ANTH 390E Evaluation & Assignments – Anthropology

Participation & Attendance (25%):

As noted, participation accounts for 25% of your grade; this is split between the different aspects of participation. Attendance is required; after the first two weeks, a sign-in sheet will be circulated. If you sign-in and depart, this will be noted. There will be some in-class activities. If you are absent, you cannot participate. (See VIU General Regulations–Attendance.)

Active participation is contributing to all class activities, 10%; discussion is the primary one. I am interested in the quality of comments and/or questions raised during discussion. Be an informed participant, i.e., read the assigned materials.

Please submit a self-evaluation of your participation, 5% (no more than 250 words, through VIULearn): 1) by October 13; and 2) by December 8. What are you learning? What is working for you? What challenges may be impacting your learning. Be reflective and honest about your participation.

For those who are less confident about speaking in class, you can still participate through VIULearn, 10%. Each student is expected to contribute to the discussion topics (grouped as weekly) throughout the semester, either by posting a relevant article, or commenting on one submitted by a classmate. The latter should be substantive, i.e., an informed opinion, not one that states agreement. Whether you do all or some remains your choice; your participation mark will reflect this.

To receive full credit for participation (quality counts!), you must 1) attend class, 2) participate fully in class activities (discussion, evaluation, etc.), 3) provide two self-evaluations of participation, and 4) post to VIULearn.

Last day to post or submit an opinion piece to VIULearn, if you want it to be considered as part of your overall mark, is Friday, December 15, 11:30pm!

Opinion piece (5%):

You are encouraged to learn outside the classroom by taking advantage of on- and off-campus events. During the semester, I will post possibilities as I become aware of them. If there is an event that you wish to attend that I have not listed, please check with me. Attend an event and submit an opinion piece (no more than 250-300 words) through VIULearn.

opin-ion \ ə-‘pin-yə n \ n. 1 a: a view, judgment, or appraisal formed in the mind about a particular matter. (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate® Dictionary 11th Edition)

As the above definition implies, I am interested in your response to the event. Your commentary is NOT to be a summary. Be reflective, support your opinion.

NOTE: This is the only assignment that can be considered ‘optional’; there is no penalty if you do not complete this other than missing 5% of your mark.

Short paper, Stuff the British Stole (20%):

Watch on CBC Gem, two episodes of The Stuff the British Stole: Ep 3 – “The Crow Flies,” and Ep 6 – “The Return.” Each episode is 22 minutes long.

Various disciplines have statements or policies on ethics. Take a look at the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Code of Ethics website, especially the Checklist on Ethics of Cultural Property Ownership. You can download the ICOM Code of Ethics (2017). Explain how ethical considerations of today would have (or not) affected the acquisition of the items that ended up in UK museums. Incorporate content of both episodes in your response.

Your essay should be no more than 750 words, excluding references. It should be typed, double-spaced, 11-12-pt font. Please save as docx or pdf-format; submit through VIULearn. Online references need to include the URL, as well as page numbers, when provided; I spot check for accuracy.

Read “On Writing” to ensure that you understand my expectations of a writing assignment.

DUE: Thursday, Oct 5

Short paper, Nanaimo Museum (20%):

In the Nanaimo Museum, there are a variety of objects. The museum plans on redeveloping the exhibit on Chinatown and the Chinese community. Choose an object on display (or suggest one) that might expand the understanding of the community. Explain how and why this story should be told.

For Chinese objects, you can view other BC collections found in the Chinese Canadian Artifacts Project (CCAP), one of the Legacy Projects of the BC government. The Nanaimo Museum and Cumberland Museum & Archives collections served as the pilot for CCAP.

DUE: Tuesday, October 31

Research project (30%):

The class as a group will discuss potential research or project ideas identified by Nanaimo Museum; others may arise during our brainstorming session. Students will have choice based on our discussions. Depending on the project, the task might be appropriate for one person or a group. The number of individuals involved in any one project will be variable based on estimating the amount of research involved.

Each project will be presented to the class (10% of the 30% overall mark). Presentations should be no more than 15-minutes in length. Describe the purpose, the outcome, and the process. There will be a sign-up for the presentation dates, December 5 and 7.

Besides collecting research, I am also interested in what you learned. There should be some reflection accompanying your submission. Remember, this material will potentially be used by Nanaimo Museum! As always, a small portion of the grade on any written work is affected by presentation, spelling, and grammar.

PRESENTATIONS: Tuesday, December 5; Thursday, December 7

DUE: Thursday, December 14

NOTE:

If you are facing exceptional circumstances (e.g., ill-health), please contact me as soon as possible so that an extension can be made. Every student’s situation is a bit different; I will try to support you as best I can. Please keep communication lines open. (See VIU General Regulations.)
Read “On Writing” to ensure that you understand my expectations of a writing assignment.
If you need help with your writing, please seek assistance from the Writing Centre, The Library, Nanaimo Campus, Fourth Floor, Room 474 Contact the Writing Centre at local 2115, or make an appointment online. As well, refer to the numerous “how to” handouts available online.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Students caught plagiarizing will automatically receive an F as their final grade. VIU Student Academic Code of Conduct (policy 96.01)

Created 2023-09-11