WOMENS AND GENDER
Assignment Argument Notes Argument notes (AN) are written assignments you must complete individually at 3 separate times during the term, hence, AN-1, AN-2 and AN-3. There are 3 Argument Notes required in this course; they follow a specific format, which is described in detail below. At the beginning of the term, a list of readings to choose from for each AN paper will be posted by the Instructor. You must choose from the correct set of articles listed for each Argument Note; writing an argument note on incorrect articles will result in a grade of 0. Objectives of this assignment: to increase comprehension of course readings. to help students develop critical thinking skills by identifying arguments, engaging with arguments, and making meaningful connections between course materials. to demonstrate writing skills. The specific writing skills required to complete this assignment are: clarity of expression, conciseness, accuracy and proper use of grammar, syntax, punctuation, referencing and document formatting. Document format: Papers must be formatted using 1 inch margins, 12 point font and double spacing. The title page must include: student name, course name, assignment title and date. Reference list must be complete and accurate. In text citations must follow APA writing guide style. Minimum length is 3 pages. Maximum length is 1,200 words (i.e., 5 pages), excluding title page and reference list. Argument notes consist of three sections: Summary, Integration, and Questions/Reactions. Argument notes are analytical summaries of a set of assigned readings. The list of readings to select from for each argument note assignment is located in the list in the course schedule of your course. Argument notes consist of three sections, which should be presented in the order given here Summary Identify and summarize the key argument(s) or main point(s) of the readings. Ask yourself what the author is trying to convince you of and how. It is also not meant to be exhaustive: pick three or four of the more important key arguments or points of the reading, and briefly map them, i.e., elaborate their supporting claims; detail how the argument(s) ″work.″ The summary section is the most important section of your Argument Notes and should be given the most space and attention-approximately 2/3 of the paper. Integration Pick one or two ways in which the author′s arguments or overall points from each reading relate to other course materials (readings, videos, discussion). How do the arguments you summarized challenge, complement, complicate or in some other way relate to something you learned from another course item? Look for points of similarity or difference and be sure to state how and why these arguments relate to one another. You must strive to incorporate course concepts regarding: feminist theories, patriarchy and oppression and analyze why this issue / these conditions exist. Questions/Reactions Summarize your reaction to the readings. You can identify questions the readings raise for you. This can also be the place to put your specific questions about which parts of the reading did not make sense. You should discuss your reaction to the content, not the style of the reading. For example, stating that the reading was long / short / complicated / un-interesting etc.. does not provide me with an understanding of your grasp of the material. Do not focus on items that were not discussed in this reading. No one course reading will ever cover all aspects of one topic. For example, pointing out that a reading on women in China did not discuss the situation for women in India, is not a valid point. Stay focused and on topic with the readings. Reference list in APA format Be sure it is complete, and that all sources cited in text are given in the reference list and vice versa. You are not required to do any additional research for this assignment. You may reference outside materials in your integrations and question/ reaction sections but the focus of this paper is to summarize and reflect on the assigned readings. Note: Students should not include reactions to readings in the Summary or Integration sections of the Argument Notes. Those sections are places where students are expected to tease out an author′s arguments; this is a necessary step preliminary to and separable from evaluating an author′s arguments. How is this assignment graded and assessed? The chart ″significance on written work and criteria used to assess written assignments″ is used to grade this assignment. Letter grades correspond to the bottom of the grading scale. Argument notes must meet all the criteria of the assignment to receive a passing grade. Argument notes that re-state without going beyond receive lower grades than papers where students were able to demonstrate a strong grasp of the material and make meaningful linkages across topics and concepts. The overall level of writing forms part of the grade as well. Specifically, the assessed grade takes into account edits needed to correct: spelling, punctuation, sentence structure (grammar), paragraph structure, in text citations and clarity of expression. You must cite all outside information used in your papers. For example if you state that women earn less than men, you must cite the source where you got that information. In other words, there needs to be evidence for the claims made in your paper. You cannot simply state that something is ″right″ or ″wrong″ or that you simply ″disagree″ with an idea or practice without discussing your reasoning. These are not ″opinion papers″ and you should cite academic sources to support your statements. Failure to cite properly may result in a grade of zero and / or other penalties as per the U of M policy on Academic Dishonest. It is your responsibility to ensure you have met the requirements of the assignment prior to uploading your file to me via the correct dropbox for that assignment. Letter Grade Significance on written work and criteria used to assess written assignments A+ Exceptional: student demonstrates superior grasp of the subject matter, an ability to go beyond the given material in a critical and constructive manner, superior ability to organize, analyze and integrate ideas, going beyond insights offered in course materials. A+ papers are also free of grammatical and mechanical errors. A Excellent: student demonstrates superior grasp of the subject matter, ability to go beyond the given material in a critical and constructive manner, strong ability to organize, analyze and integrate ideas, solid familiarity with course material. ‘A’ papers are relatively free of grammatical and mechanical errors. Claims made are accurate, explained and supported with evidence. B+ Very good: B+ papers demonstrate almost all of the qualities of an ‘A’ paper but fall short in one key area, often writing style or ability to organize, analyze, and integrate ideas. B Good: A more than adequate performance, student demonstrates: thorough grasp of subject matter, a good understanding of the relevant issues and adequate referencing of relevant materials. C+ Satisfactory: C+ papers demonstrate almost all of the qualities of B papers, but fall short in one key area, often because material and ideas are not well organized, or because some aspect of the materials appears to be not well understood. C Acceptable: An adequate performance in which the student demonstrates: a generally adequate grasp of subject matter, adequate understanding of relevant issues, adequate referencing of relevant materials. Report is mostly desсrіptive (summarizing) rather than critical / analytical. Failure to use course items to support claims. Referencing and / or citations need editing. D Marginal: Student demonstrates: some familiarity with subject matter, paper may be more desсrіptive than analytical, may not be referenced and / or organized adequately in sections. The student displays some familiarity with course material/ concepts. May contain: inaccuracies, missing citations, writing or structural errors. F An inadequate performance. Poorly written and / or contains too many errors, does not meet criteria for the assignment or does not illustrate understanding of the material cited. Adapted from WOMN 1540 Fall 2007 S.Heald