Cultural Background Paper:
AP Language and Composition, Dr. Gingrich, Fall 2012
Value: 100 points for writing
Rough Draft: Friday, December 7th
Second Draft: Friday, December 14st
Rubric
Sample Papers
In this project you are to research, write about, and present to the class ideas about your background, heritage, or culture. You may define background and culture however you want—this could be based on where you live now, your family history, community involvement, or national ancestry. The paper should be a minimum of 1000 words. In preparation for the paper the writer should use at least three of following research strategies and include information from each of them in your paper. In the paper summarize the information that you have found and explain how you think the information has influenced you. Interview: interview someone who you consider to have a similar background to yourself, family member, community member, someone with similar interests. Write a list of 7-10 questions that have to do with areas of interest in which you are concerned. Conduct the interview and take notes on the responses.
Artifacts: find a possession or artifact that has some meaning for your family, the culture you are studying, or yourself, and tie in how that has a personal meaning for you.
Stories and myths: find at least one example of a story, myth, folk tale that has relevance for your culture. This could be one that you read or find from another source, this could be a story that you have been told over the years by a family or community member, this could be a story that your interviewee tells you during the course of the interview, or this could be a story that you invent.
Observations: observe individuals who are part of this culture who engage in activities related to this culture: outings, gatherings, ceremonies, community activities, competitions, etc.
Surveys: create a survey which gathers information about the culture. Surveys could be given to individuals who participate in this culture or they could be given to individuals who are not part of the culture about their knowledge and perceptions of the culture.
AP Language and Composition, Dr. Gingrich, Fall 2012
Value: 100 points for writing
Rough Draft: Friday, December 7th
Second Draft: Friday, December 14st
Rubric
Sample Papers
In this project you are to research, write about, and present to the class ideas about your background, heritage, or culture. You may define background and culture however you want—this could be based on where you live now, your family history, community involvement, or national ancestry. The paper should be a minimum of 1000 words. In preparation for the paper the writer should use at least three of following research strategies and include information from each of them in your paper. In the paper summarize the information that you have found and explain how you think the information has influenced you. Interview: interview someone who you consider to have a similar background to yourself, family member, community member, someone with similar interests. Write a list of 7-10 questions that have to do with areas of interest in which you are concerned. Conduct the interview and take notes on the responses.
Artifacts: find a possession or artifact that has some meaning for your family, the culture you are studying, or yourself, and tie in how that has a personal meaning for you.
Stories and myths: find at least one example of a story, myth, folk tale that has relevance for your culture. This could be one that you read or find from another source, this could be a story that you have been told over the years by a family or community member, this could be a story that your interviewee tells you during the course of the interview, or this could be a story that you invent.
Observations: observe individuals who are part of this culture who engage in activities related to this culture: outings, gatherings, ceremonies, community activities, competitions, etc.
Surveys: create a survey which gathers information about the culture. Surveys could be given to individuals who participate in this culture or they could be given to individuals who are not part of the culture about their knowledge and perceptions of the culture.