1. KEEP IN MIND
THE FOLLOWING SIX 'WHAT'-QUESTIONS when evaluating the reading
- What is the topic and intention
of the author(s)?
- What are the levels/dimensions
of analysis and methods used?
- What are the key
arguments/examples and conclusions? Are they appropriate and convincing?
- What is your own comment,
opinion/critical comment or question after evaluating the text?
- What other reading, argument,
theory, or example complements or contradicts the reading?
- What did you learn from, what
did you miss in the reading?
2. WHAT MISTAKES TO AVOID IN
COMPOSITION, WRITING, AND PRESENTATION
Avoid the following common composition mistakes:
1. rough and loose analogies of theories
2. a topic too broad and unspecific
3. generalizations that are not sufficiently supported
by evidence
4. usage of personal values, anecdotes, private
opinions, and speculations without supporting empirical evidence
(statements such as “I believe…,” “It may be….,”
“Probably…” are indicative of a lack of hard evidence)
5. rambling and lack of focus. It is always better to
choose and stick with a narrower topic/question and then
explore it more in-depth instead of bouncing from
subject to subject
6. plagiarism and recycling of papers or topics from
other classes and students will be considered academic
dishonesty. You will receive a F-grade, and an
official investigation, reprimand, and permanent negative
record in your student file will follow.
Avoid the following common writing mistakes:
1. inconsistent and contradicting statements in your
argumentation
2. circular reasoning
3. false grammar and sentence construction
4. inappropriate and unprofessional vulgar diction
5. confusion of causes and effects, dependent and
independent factors.
Do not forget to take care of the formal aspects of
your presentation:
1. spell check grammar and stylistic errors
2. indent and single space quotes
3. quote correctly, i.e. cite the reading with
quotation marks and give the source and page number/s in brackets
[EXAMPLE: Cohen/Kennedy 2000, p.25]
4. use very few footnotes and endnotes
5. clearly demarcate in your lay-out distinct paper
segments and headings (Introduction, Methods/Data,
Analysis/Interpretation, Conclusion/Summary)
6. use the required format: CG Times font, Size 11,
line spacing (1.5), and margins/indentation (1 inch).
3. MID-TERM
ESSAY AND TERM PAPER PREPARATION: A PATTERNED PLAN OF ATTACK
- Address and answer the
assigned or chosen question/issue completely.
- Organize your thoughts and
paragraphs before beginning writing an outline.
- Write a good introductory
paragraph, then the 'body' of the essay, then summarize in the conclusion
your own critical comments.
- It is better to write simply
and correctly than to try to write eloquently but make errors.
- Use specific details that
support your arguments. Avoid too many generalizations or referrals not
relevant to topic.
- Always remember: Not quantity,
but quality counts.
- After finishing writing,
proofread your essay carefully, check introduction, key arguments, and your
conclusion.
Correct errors in grammar and
spelling.
4. HOW TO DO A Country Report
First do some basic research on a country to become
more familiar with its history, geography, people,
government, economy, and foreign relations using
information from literature and the web (see "Links" in the FLC
website).
- history: historical origins and independence,
major events/conflicts in past and present, historic adversaries
and friends, short characteristic of national
identity, find and attach at least one recent article that is about or makes a
reference to this nation
- geography: area and location, climate and
terrain, border states, major cities, natural resources and land use,
environment-current issues
- people: population, age structure, population
growth rate, gender ratio, standard of living
(UNDP Annual Report), life expectancy, ethnic
diversity, (official) languages, religion, literacy, health, social cleavages
- government: government type, constitution,
legal system, suffrage, head of state, political parties,
four
problems/threats that currently seem to affect this nation, political stability
- economy: development status, global ranking
GDP and growth rate, labor force, unemployment rate,
industries/agricultural products/natural resources,
energy sources (type and origin), currency, imports/export $ value,
commodities and major trading partners/blocs, balance
of payments, external debt, economic aid donor or recipient,
exchange rate of local currency, radio, TV, and
internet lines per capita, major ports, airports, highways and railways
- foreign relations: intervention of UN in any
conflict involving this nation, allies/bloc membership, international
disputes involved, membership in organizations, global
importance, military manpower, major weapons systems
(arsenal, nuclear), military expenditures as % of GDP.
In the next step, summarize in your own words
the current status of a country within global economics and politics,
and point out
at least three advantages and disadvantages of a country's integration into the
global commons.
Finally, develop at least three possible
solutions/alternative scenarios about a country's future in global economics
and politics based on the above basic facts and a
country's resources.
5. EVALUATION CRITERIA USED FOR
MID-TERM EXAMS & TERM PAPERS
Quality of Analysis/Interpretation/Logic (50% of
grade): Excellent (A) Good (B) Fair (C) Poor (D) Very Poor (F)
Introduction/Conclusion/Illustration (25% ): Excellent
(A) Good (B) Fair (C) Poor (D) Very Poor (F)
Composition/Writing/Presentation/Format (25% ): Excellent
(A) Good (B) Fair (C) Poor (D) Very Poor (F)
6. SOME EXAMPLES OF STUDENT
PROJECTS
- establishing a group or chapter on campus that educates students about an issue of global importance
(human
rights, environment, trade and sweat shops), collects signatures and money,
writes letters, organizes a teach-in or a rally, etc.
- devising
a FLC brochure to recruit students/high school students for the FLC minor
program. The brochure could
demonstrate
the usefulness of globalization knowledge and share student experiences (e.g.,
field trips, guest lectures, extracurricular team projects)
- researching
an internship program with a global organization (private, non-profit) on L.I.
or in NYC,
- interviewing
key persons of the organization or students who participate in a program and
evaluating their experiences
writing
a grant application for a presidential mini-grant award for departmental
diversity initiatives and
subsequently
organizing a SBU event on globalization
- actively
contributing to a SBU diversity event, such as the Spanish Heritage Month,
Black History month,
Asian
Student Alliance (ASA), Muslim Student Association (MSA), Hillel, Latino
American Student
Organization
(LASO), Philippine United Student Organization (PUSO), etc
- attending
a conference or lecture series on globalization (e.g., the SBU President's
lecture series,
International
Focus Lecture Series, Sociology Department Globalization lectures) and
subsequently
- writing
a reaction/opinion paper or an article for a student newspaper
- writing
a collaborative paper on a global topic and presenting it at a professional or
student conference outside the SB campus
- doing
a survey on the campus about the FLC program or a globalization topic. Evaluate
the findings and
write
a report or videotape and edit responses
- writing
articles on globalization for a student paper (such as the SBU Statesman), an
online discussion group, or a professional journal
- composing
a letter to the editor of a local or national newspaper or magazine (New York
Times,
USA
Today, Time Magazine etc) about a current issue that relates to globalization
- researching
how much and how well U.S. news media (print/TV) represent global events that
happen during our semester
- contacting
a local high school teacher and collaborating on a lesson plan for a
globalization topic
- writing
a play or making a video related to globalization
- contacting
a non-governmental global organization, such as (Greenpeace, Doctor's Without
Borders,
Amnesty
International, United Nations Association of America, etc) and doing personal
and/or phone
interviews
for a report about the organization's history, aims and purpose, membership,
staff and budget,
governance
structure, actions and outreach, enforcement mechanisms, etc.
- doing
a field research projects, such as gathering information about the national
origins of retail
store
products and analyzing the findings using globalization theories, such as the
"world systems perspective"