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Class meetings: M, W 10-11:30
Professor Annalee Newitz tabloid@jps.net
In this course, students will research and write a senior thesis, on the topic of your choice. Class readings, discussions, and individual conferences will be oriented around how to plan, organize, and write an expository or creative thesis project. required reading: To see when to read these assignments, consult the syllabus. Readings are in a reader and will be very light--they are intended mainly to get you thinking about how you might want to structure your own thesis. I've chosen these readings to reflect the different ways one might approach a lengthy writing project. The reader is available (under the title "Interdisciplinary Studies 191") at Krishna Copy on University Ave. at the intersection with Shattuck. Be sure the reader has the right essays in it before you buy! Laura Kipnis, "Disgust and Desire: Hustler Magazine" Donald Bogle, "The 1970s: Bucks and a Black Movie Boom" Victor G. and Bret deBary Nee, "The Family Society" Rachel P. Maines, "Introduction to The Technology of Orgasm," and "Inviting the Juices Downward" Alan Berube, "Sunset Trailer Park" John Marr, "The Great Boston Molasses Flood" Barbara Ehrenreich, "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By In America" required assignments: You are responsible for writing a senior thesis, consisting of 25-30 typed pages. You will also need to write a short topic statement, an outline, and a rough draft of your thesis, all of which are mandatory. See below for exact descriptions of these assignments. During the semester, you will be required to meet in individual conferences with Annalee to discuss your progress on the thesis and any other issues that might come up. If you do not complete your thesis on time, you will not pass the class. topic statement: Due 1/27. This will be a three or four sentence (typed) statement in which you explain what topic you'll be researching and what approach you'd like to take. For instance, you might say, "I am interested in researching queer sexuality. I will be focusing specifically on the bisexual community in San Francisco, looking at its history and political activism. I would like to interview bisexual activists and research how bisexuals are portrayed in local media." The topic statement isn't written in stone (yes, you can change your topic!), but try to be as focused and as certain as possible about what you'll be doing. outline: Due 2/24 before 3pm in Annalee's mailbox in 322 Wheeler. This is a detailed, three to four-page (double-space and typed) outline of what you'll be writing about in your thesis. You'll want to explain what kind of research you'll be doing, and what kind of approach you intend to take. You'll also need to include a bibliography of source material. For information on how to cite sources in a bibliography, please use either The Chicago Manual of Style (available in the Main Library Information Center) or the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (also available in the Information Center). NOTE: Chicago and MLA style are different! Pick one style and stick with it. Unlike the topic statement, this is written in stone. Please don't plan to change your topic signficantly after writing your outline. rough draft: Due 3/29 in Annalee's mailbox. This is a rough draft of your thesis. It should be as close as possible to 25-30 pages, typed, and double-spaced. |