UH 3043 Fax: 217-206-6217
Sexual Orientation and Public Policy
STUDENT PROJECTS and Papers
Your STUDENT PROJECTS add up to 40 points (40%) of your final grade for the semester.1. Current Event News Article and Analysis (8%)Late assignments will be graded down one letter grade: a "B" grade becomes a "C" grade.
2. Two Generations Paper (25%)
3. Team-teaching (12%)
1. Current Event News Article and Analysis (2 papers; 4% each)
Paper #1: 01-29-08 (Week 3)
Paper #2: per sign up sheet (Weeks 4-15). Email me a date for paper #2.Each student will write a paper which analyzes a current event news (CEN) article relating to class readings twice during the term. Your task is to make connections between concepts presented in the class readings and your news article. This assignment requires close reading of the news item you select, presenting your analysis in a coherent way, and, for Paper #2, being prepared to discuss your article during class discussion.
Link to example of a "B" grade student CEN paper
DUE DATES:
Paper #1 is due Week 3, and may include any topic from Weeks 1-3.
Paper #2 is due the date you select between Weeks 4-15. The topic of the article should be the same as the topic of the week. Follow this link for signing up for paper #2.PURPOSE: This assignment demonstrates your ability to connect events across time, and to recognize significant issues which are tied together.
CONTENT:
The CEN must be:
From the approved list of resources below, find an article about a current event that connects to the class topic and materials for the week. .
- timely (within the month of the due date)
- from the approved list of LGBTQ media sources
- relevant to the topic and readings of the week (Week 3: Sex Queer Science and Sexual Orientation; Week 12: Violence)
- news, not entertainment. No videos or YouTube allowed. Articles about entertainment (television, music group, film or celebrities) are only relevant the week we cover cultural representations.
- substantive--it has some length and depth. A one or two paragraph news summary is neither.
LENGTH and QUALITY: Your paper should be, at a bare minimum, two paragraphs and no longer than two full pages. Since this paper is not lengthy, I expect to see a well crafted paper. Organize carefully, and do not hand in your first draft.
ORGANIZATION: The first paragraph should summarize the main ideas of the news article in your own words. What are the most important facts in the story?
The rest of your paper should be devoted to responding to the article by connecting it to the week's readings and then evaluating whether or not the article is supported by the ideas and research found in the readings. This means you have a) read the class materials for the week, and b) have incorporated what you learned into your analysis of the topic and your news article. For example, "The lawmakers who propose to ban gay adoption in the State of X are ignoring the research on gay parenting covered in this week's "reading X, Y and Z." Or, "I disagree with Congress including sexual minorities in the hate crimes legislation because even though "reading A and B" show that hate crimes against sexual minorities are the second largest group of hate crimes in the US, I believe that law should only criminalize behavior, not attitudes, thoughts or speech."
For Paper #2, consider bringing your news article and your analysis into the class discussion.
___________________________________________________________________________________
OUTLINE AND FORMAT FOR CURRENT EVENT NEWS ARTICLE and ANALYSISCurrent event news article and analysis
Name Date
Title of Article:______________________________________
Name of the Publication:________________________________
Website of the Article: ________________________________
Date of Publication: ___________________________________
Author(s) name:_______________________________________Paragraph 1: Summary of the main ideas of the article in your own words. NO VERBATIM from the article.
Paragraph 2+:
1) Connect the ideas in the article to at least one reading from the week's topic;
2) Evaluate the quality of the article: Do the ideas and research in the readings genarally support or contradict those in the article? Is the article based on current research? If the article is based on opinion and speculation, is the opinion informed or uninfomed by current knowledge? Has the author adequately educated the readers?
3) Provide your own comments on the issues contained in the article. What is your informed opinion about this topic and your article?Be sure each paragraph has a topic sentence which contains the main idea of the paragraph.
Copy and paste the news article from the web onto the end of your paper. Then highlight and email to me. See box below on e-copies....
________________________________________I suggest you subscribe to the Advocate.com Daily News Update for the semester. For this assignment, you can use it or news from any sources in the box below.
An excellent list of news sources comes from Steve Sander's website. I have updated and revised the news section here, but take a look at his site for more resources on particular LGBTQ issues.
