FINAL GROUP PROJECT: GUIDELINES & GROUPS

TO BE DELIVERED ON THURSDAY, 4/23

Final Project: Group PowerPoint Presentation (15 pts) Class Participation (5 pts)

 
The members of each group (I have assigned the groups to one of the five categories below) are expected to agree on and explore one of the major themes in Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower, and relate it to at least two of the major works we have read this semester. The major theme should be considered as the central, controlling idea of your piece—again, if you find that other themes of significance are surfacing and converging with your major theme as you develop your project, please note them. 

Gender/Sexuality

Ifeoma, Patrick, Cassandra, Kimberly, Zilu

Aesthetics/Beauty

Awilda, Matthew, Angie, Hassabalnabi, Alida

Innocence/Childhood

Anthony, Larry, Gregory, Chibuifem, Shanielle

Outcasts/Outsiders

Jessenia, Wasiu, Marleny, Yarilis, Jose, Dena

 Violence

Christian, Wilnick, Harry, D'Andre, Afzal

You may also interweave some of the other relevant thematic discussions from our semester into this group presentation.

Sample themes: alienation, childhood, class distinctions, colorism/color consciousness, community, corporeality, difference, equality, ethics/morality, family, femininity, hypocrisy, identity, individuality, innocence, intellectualism, interracialism, literacy, loneliness, masculinity, monstrousness, morality, poverty, race relations, racism, rebellion, religion, responsibility, segregation, separatism, sexism, sexual exploitation, sexuality, violence. Some of these themes overlap—your thesis should reflect your theme in a clear, well-articulated manner.

In addition to photographs and text (including quotes from the primary source and secondary source texts), you are free to use other documents to create a PowerPoint presentation of your work (maximum 10 minutes in length).  

You must include a slide listing the “Credits,” i.e., the specific contribution made by each group member. In addition, you must create a Works Cited Page as the final slide of your presentation, using MLA-style. Refer to the MLA Style Guide on the course blog for MLA-style compliance. At our final class meeting, the group members will present their projects. I encourage you to be as imaginative as possible with these presentations. Below is a list of the criteria for your PowerPoint, adapted from a rubric adapted from a former colleague.

The FINAL VERSION of the PowerPoint presentation must be emailed to me by Wednesday, 4/22.

Final Project Rubric for PowerPoint Presentation 

The following categories provide a clear list of the elements that are expected in each group’s project, regardless of its form and purpose.  Use these criteria as a tool that will enable you, as the designer, to produce persuasive communication by means of innovation, creativity, and polished reflection.

NOTE: Each category for your individual effort is worth points, for a total of 14, along with an addition of 1 point for the overall group effort, for a maximum of 15 percent of the final grade. The other 5 points for this project is based upon your total class participation, and may bring your total to 20 percent.

GROUP NAME_____________________________________

Thesis and Purpose: 3 Points
How clear is your thesis? Is the topic compelling and relevant not only to your own interests but to an issue of larger significance? How well do the images illustrate both the thesis and its related ideas in a cogent manner?

Composition: 3 Points
Does the project follow a logical flow of thought? Do the major themes transition well across the group? Is the project free of grammatical errors? Did you proofread your slides to ensure that they are MLA-compliant?

 Technical Image and Quality: 3 Points
How well have you integrated quotations, titles, subtitles, captions, and high-quality digital files into your presentation? How does the overall final project look, including captions, titles, transitions, audio, and image?

 Caption Information and Presentation:  3 Points
Is there a clear integration of the visual and written composition of the final project? How well have you complemented your images with written text--relevant quotes from the main text, along with quotes from secondary sources? How does the written text (approximately 350 – 400 words) act to amplify and enhance the quality of the project as a whole? Are original insights supported by relevant research in your written text or is it merely expository? 

Delivery: 2 Points
How well have you delivered your presentation? Did you speak clearly audibly? Was your confidence in your oral delivery transmitted to your audience?

Group Effort: 1 Point
How well have you worked with your group members to create a unified presentation? Have you rehearsed your delivery (individually as well as with the group) to ensure a smooth presentation? Can it be used as a model for other students in the future? 

Total (Individual) ____ Total (Group) ____ GRAND TOTAL___________

ENG 215 - RESEARCH PAPER (35 points)

ENG 215 - RESEARCH PAPER (35 points) 

Each student will write a final research paper on one of the major works read in class during the semester, fully documented and sourced, and following proper MLA style. This paper will be between 7-10 pages in length, allowing students the luxury of extended thought and discussion of one of the semester’s major works. This essay is worth 35% of your final course grade and will be written utilizing Modern Language Association guidelines. The Works Cited Page will be an additional sheet attached at the back. This research paper will be due VIA EMAIL on Saturday, 4/25 at 11:30 PM.  Late papers will be lowered a ½ grade for each late day (including each weekend day).  No papers will be accepted after Wednesday, 4/29. 

