zoom sessions!!! We will talk about the sessions during our conferences on Monday, Nov. 23rd. I am also available by email throughout the Thanksgiving Break as questions arise.
—Op-Ed Essay – Stay tuned for more details about your Op-Ed Essay assignment. This is a short (approx. 750 word) opinion based writing assignment in which you will be making the case for a strongly held view about some aspect of your research subject. An op-ed essay is written for a general audience and attempts to persuade readers to accept a particular point of view. Please be ready to share with me (either on our calls on Monday, 11/23 or via email) the issue you intend to write about. This means not just identifying the problem you are concerned about, but also spelling out the point of view you want to convey in your essay. This is a chance for you to make the case for something you genuinely care about. I can’t wait to read your essays! Drafts of the Op-Ed are due by December 4th,.
—Office Hours – I will be having regular office hours on Monday, November 30th at 12:30. This is a great opportunity to confer with me about your Op-Ed idea, your Symposium Session plans, or last minute questions about your Research Based Project. You can drop-in to speak with me spontaneously, or you can email me to make an appointment. Either way, I will be happy to see you.
Finally, I hope that, despite all the work that remains ahead of you, you find time over the Thanksgiving Break to take a deep breath, go for a (socially distanced, masked) walk, spend time with family, eat something delicious, and give yourself some credit for making it through this challenging first semester of college. I know that it hasn’t been easy, and I am grateful to you for sticking with it and for showing so much resilience and focus! Happy Thanksgiving!