Best sources for daily or weekly news reports: Advocate.com headlines
Datalounge (filtered for threads on politics)
Gay Financial Network daily news, especially the politics channel
Gay.com news channel
Gay News Blog from America and around the world updated through the day
Gay Rights Watch "all the gay you can take in a day"
Gaywired (Scroll down to the "up-to-the-minute" news)
Magportal.com (Society, Politics & Culture/Gay & Lesbian)
current online articles from many magazines
Open Directory Project LGB News and Media index
PlanetOut
Planet Out Community Headlines, U.S. and international, via Yahoo News
Smartbrief: headlines on Gay and Lesbian Leadership. Free email subscription.
Weekly LGBTQ newspapers
Washington Blade excellent coverage of national/political news
Gay City News (NYCity)
Yahoo World/Gay & Lesbian Issues
more links to magazines, audio/video, opinion, related web sitesOther news sources and resources:
The Advocate magazine
Feminist News updated daily, from the Feminist Majority Foundation
Gay & Lesbian Review (formerly Harvard Gay/Lesbian Review)
GayLawNews
international digest reports, organized by month/year and subject
Gay/Lesbian International News Network updated sporadically
Gender Advocacy Internet News serving the transgender and
gender-variant community; free email subscription
Human Rights Campaign news from the nation's largest LGBTQ organization
Independent Gay Forum commentary from a moderate/conservative perspective
Lesbian News online magazine
National Center for Transgender Equality
news, newsletters; free email policy updates
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
news from the oldest and most progressive LGBTQ advocacy group
Sexual Orientation Issues in the News resource center for journalism educators
from USC's Annenberg School for Communication
Transgender Law and Policy News international news on transgender issues
You must email me e-copies of your CEN on the due date.
CHECK LIST for CURRENT EVENT NEWS ARTICLE ASSIGNMENT
substantive story
3. TEAM-TEACHING (12%)
HOW TO DO E-COPIES
UIS Tech Support will help you: 217-206-7357
- Write your paper in MS Word. Save this document to your computer's "Desktop" and keep it open.
- Open your news article on the web, and copy and paste it from the web into your Word document, at the end of your paper.
- You can now use Word to "highlight" the main points of the news article which you pasted into your Word document. I prefer yellow highlight.
- When you are all finished, again save your original Word document to your computer's desktop.
- Open your email, address it to me, and attach your original Word document to the email. (In MS Outlook, there is a paper clip icon at the top of the email, click on that, "Browse" for the file on the "Desktop," click on your orginal Word document which you saved, and click on "attach.")
- then send it to me and send yourself a copy, so you have a back-up......
E-mail me if you need clarification or help.
2. TWO GENERATIONS PAPER (25%)
You may write your paper--which includes the proposal, the annotated bibliography, and the paper itself-- individually or in pairs. You will both receive the same grade. See below for more details.
You will interview two LGBTQ people from two different generations (at least 10 years age difference) on a selected topic and make connections between their experiences, your research and the course. The paper should be 8-10 pages, plus a references page. See below.
The Two Generations Paper has four components (assignments) over the semester:
TILT modules (2%) DUE Week 4 02-05-08
Paper Topic Proposal (3%) DUE Week 5 02-12-08
Annotated Bibliography (10%) DUE Week 9 03-18-08
Two Generations Paper (Content) (10%) DUE Week 15 04-29-08
1) TILT (2%) DUE Week 4 (02-05-08)
This library tutorial will teach you about how to evaluate Internet resources for their academic value. Follow this link to TILT which should take no more than 1.5 hours. Register as "Guest" and complete Censorship and Freedom of Speech module. E-mail me your 3 "Quiz Summaries" scores. No hard copies, please.
2) PAPER TOPIC PROPOSAL (3%) DUE Week 5 (02-12-08)
This is a brief statement of the topic and a description of the two people you expect to interview, not more than one page. A good proposal takes thought and time. Choosing a topic that is focused and specific is critical at this stage. One place to start is with the syllabus, by browsing through the required and recommmended readings to get ideas.
Your topic proposal will help me suggest revisions and resources for you and will help you as you research, interview and then write the paper. I often require revision of your topic proposal, with a new due date. All paper topics must be approved by me.
PROPOSAL CONTENT
1) State the specific issue you wish to explore.
2) Brief description of the two people you expect to interview.
3) List at least three preliminary questions you might ask in your interviews. For example, if your topic is employment, a possible question might be "Are you out at work?" If your topic is K-12 education, one question might be "Did you know any openly LGBTQ teachers or students at your grade or high schools?"POSSIBLE TOPICS
Family (relationships with partner, parents, siblings, children, in-laws, etc.)
