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General Guidelines

This class will be run in a seminar format, in which we will learn through discussion amongst us all. I will work to create an atmosphere that is respectful of different viewpoints and all students, and I hope that you will help me in that regard by coming to class prepared and on time, having done the reading and other assignments, participating in class discussion in a respectful way.

All papers should be typed on a word-processor in 12-point font, double-spaced, with standard one-inch margins and page numbers.  Please put your name, date, course name or number, my name, and the title of the paper on the first page.  Please avoid using funky fonts or colors other than black: these strain my eyes.  I'd recommend Times New Roman, Courier, Arial, or similar fonts.  Always print out an additional final copy for your records.

I WILL NOT ACCEPT ASSIGNMENTS AFTER THE DEADLINE.  Obsessively back-up all your computer files for this course and keep paper copies of all your work.  Stock up on back-up media (floppy or zip disks), paper, and printer ink.

As you will note, I have not taken into account religious holidays.  If you have a conflict with any of the dates for the assignments because of your religious background and beliefs, please see me the first week of class and we will arrange something convenient for both of us.

Assignments

You should pick an immigrant group that lives in the region, and all your assignments should be about that same immigrant group.

What group will you study?

You should have made a decision by the time we visit the library on February 4th. You should turn in to me on that date a piece of paper with your name and the immigrant group you will study. I will then discuss your choice with you and resources you might use in individual meetings the following week.

Initial Bibliography

Please use APA format to cite your references. Instructions for how to do so are here.
Due February 18th (5%)

Paper #1: Background paper: Why did your immigrant group migrate to the US?

Directions
Due March 14th (20%)

Paper #2: Block survey: What is life like for your immigrant group in the US?

Directions
Link to the US Census
Link to Gilbert-Kahl Model of the Class Structure
Due April 7th (20%)

Paper #3: Newspaper report: How is your immigrant group represented in the US press?

Paper directions
You can look through such articles in Lexis/Nexis Academic, a database of English-language newspapers, on the library homepage. Directions on how to cite newspaper articles in the text and bibliography are here.
Due May 5th (20%)

Critical response papers

At the beginning of each class, you must turn in a one-page, single-spaced paper that answers the following questions:

About the previous class period:

1) What was the main point of the lesson of last class? What did you learn or what most engaged you?

About the reading(s) due in the upcoming class period:

2) What is the major point that the reading makes?
3) What does the reading say about the theme for this class?
4) What experiences are omitted from the text that strike you as important? If the text addresses experiences with which you are familiar, to what extent are they congruent with or contradicted by your own experiences?
5) To what extent does this text challenge or confirm existing ideas, values, and structures about immigration?

These critical response papers must address all the readings due in the upcoming class period. If there is no reading due on a particular day, then you do not need to turn in a critical response paper. The critical response papers will be graded as credit/no credit. Simply writing something on a piece of paper will not give you credit for doing this assignment; you must demonstrate that you have read the article through and answer the questions above.

You may miss six critical response papers during the course of the semester, although you are still required to do the reading for that day. If you have more than six papers missing, then you cannot earn higher than a B in this portion of your grade; if you have more than eight, you cannot earn higher than a C; ten, a D; and twelve (six weeks of class), you will receive an F. (20%)

Participation

A good participation grade can be achieved by coming to class on time every day and participating in the discussion, drawing on your insights and questions about the readings, in a polite and engaged way.

A definition of an excused absence is that 1) I am informed prior to class that you will be unable to make it; and 2) on the day that you return, you provide me with documentation for your absence. If these two conditions are not met, your absence will be considered unexcused.

If I find your participation in class to be disruptive (through cellphone ringing, talking, or excessive leaving and entering the classroom), I reserve the right to not give you any participation points. (15%)