1) Name and describe three folk groups you personally belong to. Try and pick the folk groups which you are most interested in investigating in a term paper. What shared characteristics bind the people in this community together? Attempt to define these groups in more specific rather than general terms (e.g., “University of Arizona Pre-Med Undergraduates” rather than “college students”).
2) Describe the way each folk group communicates or interacts. Where, when, and how do the people in each group communicate verbally? Are these interactions face-to-face, or via telephony or other media? How does the immediate context of these communications influence the expressions (e.g., “when the boss isn’t around…”)?
3) Briefly describe the different sorts of verbal folklore that circulate in each group; try to be specific (e.g., “recipes”, “superstitions about test taking”, “jokes about other ethnic groups”, “songs my kids learn from other kids at school”, “latrinalia in men’s bathrooms in Modern Languages” etc.). Speculate about patterns in the uses and/or functions of these verbal expressions which you find interesting.
4) Explain the most significant differences between these three communities.
For example, are there important differences in terms of communicative
medium? structures of interpersonal relationships? activities,
interests, or world-view? How might these differences make one folk
group a more easy, interesting or productive focus for a term paper?
This paper should be about three to four pages long. Be clear,
concise and direct. Avoid fluff. Make sure that you have addressed
the above in a way which is intelligible to an “outsider”.
Due Monday, June 15.
English 248a: Grading Criteria, Paper 1
I have graded your paper by using the following guidelines. As explained in the introduction to this class, you have not been graded on grammar or spelling per se; however, if I couldn't understand your arguments due to such problems, your grade will suffer.
1. Name and describe 3 folk groups that you belong to.
--Are the groups clearly named and described?
--Are they folk groups?
2. Describe the medium of interaction and communication.
--When, where, & how do they communicate?
--Is there a link between medium and messages?
3. Describe the sorts of verbal folklore that circulate.
--Are there specific descriptions?
--Are there thoughts on patterns of use or function?
4. Explain the important differences between the communities.
--Does a clear picture emerge of distinguishing traits?
--Does the author think about the effects or implications of
these differences (e.g., in terms
of future study).
GRADING CRITERIA
A...exceeds all requirements; a well-written, interesting
paper.
B...meets all requirements, may exceed some
C...meets most requirements
D...does not meet requirements
English 248a: Paper
Two: The Proposal
1a) Think seriously about the folk groups you have self-identified
with in your first written assignment. In the light of the comments on
your paper, and of what you know now, select one of these groups to focus
on for your final study. (You may choose a different group from those you
have already listed.) Justify this group as a folk group using concepts
from texts or lecture. ("Men" and "women" are too general to be meaningful
groups for this assignment.)
1b) Collect and present a single verbal folklore text from the group
you have chosen. (If the text has been collected on tape, transcribe it.)
If you work with an informant (e.g., someone else teaches you your text),
please have them sign a release form.
1c) Assign the text to a specific genre of folklore (joke, vocabulary
word, proverb, legend, etc.). If it involves more than one genre, thoroughly
explain which definitions apply and how.
1d) Document the text. This includes a description (with identity?)
of your informant, where s/he learned the text, and when, where, how and
with whom s/he uses the text. Say briefly why you think this is a folklore
text. Place the text you have presented in its social and cultural
context by briefly discussing its function.
2) Write a short, well-planned proposal for a longer study and analysis project based on the text you have collected. (You will be doing this study for a Final Paper, so pick something you think you can do.) The study can be a field study (i.e., collecting comparative texts, doing in-depth interviews with your informant/s, etc.,) or a library study (collecting published variants, using motif indices, applying theory to your materials, etc.) The analysis can be functional, a performance study, psychological, or any other study employing some of the folkloristics that have been presented in class lectures or in assigned readings. What I mean by analysis is basically getting "past the text to the community that uses the text" in some way. THE MORE SPECIFIC YOU CAN BE IN YOUR PROPOSAL, THE BETTER. TRY TO STATE AS PRECISELY AS POSSIBLE WHAT YOU INTEND TO COLLECT, HOW YOU WILL COLLECT IT, AND HOW YOU PLAN TO ANALYSE IT. Include specific titles of articles, journals, books, listervs, usenet groups, or web pages which you might employ. Include lists of interview or survey questions along with lists of who you will interview or survey and how you will find them.
Guidelines
1) Your paper (text excluded) should be no more then 3-4 pages long,
double-spaced. The final paper will be 10-12 pages long.
2) Write with clear, concise language. Use of the first person
(e.g., “I”) is acceptable. Avoid fluff and filler. Use reasonable
margins and font size. Write so an “outsider” will understand you.
3) Remember, there are two equally important parts to this project: a)
the text and its documentation, and b) your proposal for a final project
which follows in some way from the text.
