Description

Each of our class sessions is organized around a theme or concept central to the field of postcolonial studies. Each student is required to write a research paper that grounds one of these themes in a specific historical or geographical context, a cultural practice, or a literary work. As this is a capstone seminar that is meant to serve as a culminating moment in your studies in the IGIS program, please select a context, practice or work that is of particular interest to you. Because each student will work on a different course theme, you must have a first and a second choice ready to present to the class on September 9.

 

At the the class on October 7, you will submit a 1-2 page annotated bibliography listing your sources and describing your project. This assignment will not be graded. It is intended to get you started on your research and to give the instructors an opportunity to give you guidance and feedback. The annotated bibliography must have:

  1. a working paper title;

  2. a paragraph describing the specific focus of your paper, the questions you seek to answer, and the theories you intend to apply;

  3. a list of sources you plan to use each with a brief, one-line description of its contents and how it is relevant to your research.

The class session on December 2 will be devoted to student presentations . Each of you will give a 5-minute oral presentation on your project and will receive 10 minutes of feedback from the class.

 

Your final paper must be submitted online through SafeAssign on WebCT before 3 pm on December 9. (How does SafeAssign work? Click here.) Your paper should provide an introduction with a clearly articulated thesis statement that outlines your main position or argument. The substance of the paper is critical analysis (not summaries of what your sources say), which means you should offer your own opinion/reflection backed up by supporting evidence gathered in your research. The paper should end with concluding statements that address the areas and arguments you have covered and links your conclusion to the opening statement.

 

TIPS on writing a good paper:

 

  1. Conceptualize your thesis Think before you write! Good writing comes from good thinking. It is important that you come up with a topic that excites and interests you. Think about what you want to say before putting pen to paper (or finger to keyboard, as it were).

  2. Organize your thoughts Create a detailed outline that clarifies the structure of your paper. Your paper should have: an introduction with a clearly articulated thesis; evidence that persuasively supports your main points; paragraphs that logically connect to each other (every paragraph should essentially communicate one central point); a conclusion that restates your thesis and clarifies the paper’s overall significance; and a bibliography.

  3. Draft and edit Write a first draft earlier rather than later and  sit on it for a few days. It is good to take some distance from your writing and then come back to it with fresh eyes. The first draft should flow from and expand the outline and also be reducible to it. That is, after writing the draft, anyone should be able to clearly deduce your paper’s basic structure.

  4. Check for style and mechanics Carefully proofread your paper before submitting it. I find it useful to read my work out loud to myself. It is a good way of catching grammatical errors and awkward sentences. People often write in a voice that they would never use to speak. Your writing should be clear and concise. Avoid run-on sentences, rambling thoughts, and unsupported and general statements. Maintain a zero-tolerance policy in regards to spelling and grammatical errors as sloppy writing can obscure even the most brilliant thinking.

 

Format

Proper referencing is required both in the body of your paper and in your works cited section. Please,

  • make sure that your paper is between 12 and 15 pages long including footnotes and bibliography;

  • follow either Chicago Manual Style or MLA Style guides;

  • use footnotes (instead of endnotes) to make annotations to the text and to document sources;

  • a section of "Works Cited" must be prepared;

  • number all pages, double space, 1" margins, 12-point Times New Roman font;

  • submit your paper electronically (virus-free MS Word) using "SafeAssign" on WebCT.

  • how to document your sources; 

  • definition of plagiarism.

 

Academic Integrity This course adheres to all Villanova rules of academic integrity.

 

Timeline: Paper due dates

  • Title, general description of the paper topic due in class on September 9, 2009

  • Annotated bibliography and short oral presentation due in class on October 7, 2009

  • Oral presentation of research progress in class on December 2, 2009

  • Final paper due December 9, 2009 before 3 pm

  • Late papers are NOT ACCEPTED.

Unless a student has a documented medical excuse or other documented extenuating circumstances late papers will be penalized by being dropped one grade per day until the paper is submitted.