Thursday, July 23, 2009

Wrapping up the summer term (updated)

Well, we're done. I have begun to look over your final papers, and I will submit your course grades to the registrar's office over the weekend.

If you haven't already given me your e-mail address or made other arrangements to get feedback on your paper, feel free to contact me at bill.ackerbauer@fmcc.suny.edu.

Enjoy the rest of the rainy season -- er, summer!

Monday, July 6, 2009

Instructions for final project

For your final project in the course, you will select one of the following research options:

1.) Art/lit option: Research the life and work of one artist or writer and write a paper discussing how one of that person’s works (a painting, poem, story, play, novel, etc.) was significant in his or her career. I suggest you select an artist or writer and a work with which you are already familiar and in which you are interested.

2.) History option: Research a famous person in history and write a paper arguing how the most common (or popular) understanding of that person's historical significance is wrong. Your sources must include materials that present both the common interpretation of the subject's legacy and materials containing evidence that contradicts or undermines the common interpretation. I suggest you select a historical figure with whom you are already somewhat familiar and in whom you are interested.

3.) Science/tech option: Research a cutting-edge development in science, technology, engineering or medicine and write a speculative paper discussing what the future significance of this development might be. For example, you might research how scientists are developing a new technique for curing a disease, or how a software company is designing a new Web application.

4.) Social problem option: Research a current problem in society and write a paper arguing in favor of one possible solution to the problem. The problem you select should be something very specific (for example, “crime” is too broad a topic; it would be better to select a specific type of crime, in a specific geographical or social context.) Your paper need not offer an original solution, but it must describe the pros and cons of the solution you support as well as the pros and cons of the most likely alternatives.

No matter which option you choose, your speculation, argument or analysis must be based on evidence from your research sources, not merely your own personal opinions or “common sense.” Your paper must do more than summarize the facts and ideas you read in your source materials — it must make an argument (i.e., an idea that you synthesize after consideration of ideas found in your research readings.)

I will be happy to suggest topics and specific sources for your individual project, and the staff at the FMCC library also is available for research consultation.

The final paper will be 5 to 7 pages long (double-spaced in a standard 12-pt font) and will include a separate cover sheet and a separate “Works Cited” page listing your sources according to MLA style. Your paper must use at least five separate sources. You will use in-text citations to attribute each summarized idea, paraphrase or quotation to its source.

Timeline for research project:

Wednesday, July 15: One- to two-page research proposal due in class, with annotated bibliography describing at least three likely sources. (Proposals must include summary of topic, research questions and working thesis.)

Monday, July 20: Oral presentations in class. (Brief review for final exam.)

Wednesday, July 22: Final papers due at the start of class. Final exam.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

How not to write

Here's the link to the Bulwer-Lytton Bad Fiction Writing Contest, which I mentioned in class tonight (it's worth a few laughs): http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/lyttony.htm

You may want to review the definitions of some of the terms I discussed in class tonight:

Cliche
Platitude
Narrative
Stereotype
Trite

On Monday, July 6, we will discuss the material in chapters 2 and 3 of the Research Papers textbook. I will hand back your graded essays and give instructions for the final project.

Have a good holiday weekend (hopefully, it won't be "dark and stormy.")