Assignment

Research Postings (2 installments + review in final exam) (25%)

See summer 2006's model assignments.

Write and email two “adventures or experiments in research.” These exercises must be relevant to our subject matter, but they may reflect your personal and professional interests. Try to relate your research to Literature, but not absolutely required; these postings may move into history, sociology, anthropology, etc.

• Your final exam will summarize and assess these research experiments as part of your overall learning experience.
   

• The only absolute stipulation for content is that the subject must have something to do with immigrants or immigration. You cannot write about a minority group without connecting your discussion to the larger subject of immigration.

Length: at least 4 paragraphs, plus or minus bibliographic information

Bibliographic requirements and information: At least 4 sources, at least some of which should be from reputable scholarship and not just stray internet postings. MLA style is expected. Information may be included in text or more completely in listings at end of posting.

Bibliographic information may be included in paragraphs or more completely in listings at end of posting.

Posting to webpage: Email contents to instructor at whitec@uhcl.edu. Instructor will post to webpage and email notification with a brief reaction.

Organization, Content, etc.:

Provide a title for your entry that will serve as a web heading or link. This title should indicate the content. The title may take the form of a question.

1^st paragraph: Introduce and frame a question you want to answer or a topic you want to know more about. Explain the source or background of your interest; what you already knew on the subject, how or where you learned it or were alerted to it, etc. These backgrounds can be personal as well as educational or professional. At some point in this introductory paragraph, a statement of the question you’re trying to answer should appear.

2^nd and 3^rd paragraphs: describe your search for answers to your question or topic of interest. Locate, describe, and evaluate at least two sources. Your sources may be print, Web, or personal (as in an interview, lecture, conversation, or anecdote). If Web, provide links. If print, provide bibliographic information. (MLA style is preferred, but the main point of all documentation is to enable your reader to find the source.) If “personal,” provide as much contextual information as possible; welcome to protect privacy.

4^th paragraph: What is the answer to your question? Your “answer” may take a variety of forms, as long as you demonstrate learning. For instance, you may find a definite answer to your specific question. Or you may learn you’ve asked the wrong question--conclude by revising your question? Anyway, summarize and evaluate what you learned, and consider your next step if you continued your research along this line.

Paragraph descriptions above are only guidelines, not absolute rules.

You may write more than 4 paragraphs, but beyond 6 or 7 paragraphs may push the assignment too far.

Your two postings may be on different subjects or continue a single subject. Remain aware you must discuss your research postings as part of your final exam question on your overall learning curve.

Grading: Grades for research postings cannot be returned until the Final Grade Report. This grade will be based on readability, interest, and quality of research. (By interest, I don’t mean whether I would have chosen the topic, but how well the report generates and sustains interest.)

For the first research posting, the only direct response will be instructor's email acknowledging receipt, which will include a few reactions or suggestions. Students may request more feedback, but otherwise the email of receipt may be all the feedback the student receives until final grade report.