Exploring Communities
Project 3
Purpose: In this paper, you will begin thinking about
the researcher’s role as an observer of a community. The community might be small and interconnected,
such as the Marrowbone miners, or large and diffuse, such as the suffragists. Whatever its size, the researcher often plays
a tedious role in a community, perhaps as participant and observer. The other goal of this paper is to begin the
research process for the final project.
Preparation and research:
The readings in this unit will show you a
variety of ways that researchers become involved in their surroundings: Lars Eighner’s “Dumpster Diving,” Barbara Ehrenreich’s
“Serving in
The Details:
In this paper, you will narrate your initial
foray into the research process. With
this type of writing exercise, it will be most important to portray the
exploratory nature of this process. “I
read the essays and then I went to the library” does not demonstrate the
struggles you underwent in the thinking process. Perhaps “I first realized the potential discomfort
in research after reading Reece’s admission that his daily activities were
dangerous. Yet, it wasn’t until I began
looking through the California Afghan Artists Collection that I discovered an
interviewer is a silent witness to the necessity of art during war” would work
better.
Therefore, you can take your reader on a
journey through the following: your synthesis of any of the readings as an
example of the role of the researcher (optional), the experience of conducting
fieldwork (required), your initial consideration of two collections (required)
and ruminations on potential resources (discussion of three sources
required). In this way, you are
completing a distinct project while gearing yourself up for the final, ten-page
project on the collection of your choice.
As you finish this journey for this project, you will want to discuss
your upcoming plans for the next project.
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Draft/PR: 7.14 |
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Final copy: 7.18 |
The formatting guidelines for this paper
include: following MLA guidelines for citations, five full pages,
double-spaced, typed, ‘normal’ margins (1”-1.25”), TNR font, and a header. The header should include your name, my name,
class and section #, and the date. The
upper right corner of the header should include your last name and page #. Remember to also include your title and a
Works Cited page (not one of the three pages of your essay).
To reiterate some of my expectations:
A quick note about the fieldwork requirement: You will want to conduct research that focuses on either a community
you are a part of or a community where you are an outside observer. Given the limited timeframe of this
assignment, you may want to conduct research in a community where you know the
members so that it will be easier to have their permission. Maybe you would like to interview a member of
your family (or a team, social group, etc) about his/her experience within a
particular community he/she is (or was) a part of. Or you could complete a formal observation of
a group. Or you could take pictures of a
group as a photographic collection. Within
your paper, you will want to discuss what it was like to be the “researcher” –
how does this experience compare with the readings? How does it compare with
peering in at the world in the collections?
A quick note about the collections: You need to
discuss two collections that you are considering for your final project (where
you will only write about one). What
pulls you toward these collections? What
are your initial thoughts about these collections? How might you gain a fuller picture of these
collections as you proceed?
In addition to the “grading criteria” located
in Writing at UK, the following may
help as you work from the draft stage to the final copy stage.
Content/Organization
Is
your introduction effective—does it grab my attention?
Do
you have a clear thesis with a specific focus and argument?
Do
your paragraphs address and develop your thesis?
Are
your transitions effective between paragraphs and sentences?
Do
you come up with effective examples to support your points?
Do
you utilize topic sentences?
Do
you stay focused?
If
applicable, do you address another point of view?
Does
your conclusion answer the question, “so what?”
Does
your paper as a whole show a thoughtful analysis of the assigned topic?
Style/Mechanics
Is
your style appropriate for your audience?
Are
your sentences varied in length and structure?
Do
you write with active, vigorous verbs?
Are
your ideas clearly expressed through refined word choices and syntax?
When
occasion merits, do you write descriptively with concrete images?
Do
you try to use metaphor and simile to enhance your points?
Mechanics/Conventions
Is
your paper spell-checked?
Is
your paper free from reoccurring grammatical errors?
Do
you cite your sources correctly (both in-text and on a works cited page)?
Does
your paper have a title?
Do
you place your last name and page number on the upper right margin of each
page?