LGBTQ parenting (adoption, foster care, custody, etc.)
Psychological issues (coming out, identity, internalized homophobia, etc.)
Educational institutions (K-12, teachers, higher ed., safe zones, curriculum, etc.)
Work (discrimination, best corporations, DP benefits, the military, etc.)
Religion and spirituality (welcoming organizations, LGBTQ clergy, religious condemnation, etc.)
Health (health, AIDS, health care profession, mental health, etc. )
Violence (including hate crimes)
Race, sex and class issues
Other? You need my approval for any other topicsRESOURCES for you3) ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY (10%) DUE Week 9 03-18-08
Choosing a Topic
Selecting a Research Topic
E-mail me if you need clarification or help....
CHECK LIST for TOPIC PROPOSAL
An annotated bibliography is a list of secondary sources with a brief description of each entry. The assignment is to prepare an annotated bibliography on the topic you have selected. You should use these resources in your final paper.
Each entry in the annotated bibliography should have 2 short paragraphs, with one paragraph summarizing or describing content and one paragraph in which you evaluate it. The entry should begin with the citation for the piece in proper APA format, as it will appear in the reference page of your paper.
Your annotated bibliography must contain at least 5 secondary sources, 3 of which must be PRINT.
HARD COPY PRINT RESOURCES (at least 3)
At least 1 scholarly book
You might find print sources through online databases, but if you do, you must be able to demonstrate that the source exists in hard copy.
OTHER RESOURCES (at least 2 more: print or electronic form)
*The definition of what constitutes a “good” ( but not scholarly) magazine, newspaper or website is subjective. Good popular periodicals include national newspapers such as the New York Times and Washington Post as well as specialized magazines that focus on policy issues such as the CQ Weekly and National Journal. Additional good magazines will vary depending upon your topic, but might include magazines such as Scientific American or other science magazines; prominent business periodicals such as Business Week; politically inclined periodicals such as American Prospect, The Nation, and Mother Jones; and some magazines of general interest such as The Atlantic Monthly. Many of these sources are on-line as well as in print.E-mail me if you need clarification or help....Good websites are maintained by organizations which have developed expertise in a specific area. Sometimes they have references and sometimes they do not. Organizations such as GLAAD, LAMBDA, HRC, NGLTF offer analysis of issues. You will find some of these NGO websites in the syllabus. Web based resources should be evaluated using the tools found in the TILT assignment.
RESOURCES for you
How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography
Writing an Annotated Bibliography
Annotated BibliographyCHECK LIST for ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
4) TWO GENERATIONS PAPER (CONTENT) DUE Week 15 (04-29-08)
PRELIMINARY MATTERS
CONTENT of the TWO GENERATIONS PAPER
PROCESS and CONTENT of the TWO GENERATIONS PAPER
Writing the paper is a 7 step process.You may not write a paper which is different than your topic proposal and annotated bibiliography without my prior apporval.
1) Select a topic, identify two people to interview, and create three preliminary questions for approval. This is the Topic Proposal assignment, above.
2) Research your topic which results in the Annotated Bibliography assignment, above.
3) Confirm your choice of people to interview, set dates for the interview and get their consent for the interview (and taping, if applicable). See link to Informed Consent form.
4) Formulate and write out questions which will help you learn about the cultural, economic, religious, legal, etc. forces and events which have shaped or limited the participant’s lives. 10-20 questions are too many. Focus on 3-5 questions which are carefully thought out and follow on one another. Have "Plan B" questions worked out, in case things don't go as planned. Email me your questions if they are different from those approved in step 1 above.
Ask open-ended questions such as "What do you think about____?" rather than leading questions such as "Don't you think that ____?" Follow up with questions like "You mentioned ___; could you tell me more about that?" If your interviewee does not mention things you expect, ask "Did ___ happen?" or "Was ___ a consideration?"
5) Get Consent and Conduct Interviews. Follow this link for the informed consent form, and print four copies. Take two copies of the Informed Consent form to each interview. Give the participant one a blank copy and have the other one signed after you explain the nature of your project and assure the participant that her or his identity will remain confidential in the paper. Ask permission to tape record the interview and explain why you are doing this. Offer to give the participant a copy of your finished paper, if you are comfortable with that. Tell the participant there are no "right or wrong" answers and that you are interested in opinions and experiences. Tell the participant to ask for clarification or feel free to criticize any line of questioning.
