Asian American Studies
211-02
Agenda
! Announcements/reminders
! Last project due May 2
! Will explain more about that project today
! I am slowly catching up on giving comments to your oral
histories, autoethnographies, and ethnographies
! Break out rooms
! Check in
! If you could choose a superpower (like flying, being super
strong, run fast, become invisible, read minds, etc.), what would
it be? How would you use that superpower?
! Explain project – give examples
! Present what you learned from either your oral history project or
your ethnography (or autoethnography) in one of the following
formats:
! Standard paper : Write a 4- to 5-page paper with Introduction
[including research question and thesis statement], body,
conclusion, citations, and bibliography that addresses one
particular issue, concept, event, etc. that was covered in class.
! Creative piece : If you choose to do a creative piece, please write
a 2-page write up that identifies a particular issue, concept, event,
etc. that was covered in class and shows the connections that it
has to your creative piece. You will turn in a representation of the
creative piece as a file to iLearn (such as PDF, JPEG, mp3, mp4,
Word doc, PPT, screen shot, etc.) Examples of creative pieces:
! Video project (up to 3 minutes)
! Photo essay with captions
! A social media campaign that addresses a particular issue or
problem that is relevant to yourself, family, and/or community
! Spoken word piece or song
! Dance piece
! A script of a scene of play or movie
! A recipe collection
Mauna Kea song
For both the standard paper and the
creative piece…
! You will need to have thesis statement or argument
What is a thesis statement?
! A sentence that sums up the central point or main idea of what
you are writing and/or presenting.
! Usually comes in the first part of what you are writing and/or
presenting.
! Tells the reader or audience what you will be writing or presenting
about – like a map of where you are going
Your “quiz” today
!Go over at least one of the following references on thesis statements:
! https://wordcounter.io/blog/top-6-most-common-thesis-statementmistakes/
! https://www.english.upenn.edu/graduate/resources/teachweb/
scthesis.html#:~:text=A%20thesis%20must%20be%20arguable,need%20to
%20prove%20the%20point
!Write a thesis statement on any topic of your choosing and send it in
by chat to me (You can send it directly to me or send it to the whole
class.)
!I just want to see if you all have a general understanding of a “thesis
statement”
For example:
! The stereotype of Asian Americans as being smart overachievers has had a
profound impact on my self image and relations with my peers.
! Realizing that the stereotype of Asian Americans as being smart
overachievers has adversely affected my self image has led me to recreate
a different kind of identity that is based on self-determination and self care
! My grandmother is no “simple and backward” immigrant because
undergoing the dangerous trek to the US and overcoming the many
challenges after coming required much planning and skill.
! Boxers are better than briefs because they allow more freedom of
movement due to their being looser fitting.
! In the Bay Area, online classes are better than in-person classes because of
the high cost of living here.
! My neighborhood has rapidly changed its racial composition in the last few
years due to gentrification.
