Transcript ANTHRO 203h: Technology and Humanity

Writing the university
essay
Take the
University Challenge
University Expectations
IN GENERAL:
• You are PRODUCING knowledge, not
consuming it
• Focus is on HOW and WHY, not just
WHAT and WHEN
The Process: Ideas First!
• Plan/Think
– Narrow your Topic
– Preliminary Research/Reading/Review
– Ask a research question
– Research: find, evaluate, skim, read, note &
develop reference list
– Outline main argument and supporting points
• Write & Revise
ANSWER
THE
QUESTION
FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS
Instructions
• Type of assignment
– Essay? Reflection? Article Summary? Report?
• Type of research
– Primary? Secondary? Professional? News? Literature?
• Length – Format - Referencing
For example:
This is an eight to ten page analytical essay using primary
sources from the text book (available at the bookstore) and
graded on analysis and interpretation of historical evidence, as
well as conformance to scholarly writing conventions (for History
papers), grammar, and English. Due November 20th at the start
of lecture. Essay is double spaced in 12-point font (2.5 cm
margins) using Chicago Style title page, bibliography, and
footnotes. Instructions are posted on the course website.
Consider this
• Course context
– Main themes & questions
• Assessment: What is valued?
– Research
– Organization
– Clarity of Writing
– Analysis & Critical Thinking
– Academic Integrity
Ask Questions
• What do you need to know about the
topic?
• Explore facts. Define terms. Outline
process. What? Who? When? Where?
• Interrogate relationships. Consider
context. Evaluate impact. Analyse
significance. How? Why? So What?
Is Canada truly multicultural?
• Big question! Quick brainstorm –
– Toronto is good example – many cultures
represented in population
– Ethnic Neighbourhoods: Kensington market,
Chinatown, Little Italy
– Cultural centres – religious centres,
educational opportunities, arts & culture
– Diverse Services – language supports
– But discrimination exists . . .
Don’t be predictable
• The five-paragraph structure can only
articulate a very simple form of argument,
involving a major claim and three
supporting claims.
As Canada’s largest city, Toronto’s ethnic
neighbourhoods, cultural centres, and
diverse services demonstrate how Canada
is truly multicultural.
Don’t write this 5-paragraph essay
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Introduction
Ethnic neighbourhoods
Cultural centres
Diverse services
Conclusion
Dig deeper.
Ask more questions.
• How do we define multiculturalism? How does the
government support multiculturalism?
• How do communities include and exclude populations?
Does this change in different communities? Urban-rural?
East-west? North-south?
• What are the perceptions of new Canadians? Does this
change for 2nd and 3rd generation Canadians?
• How important is language? Religion? Cultural norms?
• Political and economic contexts for multiculturalism?
• Why is it important to understand multiculturalism in
Canada?
A Thesis EVOLVES
Do you have an opinion?
• The topic asks a question; the thesis
answers the question according to the
writer's opinion, based on his or her
research.
• The essay is organized to explore the
question and support your answer or
opinion.
Focused. Analytical. Clear.
Despite Canada’s efforts to support a
multicultural society, ethnocentrism creates
barriers for the social, political, and
economic equality necessary for a nation to
be truly multicultural.
A Tentative Thesis Helps You:
Avoid confusion of many possible “answers”
Avoid passively absorbing rather than
actively engaging with others’ ideas
Avoid plagiarism because you lack ideas
Outline is CRUCIAL
• It is the map / skeleton basis of your
essay. It allows you to see a lot of
information and organize ideas clearly.
It stops your work from wandering off
topic.
Point Form Outline: Keep it Close
Tentative Thesis
Despite Canada’s efforts to support a multicultural society,
ethnocentrism creates barriers for the social, political, and
economic equality necessary for a nation to be truly multicultural.
Introduction – state thesis; map points
Defining multicultural
Considering equality – how does it inform multiculturalism?
Outline Canada’s efforts to support a multicultural society – federal
govt, provincial govt, industry, NGOs
Considering ethnocentrism
Impact of ethnocentrism: Barriers for social, political, and economic
equality
- opportunities, ghettoization, discrimination,
Conclusion – synthesize points; restate thesis
Scope
The scope of a thesis must fit the size of your
assignment. Are you writing a book or a three
page paper?