Due Wednesday, June 24.
I. The Text
A) Is there a text? Is it a folk text? Is it assigned to a folk group
and genre?
B) Are the group and the text justified as being folk-related?
C) Is the text documented and the informant identified with
release forms where appropriate?
Is the text placed its social &
cultural context, and are its use and function distinguished?
II. The Proposal
A) Is there a well-thought-out plan for the collection of
additional texts and/or information?
B) Is there evidence that the author has some idea where s/he
will go for additional texts and
information (people, books, articles,
etc.)?
C) Is the author clear as to what kind of analysis s/he intends
to do and what “approach” will
be used? Are specific concepts
from the field of folkloristics (i.e., texts &/or lectures)
employed? Is the general proposal
for the paper well-defined and clearly conceived and
presented?
D) Is the project "doable," given the time and other constraints
the student is under?
GRADING CRITERIA
A...exceeds all requirements; a well-written, interesting
paper.
B...meets all requirements, may exceed some
C...meets most requirements
D...does not meet requirements
The assignment for your final paper is to complete the project that you proposed in Paper Two, as it has been modified by the comments of the instructor, peer review, your own re-visions, etc. If you have ANY QUESTIONS WHATSOEVER about this project & paper, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to visit office hours (Monday & Tuesday, 1:00-2:30 at the Café Paraiso in the Geronimo Plaza on University), make an appointment to talk to the instructor, or otherwise submit your question in a timely manner (email paulb@one-world.org or call 622-6788). Please note that the instructor will be UNREACHABLE 3-6 July and that 7-8 July is really too late to try and fix any substantial problems with your project.
The Term Paper should be no less than eight to ten pages long (double-spaced, with reasonable font size and margins). Release forms, appendices, bibliography, transcriptions of long texts or interviews, etc. should be attached as appropriate and do NOT count toward the minimum paper length. Successful papers will display some balance of fieldwork, folkloric analysis and perhaps relevant readings from the bibliographic sections of the texts or from the materials in the reserve room of the Main Library.
Papers are due in class on July 8. Late papers will not be accepted
except under very special circumstances. As you are writing your
paper, remember to save your work regularly to floppy disks.
I will use the following Grading Criteria:
1) Is the thesis clearly stated & developed? Is this
thesis statement relevant within the field of folkloristics?
2) Is the community involved clearly defined and described for
an audience of "outsiders"? Are the texts clearly presented, documented
(e.g., specific "uses", etc), and set in their social & cultural contexts?
Are the theories, concepts, ideas, etc. the author is applying to the material
coherently stated and used in a productive manner?
3) Is the treatment of, or approach to the material in accord
with the methods and concepts of folkloristics as they have been presented
in the lectures and texts?
4) Does the author engage in some sort of folkloristic analysis,
moving beyond the texts towards a better understanding of the community
who uses the texts?
5) Does the author draw clearly stated conclusions which follow
from the texts & analysis?
6) Are the sources of information, be they published materials,
interviews, surveys, personal experience, etc. clearly identified (i.e.
cited)? Are there signed release forms attached, where appropriate?
7) Does the paper represent original ideas, critical thinking
and research on the part of the author? Does the author demonstrate
a basic mastery of the concepts of folkloristics and an ability to apply
them to their chosen material & community? Is the paper well-written
and interesting for the target audience to read?
ENGL 248A - Verbal Folklore
Term Paper Grading Criteria
Above find your term paper grade as determined according to the following
criteria, followed by your course participation grade. Your final
grade for the course is circled.
Texts & Community:
Are they clearly presented?
Are they justified as appropriate for study within the field
of folkloristics?
Are they clearly documented?
Are patterns of use described in specific social contexts?
Is the community well defined?
Is the material set in its cultural context?
Can the discussion of the texts & community be understood
by the target audience of educated
"outsiders"?
Are there release forms when appropriate?
Are references to the literature, lectures, interviews, surveys
or other sources given clearly?
Methodology & Analysis:
Is there some sort of thesis statement or organizing principle?
Are the methodology, scope & purpose of the project clearly
presented?
Does the researcher relate the results of the project in a logical
and coherent manner?
Does the researcher analyze his/her findings using some of the
methods, ideas and approaches
of folkloristics as they were presented in the readings
and lectures?
Does this analysis move past the texts themselves towards a better
understanding of the
community or group that uses these texts?
Does this analysis follow from the texts? Is it coherent,
cogent & appropriate within the
academic field of folklore?
Does the analysis lead to some sort of conclusions?
Other Comments:
A... Exceeds requirements by a good deal; an exceptional, well-written
paper both engaging &
challenging for the target audience.
B... Meets all requirements; may exceed some.
C... Meets most requirements.
D... Does not meet requirements.