Course Schedule

Schedule of Meetings and Assignments (subject to revision; we follow the Fall 2018 CUNY Academic Calendar)

27 Aug.: First meeting; course introduction. For homework, you’ll be responsible for posting a question re: the syllabus in a designated BlackBoard Discussion Forum Thread; this will count toward your Participation grade in this class.

29 Aug.: Diagnostic essay (to be written in class and revised into the first substantial writing assignment)

3 Sept.: University closed (Labour Day)

Module I: Letter of Introduction, Self and Writer

5 Sept. (Wednesday with a  Monday schedule): Please review pp. 92 – 124 in Tombro’s Teaching autoethnography; we’ll discuss this genre of writing and samples in class.

10 Sept.: no class

12 Sept.: Please review Bazerman, “Codifying the Social Scientific Style” (Ch. 9); “Ethnography, Observational Research, and Narrative Inquiry”; and  Bazerman, “Active Social Symbolic Selves” (Ch. 5; recommended)

17 Sept.: In-class writing and sharing of ideas (we’ll be using sections in Sociology: understanding …)

19 Sept.: No class

24 Sept.: Draft of the Letter of Introduction due; please bring two copies or have the file available to share electronically. These will receive feedback from me and a classmate (peer review)

Module II: The Peer Profile

26 Sept., 1  Oct.: Sociology: Understanding …, pp. 101 – 22; Henderson, Ch. 4; Ch. 5 in Introduction to sociology; re-review secs. 3.2 and 3.3 in Sociology: understanding …; we’ll most likely intersperse our work with these readings with more hands-on work toward this assignment, namely the in-class interview and follow-up. Final Draft of the Letter of Introduction due 1 Oct.

3 Oct.: Revision of drafts of the Peer Profile; as before, please bring in two copies of your draft of have same available to share electrically. again, these will receive feedback from me and a classmate but also be used to practice fact-checking and follow-up, two crucial fieldwork skills.

8 Oct.: No class

Module III: The Classroom Observation

10, 15 Oct. : Intro to sociology, Ch. 16; Sociology: Understanding …, pp. 114 – 7. We’ll also begin making arrangements for you to complete this assignment by identifying classes for you to observe, explaining your interest in same, and gaining permission/ access to the class you’ve chosen.

17 Oct.: DeCarlo, Ch. 14. In Sociology: Understanding …, sect. 3.5, “Social Interaction,” esp. pp. 126 –  31

22 Oct.: Draft of the Classroom Observation due; please follow above procedures.

Module IV: The Ethnography and Research Proposal

24 Oct.: re-review  “Rhetoric of Science …” (https://wac.colostate.edu/books/bazerman_wac/chapter6.pdf).

Intro to Sociology, Ch. 2; “Ethnography, Observational Research, and Narrative Inquiry.”

29, 31 Oct.: Choosing a subculture and defining your project. Tombro, “Choosing a Topic Assignment” instructions and samples on pp. 218 – 65;  Sociology: Understanding …, Ch. 4, esp. “Primary and Secondary Groups”; Intro to Sociology, Ch. 3. Isnart article in Adell et al. (what lends a community/ group unity?), pp. 179 – 92. Final draft of the Classroom Observation due 29 Oct.

5 Nov.: Ethical considerations in writing ethnographies. Please review DeCarlo, Ch. 5; sect. 2.3 in Sociology: Understanding …; Henderson, Ch. 2;

7, 12 Nov.: Research for the Ethnography. Library instruction? Please review DeCarlo, Chs. 1,2, 3, 8, and 16 in preparation. Proposal for the Ethnography due (this is not the same as the Research Proposal writing assignment for the course!) due 7 Nov.

14 Nov.: Field research: challenges, rewards, and precautions. Please review DeCarlo, Chs. 6, 7, 9 – 15 (as needed); Tombro, Ch. 9, esp. p. 56, “Conducting Interviews Assignment”

19 Nov.: Preparing your Research Proposal. Please review Sociology: Understanding …, secs. 4.2 and 4.3; Ch. 6 in Intro to Sociology. Annotated bibliography for the Ethnography due.

21 Nov.: This period will be spent on the above two assignments, the Ethnography and Research Proposal, in whatever way/s will be most helpful to you. Please review Salzbrunn article in Adell et al. (pp. 193 – 208, esp. “Case Study” section)

26 Nov.: The role of objects/ artifacts in culture. Groth article in Adell et al. Artefact-sharing exercise (time permitting). Intimacy with a place. Tombro, pp. pp. 168 – 92.

28 Nov.: Intimacy with a subject: Tombro, pp. 68 – 91.

3 Dec.: Draft of the Research Proposal due; please follow above procedures.

5 Dec.: Continuing to revise the Ethnography.

10 and 12 Dec. + final-exam slot: Presentations. Final drafts of the Ethnography and Research Proposal due: TBA

Portfolio including components of your field work, a selection of writing done for class, and Self-Assessment Essay due: TBA.

Other important dates:

17 Sept. (Mon.): Last day to withdraw from any Fall 2018 class without the grade of “W”;

6 Nov. (Tues.): Last day to withdraw from any Fall 2018 course with a grade of “W.”

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