You should have begun developing your topic, based on one of the major works on the syllabus: Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, "The Monster," "The Wife of His Youth," The Heart is a Lonely Hunter or A Raisin in the Sun, the play by Lorraine Hansberry, which we will be viewing this evening, Thursday, 4/2. I attached a PDF of the original play for you to read if you think that you may want to write your paper on this play. We will discuss the research paper further this evening, but you should have gotten started, based on last week's discussion. You may want to explore one of the questions posted earlier in the semester, or re-work and expand one of your two previous essays. If you decide to write on The Heart is a Lonely Hunter or A Raisin in the Sun, you must develop your own topic from one of the major themes of these respective works--EX: loneliness, isolation, coming of age racism, assimilation, integration, identity, etc.

The documented research paper will show evidence of the extent to which students meet course objectives including, but not limited to, developing an analytical argument appropriate to the assignment, demonstrating the ability to manage essay structure and utilize MLA format. The paper will demonstrate originality, critical thinking and research skills, cite primary and secondary research sources, and include a Works Cited page.

DUE DATE FOR ABSTRACT/BIBLIOGRAPHY: Wednesday, April 8.

Abstract: You must present a 1-paragraph abstract of approximately 75-100 words summarizing the paper topic and how you plan to proceed, detailing the following: why you chose it; what you intend to examine; what library resources you intend to use to complete the assignment. 

Bibliography: Please include a working bibliography of the primary/secondary sources you think you may be using. The working bibliography should consist of no fewer than five (5) and no more than eight (8) outside sources. The final Works Cited (developed from the bibliography) is worth 5 pts. It must be presented in proper MLA format.

DUE DATE FOR THESIS STATEMENT & ROUGH OUTLINE: Monday, April 13.

Thesis statement: Please include your draft thesis statement with your outline.

Outline: This outline should detail the major and minor points you will be writing about.

The paper will follow MLA guidelines in matters of form (for complete MLA style, click at left on course blog) and it will contain a Works Cited page, in-text citations to those sources, and a complete outline. YOUR PAPER WILL BE GRADED ON CONTENT AND MECHANICS.

You must use no less than four (4) secondary sources in the final version of your essay. At least two (2) of these secondary sources must consist of recent (no earlier than 2000) literary journal articles on your primary text. The additional two sources may be books--biographical, collected works, or bound essays. They must be literature-based works based on your primary text and/or its author—not books or journals from other disciplines (i.e., sociology, psychology, education, anthropology, etc.). PLEASE REVIEW PREVIOUS POST ON DATABASE RESOURCES FOR PAPERS.

For this final research paper, YOU MAY NOT USE the following as sources, as they are NOT considered scholarly works: SparkNotes, 123HelpMe, GoodReads, Wikipedia, CliffsNotes, ClassicNotes, Enotes, GradeSaver, or any other student guides. Any and all electronic sources must be approved by me at the time you submit your working bibliography. 

PLEASE NOTE: Simply re-wording summaries or analysis from another source constitutes plagiarism—your work must consist of YOUR OWN THOUGHTS AND WRITING—please don’t fail this course because of plagiarism. Make sure that you use quotation marks when you are using someone else’s words, and that you give proper credit to the source if you are paraphrasing.

Any Instance Of Plagiarism In The Research Paper Will Result In An Automatic “F” On The Entire Paper With No Possibility Of Revision.

Papers Graded Using the Following Criteria:

Clear thesis statement, well-organized supporting points and conclusion:       10 points

Cited adequately and correctly from the texts (primary and secondary):         10 points

Demonstrated writing strength (sentence structure, spelling, grammar):          10 points

Works Cited Page (properly formatted in MLA style, per guidelines):     5 points

FINAL PAPER & WORKS CITED DUE: Saturday, April 25 by 11:30 PM

Any paper submitted after this date and time will result in a loss of a ½ grade (5 pts) per day overdue (obviously, email will time-stamp any electronically sent submission):

Submitted by Sunday, April 26 for a possible maximum of 30 pts;

Submitted by Monday, April 27 for a maximum of 25 pts;

Submitted by Tuesday, April 28 for a maximum of 20 pts;

Submitted by Wednesday, April 29 for a maximum of 15 pts;

PAPERS MAY BE SUBMITTED EARLY.

FINAL GRADES WILL BE POSTED ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29