6) Think through your material, generate your own analysis and make connections to your independent research. The final paper should NOT be a transcript of your interviews, but it should also capture the lives of the interviewees. You should synthesize and summarize your tapes and notes of what the interviewees said, with occasional use of verbatim quotes of important responses. Use big themes to organize this part of your paper. Compare and contrast the responses of the two participants, and how we might explain those similarities or differences. Connect your interviews to your research from your annotated bibliography, and possibly other class materials. Organize your paper in some coherent fashion. See outline below.
7. Put the signed consent forms in a white letter size envelope, seal it and then write your name across the seal. Hand this in to me in class when the paper is due. (I will keep the forms, unopened, for 3 years in a secure place.) After you receive your final grade for the course, be sure to follow through on destroying the audio tape.
___________________________________________________________________________
Organize your paper in some coherent fashion. Consider the following outline.I. INTRODUCTION (1-2 pages)
-Biographical profiles of your interviewees (age, race, class, sex, religious
affliation, plus any other factors that are significant)
-Design of the study (procedures, methods, questions)II. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE TWO GENERATIONS (3-4 pages)
-Step back from the details, to see a big ideas and themes. What patterns
and themes can you identify?
-Describe and explain any similarities and differences.
-What do you conclude about the forces that affected these people and how
they reacted to them?
-Substantiate with quotes from the interviews.III. MAKING CONNECTIONS WITH YOUR RESEARCH (3-4 pages)
-What connections do you make between the interviews and your research?
-Do your interviewees fit into the theories and findings of your research?
-Substantiate with quotes from your research.IV. CONCLUSION (1 page)
-What have you learned? What questions remain?E-mail me if you need clarification or help....
CHECK LIST for TWO GENERATIONS PAPER
Week 13 (04-15-08) through Week 15 (04-29-08)A) THE ASSIGNMENTC) INTERACTIVE AND CREATIVE TEACHING FORMATYou will be teaching once during the semester. Plan on no more than 45 minutes of class time per team--a lower grade will result if you exceed the time limit. Note that some of the readings listed are to be read only by the teachers--not by the rest of us. The task of the teachers is to lead us out of ignorance!
Each student must:
1) teach part of the class. This means transmitting knowledge. It is not just "testing" students, or standing in front of the class. .
2) read the class materials required for all students;
3) do your share of the recommended or extra materials listed for each topic;
4) conduct independent research in the library (books and journals) and on the Internet using the ideas you learned from TILT. No Internet junk.
5) Hand in 1) typed class notes, 2) bibliography (from #4 above) and peer evaluation (all by e-copy) no later than a week after your team-teaching. Follow this link to the peer grading form. Be honest.B) SELECT A TEAM TEACHING TOPIC
04-15-08 (Week 13)
--YOUTH NOTES DUE: 04-22-08 (Week 14)
--PARENTING NOTES DUE: 04-22-08 (Week 14)04-22-08 (Week 14)
--EMPLOYMENT NOTES DUE: 04-29-08 (Week 15)
--THE MILITARY NOTES DUE: 04-29-08 (Week 15)04-29-08 (Week 15)
--AIDS NOTES DUE: 05-06-08 (Week 16)
--HEALTH CARE NOTES DUE: 05-06-08 (Week 16)The best team teaching presentations will:
1) actively engage students (C grade or worse if presentation is not
interactive);
2) be creative;
3) demonstrate knowledge of the extra readings;
4) demonstrate your own research on the topic.Consider interactive methods such as dividing the class into small groups with a issue or dilemma to discuss or solve. Or ask students to role-play. Or use a talk show interview format in which you present the material (Oprah or Ted Koppel interviews a gay activist and an "expert" who opposes gay rights). Or use a game format (Jeopardy, Family Feud, etc.) in which you assign roles/teams to students and have them draw cards with different questions or experiences. Or create a board game. Spice things up with prizes like candy, fake money, crowns or other goodies for your classmates. Use your imagination and make it active and engaging for everyone. You may use video clips (no more than 5 minutes of the 45), monopoly money, skits to enact, improvised role-plays, prizes: you decide!
I will use this evaluation form when I grade your team teaching project. I also take the peer evalution forms very seriously in grading; not all team members necessarily get the same grade.
I will circulate a sign-up sheet in the next few weeks. Team-teaching material will be on the tests.
CHECK LIST for TEAM-TEACHING
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