INTL 607 Graduate Core Seminar Fall 2011 |
Participants & Schedule for Discussion Leadership Professor Weiss contact information
Link to International Studies homepage Link to University of Oregon homepage Link to international studies at the University of Oregon library
|
Requirements Reading Materials Grading Assessment Participation/attendance (10%) Full attendance and active participation are not simply a requirement, but a given for this class. Our collaborative effort will succeed only if each of you is fully engaged, has completed all of the assigned reading material before each seminar meeting, and offers your questions, ideas, inspirations, and critical reflections energetically. Reflection Briefs (10%) Each week you will prepare a brief written response (2 pages) to the week’s readings. In these essays you will offer your reactions to the topics, issues, and/or perspectives presented in each week’s selections. The essays should not be ‘book reports’ – simple summaries of the readings - but instead should identify and explore content that strikes you as worthy of discussion in class. Since these assignments are really designed as a way to help you process your weekly readings, grading of these briefs will consist of a simple check system – check plus, check, check minus based on your level of engagement with the materials. The sum total of these checks will inform your grade for this section. Discussion Leadership (25%) Each week several of you will serve as Discussion Leaders. This role is very important to the success of each class period. Discussion Leaders will play an active role in guiding the conversations we engage in each time we meet. Discussion Leaders will go beyond the standard reaction paper process to also produce a more comprehensive outline of the major points presented in the relevant readings. These ‘talking points’ outlines will help discussion leaders facilitate their assigned class discussions and will be turned in for grading. Evaluation of your performance in this context will be based on the utility of your “talking points” and your facilitation of the discussion. For those with little “seminar” experience: Fear not! Your peers and I will help you along the way! Bibliography/Review Essay (25%) In the first part of the course you will enter into the research process by identifying and exploring a theme or problem that you might want to investigate as a possible MA project in the days and months ahead. You will i) select a theme or topic; ii) search for relevant sources; iii) engage with at least some of your materials; and iv) prepare a bibliography and concise critical literature review (3-5 pages). Retrospective Research Prospectus (30%) Although you will not write an original research prospectus in this class, one of our primary substantive goals is to help you understand and begin to think about your MA project. For this class, you will write a retrospective prospectus for an MA thesis or PhD dissertation project that has already been researched and completed by someone else. You choose the source in consultation with me. You then work your way backwards through the thesis or dissertation, envisioning and writing up the prospectus that might have preceded it, including these essential prospectus elements (8-10 pages):
|