FINAL
PROJECT
Social Inequality, Spring 2002
The
final project consists of a group research paper on an issue of inequality, and
a 15-minute class presentation of the research.
The topic of the paper will be drawn from class readings, lecture,
discussion, and video presentations. Students
should avoid choosing a topic that is too broad or general.
For example, “Gender Inequality in the Third World” is too general;
“Changes in Gender Roles during the Sandinista Era in Nicaragua” is better.
Students
will create the paper and presentation collaboratively, in small groups, rather
than individually. Each student
will receive an individual grade (20%) for her/his contribution to the project,
as well as a group grade (10%) for the overall project.
The group grade will be determined by the quality of the class
presentation and the final paper. The
individual grade will be determined by the quality of students’ individual
contributions to the paper.
Students
will be given the first four weeks to form project groups based on shared
interests. If students have not
formed their groups by Thursday of the fourth week, the instructor will assign
students to groups. We will spend
some time in class discussing possible project topics.
However, students are strongly encouraged to meet with the
instructor during office hours, before the fourth week, to discuss potential
topics.
The paper will consist of 15 typed double-spaced pages (11 or 12 pt
font). It will include an
introduction, body, conclusion, and bibliography.
The body of the paper will be organized into several sub-sections,
depending on the topic and content. It
is expected that this paper will be college-level quality:
well organized, grammatically correct, and free of spelling, punctuation,
and typographical errors. The use
of excessive adjectives and wordy, ornate sentences is discouraged; students are
encouraged to express themselves clearly, concisely, and in a scholarly manner.
Individual authorship should be clearly indicated in a simple table of
contents.
Each group will give a 15-minute presentation, in which each member will
present highlights from some aspect of the group’s research. A few visual aids should be included, such as graphs, tables,
or figures on overhead transparencies or power point, slides, maps, etc.
Each student will take on at least two project tasks, one of which
will be a contribution to the body of the paper in the form of at least one
subsection.
Tasks that will need to be assigned include:
Paper – Introduction
Paper – Conclusion
Paper – Creation of bibliography
Paper – Compilation and editing, Table of Contents
Presentation – Creation of visual aids
Each student will contribute at least one sub-section to body of paper
Each student will talk for several minutes about one aspect of the research
Students (individually and in groups) are
encouraged to meet as often as is necessary with the professor for assistance
with all aspects of the research project.