Final Project for Russian Folklore (RUS 370)                    Fall 2010

Goals: The final project is designed to allow you to collect and analyze your own data, so that you understand what it means to be a folklorist. This project will help you gain a deeper understanding of a society’s cultural symbols. You will demonstrate your skills as a critical analyst by application of theoretical principles to support your conclusions about a ritual.
    
Assignment (all materials must be typed, 12 pt. font, 1 in. margin, double-spaced, or I will not accept them):
    
1)    Pick a ritual that you celebrate in your family, ethnic group, hometown, region
exclusively or in some distinctive way. I want to work with material that is meaningful to you, so that I am asking you to really delve into your own culture for this assignment. The definition of ritual is broad here, it could be anything from story telling, jam sessions, Sunday dinner to regional festivals or even a widespread US holiday (like Memorial Day or Christmas) that you celebrate distinctively from the mainstream. I would be glad to discuss your ideas/candidates with you to be sure they are suitable. Russian majors must research an East Slavic ritual. Russian majors in 300 level or above must submit questionnaires in Russian. For those in 100-200, you should try to do as much as you can in Russian, even if it is just biographical information.

    2) Draft a questionnaire on your ritual (due 10/28 ). I have examples of good questionnaires available in a folder outside my office door. If you take them away to copy them, then sign them out on the sheet attached to the folder. I will return them to you with detailed comments on 11/2. Then, on the basis of these comments, write a final version of the questionnaire. You now have until  12/2 (at the latest) to interview at least five informants about the ritual using the revised questionnaire. See tips for successful interviews below.

    3) Give me a detailed summary of the ritual, based on the individual interviews (keep your informants anonymous in this and all references to them, use pseudonyms or only first names) by 12/2. This summary should be entirely factual, that is: who does what during this ritual, what are the important activities. Be as detailed as you can. You should NOT include any analysis. Include a copy of your final questionnaire, and list any additional questions you may have asked.

    4) Analyze the cultural function and symbolism of the ritual behaviors described by your informant. Some things to discuss include: food behavior and its significance, gender roles, children/adult roles, special/unusual ceremonial acts and what they mean, status reversal, use of songs or other forms of oral lore, where it happens, when it happens, clothing, etc. I am not limiting you to these topics. You should 1) consider what you know about your ritual; 2) consider what types of things we analyzed in class with regard to Russian ritual and the complexity of ritual and the messages it sends. Become familiar with the culture you are discussing by doing library research on its history, social organization, etc. Cite these works accordingly as well as your interviews in a bibliography (for interview citation format, see my book). You must cite at least two print books on ritual theory (you have already read one, Village Values, so that can be the first, but you must also use/cite another as part of your research). The final analysis is due on Tuesday, December 14th by 1 p.m. in my office.




5) Project Assessment

1)    Preliminary Work

Score    Draft collection tool

10    Well-conceived, thorough collection tool that is suited to the type of data to be     collected
8    Collection tool suited to the type of data to be collected, but with some gaps or     issues that need resolution
6    Collection tool suited to the type of data to be collected but with significant issues     that need resolution
4    Collection tool not suited to the type of data to be collected
0    Did not submit draft collection tool
    
Score    Data collected and submitted

5    Submitted a well-organized, complete copy of the data from the required number of informants.
4    Submitted a copy of the data that is less well-organized and/or has a small     amount of data missing.
3    Submitted a copy of the data that is less well-organized and/or has a fair amount of data missing.
2    Submitted a copy of the data that is poorly organized and/or has a significant     amount of the data missing.
0    Did not submit the data.

2)    Final Paper    

Score    Data Analysis

15    The paper presents a plausible data analysis that goes beyond the commonplace     by offering original insights, both in terms of the whole and particular parts of the data.
12    The paper presents a plausible data analysis and may contain one or two original insights but on the whole does not go beyond the common range of interpretations the class has discussed.                            
9    The paper reiterates in general terms a common interpretation of the data set with no original ideas.                                    
6    This paper presents original ideas that weaken the plausibility of the analysis.    
0    The paper does not offer a data analysis.