Peterborough’s federal riding demographic
benefits two of the major parties.
The shifting of riding boundaries has had
surprising results in Canadian political history.
ACTIVITY:
Write a thesis for a 10 page paper.
What is the value of a university education?
Should universities focus on providing
professional training or emphasize academic
research and critical thinking? What social,
economic, or technological contexts must be
considered in this question?
Use Questions to Find Sources
• Go beyond the topic
• Complex and interesting papers require different
types of evidence. For example,
– Demographic data: ethnic origins, current cities,
language data
– Survey data (StatsCan?)
– Government policy documents
– NGO reports
– Academic journals and monographs
– Course materials
Research Expectations
• Assess the source
• Is it scholarly?
– Peer-review, scholarly press, journal articles
• Is it reliable?
– Who is the author? Who is the publisher or site host?
When was it published/posted?
• Is it objective?
– Government, watchdog, business – what might be the
bias? Differentiate facts, interpretation, and image.
Finding Sources
• Back Referencing: use found sources to
retrieve others
• Seed/Pearl Method: search headings in
the index of your best source
• Browse: bibliographies and shelves
Avoiding Plagiarism
• Take notes (that support your argument).
In this way you will synthesize, not
plagiarize.
• Do not simply cut and paste
• Keep track of where information is from
Organize your ideas
• What is the overall point or message you
need to convey to the user? Use this to
organize your paper.
• Structure is important:
– introduction & conclusion present the overall
message of the paper and how this message
will be discussed;
– body paragraphs develop ideas, explain
evidence, and show connections
A Collage of Information is not an Essay!
Effectively Integrating Evidence
• Paraphrase: Specific evidence
According to Pazy and Ganzach (2009), in short-term or
contractual employment, pay is one of the most important
factors that affect job performance.
• Summary: General argument
Evidence suggests that personal well-being, job
satisfaction together affect employment status (Wright &
Bonett, 2007).
Effectively Integrating Evidence
• Data
The Council of Ontario Universities (2013) reported that
95% of 2006 university grads were employed six months
after graduation, and 79% of those grads were in jobs that
connected to their studies.
• Quotation
As Boswell, Zimmerman, and Swider point out, the time
when a new graduate enters the workforce is “one of the
most critical periods for individuals’ lifelong career success”
(2012, p. 129).
Paragraph Structure:
Develop your ideas
• Topic Sentence: introduces the one idea that this
paragraph will develop
• Evidence: data, ideas and quotations that support the
topic
• Discussion/Explanation: shows how your evidence
supports the point made in the topic sentence and
answers the question, "So what?"
• Conclusion/Transition: sums up what your paragraph
has shown or discussed and may connect it to the next
paragraph
Writing is a Process
• Re-Write
• Re-Write
•Re-Write
SO WHAT ?
• Ask yourself “So What?” after each
paragraph
• Are you merely cataloguing information
(Joyce uses a metaphor) or are you
moving your thesis forward (Joyce’s use of
metaphor reinforces…) ?
Learn from feedback
• Common problems
– Vague/general writing or ideas
– Offering quotes without explaining them
– Not writing simply or clearly
– Improper paraphrasing or referencing
– Submitting the first draft
Make a visit the ASC
part of your process
• With assignment instructions
• With a tentative thesis or outline
• With a first draft
• Online Essay Writing Guide:
www.trentu.ca/academicskills/thinkingitthrough/overview.php
Come Talk to Us!
• Do you want to ask questions about
something you heard today?
• Do you want an instructor to look at work
you did during these sessions (sample
thesis, lecture notes, paraphrase)?
• Come see us at the Academic Skills
Centre during special 10 minute drop-in
sessions!
Special Drop-in Appointments
Wednesday, Sept. 4, Thursday, Sept. 5, and
Friday, Sept. 6
10-minute drop-in appointments
(first come-first served)
Academic Skills Centre
Champlain College 206
9am-4pm