Midterm & Seminar #5 Directions

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MIDTERM PAPER. Midterm Paper, comprised of 2 or 3 short essays on Asian works & topics addressed during the first half of the term, must be word processed, double spaced, and submitted in both paper (hard) copy and electronic form, on which Turnitin Originality Reports will be run to test for plagiarism. See also HUM 210 Syllabus & Course Plan.
Required or Optional Revision will be extended IF Midterm Paper is turned in on time and IF Revision is accompanied by the original graded Midterm Paper (with Cora's evaluation) as an opportunity for students to improve their Midterm Paper grade.
Late Policy: Late Midterm Papers will be penalized at least 1/2 letter grade and
NO revision option will be extended.

This Midterm Paper has TWO PARTS, each designed to help you achieve designated course learning outcomes (see HUM 210 Syllabus).

FOLLOW DIRECTIONS & ADDRESS EACH PART COMPLETELY: Your Midterm Paper must follow directions, address assigned topics from choices given for each part, and address both parts as completely and persuasively as possible.

SUGGESTED LENGTH: Total suggested length for combined Parts I & II of the Midterm is five to six (5 - 6) word-processed double-spaced pages (or at least 1200 words), including MLA-style In-Text Citations and a Works Cited list included on a separate page at the end of your Midterm Paper.
(See also HUM 210 Syllabus: Statement on Plagiarism).
AVOID PLAGIARISM! Cite your sources!

MANUSCRIPT FORM for (paper) Final Draft & Submission of Required Electronic Version of Final Draft (to be submitted to Turnitin.com) will be explained in class.

CLARITY, COHERENCE, & CORRECTNESS of your Written Presentation in the Final Draft will be considered in grading decisions, so be sure to PROOFREAD & EDIT carefully!

Topic 2: Interpretation of One Asian "Text"
Focus your Essay of Interpretation on two or three significant elements - e.g. theme, character, scene, imagery, motif, symbolism, narrator, film techniques - in one of the following "texts" we've studied closely so far: Whale Rider or Seven Samurai or A Pale View of Hills. Present and support your interpretations with clear explanations and well-selected specific examples from the “primary” Asian text. Be sure to cite and interpret these specific examples. Be sure to explain why you consider the selected elements “significant” to better understanding the meaning or impact of the Asian text. You are encouraged to apply what you have learned from class by drawing upon relevant course handouts, presentations, Seminar prep/discussion. All sources quoted, paraphrased and/or summarized – whether course sources or any “outside” sources – must be cited in text and in a Works Cited page at the end of your paper to avoid plagiarism.

Topic 3: Comparative Interpretation of Two Asian "Texts"
Focus your Essay of Interpretation on comparing and/or contrasting one or two significant elements – e.g. theme, character, scene, imagery, motif, narrator, film techniques – in two of the following “texts” we’ve studied closely so far: Whale Rider, Seven Samurai, A Pale View of Hills. Be sure to choose points of similarity and/or difference that are “significant” to helping us better understand the meaning/impact of the two Asian texts—and be sure to explain why you consider them “significant.” For each similarity and/or difference discussed, be sure to present and support your interpretations with clear explanation and well-selected specific examples from the “primary” Asian texts. You are encouraged to apply what you have learned from class by drawing upon relevant course handouts, presentations, Seminar prep/discussion. All sources quoted, paraphrased and/or summarized – whether course sources or any “outside” sources – must be cited in text and in a Works Cited page at the end of your paper to avoid plagiarism.

TOPIC 4: Variation on Topic 3 – Cora’s Pre-Approval Required
Some of you expressed interest in comparing one of the Asian text we’ve all studied to another Asian text that you have viewed/read on your own. Please see Cora to discuss!!

* Pitfalls to avoid in Essays of Interpretation

Avoid lengthy plot summary for its own sake – we’ve all already read/viewed these Asian texts so we don’t need you to retell us the story. Also avoid long quotations unaccompanied by your own interpretive commentary: quote only enough to make your point and don’t expect the quotation to speak for itself! It is your job to interpret and explain what the quotation means and why it is significant to the point you are making. Finally, don’t quote other critics’ interpretations just because they sound good if you really don’t understand them. These, too, you will be expected to explain in your own words and illustrate with your own selected examples from the primary Asian text/s.

Final Draft of Midterm Paper must:

· be typed or word processed using a standard, readable font & point size
(Times New Roman 12 point or Ariel 10 point);

· be double spaced;

· be printed on only one side of standard-sized (8 1/2" X 11") white paper;

· have one-inch margins on all four sides of each printed page;

· avoid plagiarism & cite sources as directed (see past handouts);

· be carefully edited for clarity, coherence & grammatical correctness before submission for grading

· be properly identified with standard MLA-style Heading and Running-Page Headers:

[Please place complete MLA-style heading in the top left-hand corner of the first page]
Justin Garcia (your name)
HUM 210, Prof. C. Agatucci (identify course & instructor)
Midterm Paper - Final Draft (identify assignment)
26 October 2006 (identify date assignment is due)

Midterm PART I, TOPIC 1: GUIDELINES FOR CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY
[center Title of each part, identify Topic # and Topic Subtitle]

. . . and provide MLA-style running page headers on 2nd & subsequent pages:

Garcia 2
(your last name + page number)