Course Format and Requirements
The format of this course is both seminar and workshop, and therefore carries with it certain opportunities and obligations for each of us. Although we will periodically have lectures, guest lectures, and possibly films, the in-class portions of this course are organized primarily around participating in and analyzing fieldwork experiences, engaging in small group projects, and discussion of the readings. Therefore, it is essential that each of you comes to class prepared; that is, having done the assigned readings before the class session under which it is listed. Needless to say, attendance is mandatory at all course activities, and the only excused absences are for family or health emergencies (with proof). As you will see below, I count attendance and participation in the calculation of your final grade.
You will be graded in the following areas:
Participation and Attendance 20%
In-class Exercises and Rewrites 30%
Research Project Proposal 40%
Presentations on Project Proposal 10%
We will have three workshops in class that are based on field exercises outside of class. Each exercise will involve writing, and depending on the quality of the first draft, possible rewriting. Rewriting is an integral aspect of ethnographic processes, and I expect the rewrites to take into account the comments that I and fellow students make on first drafts. We will discuss the assignments and due dates as we progress through the semester.
The final course project is to produce a 10-page proposal to do an ethnographic research project somewhere in the greater Burlington area. You will be expected to undertake at least 5 hours of in-field research, as well as very basic library research on your topic, in order to prepare your fieldwork proposal. In other words, you will undertake 'pilot research' in order to identify what kinds of questions need to be asked in your proposal. I encourage you to work in groups on this project as well, and will allow as many as 3 people to work on the same topic together. We will discuss in detail how this will work relatively early in the semester so you can begin your research.
During the last weeks of the semester, you will give a 10 minute presentation describing your pilot research and the proposal you produced.
I am organizing a symposium with several Burlington-area ethnographers on the experience of doing ethnographic research, to be held some evening during the semester. We will explore possible dates together during the first weeks of class. Even though it will be outside class time, I consider attendance at this symposium to be a course requirement.
A note on writing papers:
In these days of computer-mediated writing, there are no excuses for the two following problems: 1) late papers due to 'computer crashes,' and 2) poor spelling. Regarding the former, claiming a 'computer crash' is the basically the same as telling me that your dog ate your homework. This is not a valid excuse if you are backing up your materials on diskettes. If indeed this has happened, I expect you to provide a note from a computer specialist explaining the problem; otherwise your late paper will be evaluated in terms of my late paper policy. Regarding the latter problem, use your spellcheck option - I will mark you down for poor spelling.
My policy on late papers is that I do not accept them, although I will make an exception if you are willing to receive a lower grade. Written work is due in class. Anything not turned in during class is late, and for every 24 hour period your paper is late, you drop a full grade from the grade I feel your paper would receive if it were not late. For example, if your 'A' paper is not turned in at class, you will receive a 'B' if it is turned in within the next 24 hours. The next day, your grade drops to a 'C.' The day after that, it is a 'D.' If you turn in a paper late and expect to receive a non-reduced grade, you must provide evidence of an emergency.