Term Project

During the course of the semester, you will also be engaged in an ongoing research project designed to help you see how the texts and issues discussed in the classroom can be related to a concrete situation. The goals of your project will be to uncover, through independent research, and to analyze, using the tools and concepts of the course materials, a particular example of the interrelations of representation and power in or around Walla Walla, historically and/or currently.

Your research might involve any combination of published texts; archival texts, photographs, and other materials; and personal interviews. The finished product will be a full-length scholarly paper (in the neighborhood of 15 pages). Depending on the nature of your topic and your approach to it, you may supplement your paper with other forms of writing, creative artwork, or anything else that will help communicate your ideas. A list of model topics from past semesters will be distributed early in the semester, to help provide a sense of the possibilities.

Your project may be conducted individually, or as part of a group of 2 or 3. If you choose to form a group, I will work with you to spell out clear parameters: which aspects of the project will be shared, what each member is expected to contribute to those shared aspects, and which aspects will remain individual.

I strongly encourage you to take advantage of the help that’s available, throughout the research and writing process. It is usually very beneficial to work with other students, even those with very different topics, as sources of mutual support and inspiration. Laura Hanson completed this project when she was a student in CAV, and as the course assistant she has worked with many other students. Various library staff may be able to help you identify and/or obtain the materials you need. And I would be happy to meet with you throughout the semester to provide any assistance I can. This project will be a lot of work, but it shouldn’t be a struggle – if you find yourself uncertain about what to do, or putting in lots of time without making good progress, stop and get help!

To facilitate the smooth and successful completion of this project, there will be a number of required steps along the way:

Research journal
Throughout the time that you’re working on this project, from your initial brainstorming through to the final draft of your term paper, you should keep a “research journal” listing all of the steps that you’ve taken, summarizing all of the resources you’ve examined, and articulating all of the ideas you’ve had. Not only will this provide a direct reminder of the importance of working steadily on the project, it will also make it much easier for you to go back to earlier ideas and resources, even as your thinking evolves. Your research journal can be totally informal; it’s entirely for your own use and benefit. (I may ask to see it, just to be sure that you’re making good progress, but I won’t examine it in any detail.)

Detailed proposal (due Wednesday, February 21)
Your proposal should be about 2 pages long, with two main parts. First, you will explain the topic. This should include a statement of the single, overarching question that will guide your project, as well as the variety of other questions and issues that you expect to address along the way. You should also be sure to explain how you see your topic fitting into the main issues and questions of the course (though not necessarily specific texts, since you won’t have read most of them yet). Be as specific and thorough as you can be – although your project will surely evolve as the semester goes on, you need a definite starting point.

Second, you will explain your proposed methodology – how you plan to determine the answer to your fundamental question. You should consider both the kinds of information that you’ll need, and what exactly you’ll need to do to get that information. How will you identify the published texts that will be relevant and helpful? How will you locate the appropriate archived materials? How will you arrange and conduct the interviews? Answering those questions should help you determine what your project will actually require you to do – so that you can make sure both that you want to do it, and that you can complete it in the time that’s available.

Research plan (due Monday, March 5)
Taking into account my feedback on your proposal, you will then break down your project into a series of discrete steps, and propose specific deadlines for completing each of those steps. Be as detailed as you can, with small and reasonable goals every few days or week. Again, these can be revised as your project evolves, but it’s important for you to have a complete and feasible plan in place to work from. This will keep the project manageable, and allow you to make steady progress throughout the semester.

Meet with me (week of March 26-30)
As soon as we return from Spring Break, I’ll meet with each of you to make sure that you’re on track and that you have a clear sense of what you need to do to complete the project. (Of course, I’ll be happy to meet with you at any other point in the process as well – I just want to make sure that I see everyone at least once.)

Progress report (due Monday, April 9)
This step is intended to give us a chance to step back and evaluate your progress, when you’re far enough along to have a sense of the project as a whole, but while there’s still time to refine your focus and/or to make up for lost time. It should include an updated explanation of your topic and methodology, as well as an (honest!) assessment of how far along you are in completing the project. If necessary, you should revise your earlier research plan to match your current focus and/or timing.

CAV “mini-conference” (Thursday, April 19; Saturday, April 21; or Sunday, April 22)
These “mini-conference” sessions will give students from both sections of CAV a chance to present and discuss their term projects with each other. Each student will be responsible for preparing a 6-7 minute overview of her or his project, with 3-4 minutes afterwards to consider questions, suggestions, and other feedback.

Your presentation won’t be graded separately, but it will factor into your grade for preparation and participation.

** Completed project due Monday, May 14 @ noon **

 

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