Score    Strength of Argument                        

10    The paper offers a logical, coherent argument for the data analysis. All assertions
    are supported and amplified with details from the data or from other sources. The
writer pursues an original line of argument in at least one portion of the paper.    
8    The paper offers a logical, coherent argument for the data analysis but only     partially supports or amplifies the assertions. Or the writer does not pursue an     original line of argument.                                    
6    The paper offers an argument that contains some lapses in logic and/or offers only minimal support or amplification of assertions.                    
4    The paper offers an argument that is seriously flawed in logic or that fails to     support or amplify most or all assertions. The paper is basically a list with no     attempt to support the argument.                            
0    The paper does not present an argument to support the data analysis.

Score    Incorporation of Counterarguments                        

5    This paper acknowledges significant counterarguments (alternative     interpretations and reasons) and either effectively refutes or successfully     accommodates them into the interpretation being argued.                
4    The paper acknowledges several but not all counterarguments and refutes or     accommodates some.                                    
3    The paper acknowledges at least one counterargument (perhaps more) but is     unsuccessful in the attempt to refute or to accommodate it/them.            
2    The paper mentions at least one counterargument but makes no attempt to refute or accommodate it.                                    
0    The paper ignores all counterarguments.

Score    Relation to the Whole/Significance        
                
15    The significance of the data analysis offered (either in relation to culture as a whole or to a larger context in which the data are situated) forms an integral part of the argument. The connections are profound, interesting, or complex.        
12    The paper makes clear the significance of the data analysis either in relation to     language as a whole or to the larger context in which the data are situated. The     connections are plausible.                                    
9    The paper offers some mention of the significance of the data analysis or the     significance is somewhat loosely implied. The connections are plausible, but     somewhat obvious.                                        
6    The paper offers some mention of the significance of the data analysis, but the     connections are not plausible.                                
0    The paper makes no attempt to mention significance.

Score    Spelling/Grammar/Citations                        

5    This paper has no errors in language, usage, or citations (footnotes/bibliography) and uses the required number of sources.    
4    This paper has one consistent error in language, usage, or citations and uses the required number of sources..            
3    This paper has several errors in language, usage, or citations and uses the required number of sources..            
2    This paper has frequent errors in language, usage, or citations and uses the required number of sources..            
0    This paper is incomprehensible due to errors in language, usage, or citations OR does not use the required number of sources.

Score    Theory/Issues

15    Demonstrates a thorough understanding of theory and issues related to topic (specifically Van Gennep, Turner, Douglas, Rouhier-Willoughby, any others used).
12     Demonstrates a reasonable understanding of theory and issues related to topic,     but is not as thorough as it should be.
9    Demonstrates a rudimentary/surface understanding of theory and issues related     to topic.
6    Demonstrates a poor understanding of theory and issues related to topic.
0    Demonstrates no understanding of theory and issues related to topic.

Total Score:  80


Suggestions for successful interviews:

    a) be prepared to do extra interviews, in case you get a bad informant. Without data, you just cannot do an analysis, and some people just do not want to talk and are useless for a project such as this. DO NOT wait until the last minute, so that you can find extra informants if necessary;
    b) tape your interviews, so that you can refer back to them and get all the details exactly correct. Assure the informants that their identity will be concealed in the final paper;
    c) do the interview when you both have plenty of time. Don’t rush it;
    d) do the interview in a quiet place where there will not be interruptions. They will derail your informant and ruin your interview;
    e) if your informant is someone you know well, assume that you do not know him/her. Ask all of the questions, even if you think you know the answer. Sometimes they surprise you. It is important to treat each informant to same way to avoid skewing the data;
    f) if your informant is someone you do not know well, make sure they know your name and why you are doing this interview. Make them feel as comfortable as possible;
    g) get the informant to elaborate and give details as much as possible. Questions will occur to you on the spot. Ask them! In other words, treat this interview as a conversation, with a give and take. If someone says, “we used to eat ham for Easter”, “used to” may mean that they don’t now (why not?) or it may mean that it was a habitual thing as a child, but they may still do it;
    h) do a practice interview with someone in class. Tape it and listen to it and think about where you could have asked follow up questions for more details;
    i) keep your informant’s phone number and/or email address, so that you can ask for more details if you find you need them.