HUM 200 Project Part One: Exploration Document Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
We all share common experiences that can be generally classified within the major themes of art. Examples of these themes include love, mortality, identity,
truth, and beauty. The representation of these themes through various media reveals central beliefs shared by a common people. The comparison of objects
from the humanities with similar themes helps to uncover not only the uniqueness of each respective cultural artifact, but also a shared human consciousness
that transcends time and place.
Your project for this course has two parts. In Project Part One, you will complete an exploration document examining two cultural artifacts that you select,
identifying a theme common to both of them and developing a thesis statement related to the theme and artifacts. You will also identify an audience who would
be interested in your artifacts, theme, and thesis statement. In Project Part Two, you will develop a presentation for your audience. In your presentation, you
will discuss the impact of the cultural artifacts, theme, and thesis statement on both individuals and society, supporting your claims with evidence. You will also
explain how study of the humanities has impacted you both personally and professionally.
In Project Part One, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:
Illustrate the impact of the humanities on personal and professional experiences
Select appropriate and relevant resources in the humanities in investigating expressions of human creativity
Communicate effectively to specific audiences in examining fundamental aspects of human culture
Apply essential principles of the humanities in exploring major themes of human culture and creativity
Prompt
Choose two cultural artifacts to analyze. These artifacts may take the form of any artistic medium, such as literature, poetry, music, film, dance, painting, and
sculpture, and so on. Then, identify a common theme and compare your examples to one another as expressions of the same theme in different cultural
artifacts. Chapters 3 through 6 in the Soomo webtext will walk you through this process.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Describe the cultural artifacts that you chose. Consider questions such as these in your response: What is the name or title of the artifact? Who is the
author or artist? What is the date or time period when the artifact was created? What is the cultural location or physical setting of the artifact? In
addition, you could consider including a photograph or image of each cultural artifact, if they are visual artifacts.
II. Identify at least one common theme that will serve as the framework of your exploration document. How is the theme expressed in your artifacts?
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III. Explain how the theme you identified is related to your personal experience. For instance, you could discuss how the expression of the theme in your
cultural artifacts is connected to you personally.
IV. Discuss a profession that could be impacted by the theme you identified. In other words, how is the theme you identified related to professional
experiences? How could a working knowledge of the humanities be useful in this field?
V. Describe at least three humanities resources that you could use to investigate your theme and artifacts. Your sources must be relevant to your theme
and of an appropriate academic nature. In your description, consider questions such as the following: What are the similarities and differences in the
content of your sources? What makes them appropriate and relevant for investigating your issue? What was your thought process when you were
searching for sources? How did you make choices? Did you encounter any obstacles and, if so, how did you overcome them? If you did not, why do you
think it was so easy to find what you needed?
VI. Use the humanities resources that you selected to research your theme and cultural artifacts, making sure that you cite your sources. Based on your
research, do the following:
A. Discuss the relationship between each cultural artifact and its historical context. In other words, what were the circumstances under which each
artifact was created?
B. Explain the similarities and differences that you observe in the cultural artifacts you selected, in relation to the theme. For instance, do the
artifacts contain any symbolism? If so, how are the symbols both similar and different? What do the symbols tell you about each artifact?
C. Discuss the medium—such as literature, music, or sculpture—through which your cultural artifacts were created. For instance, how did the
creator or creators of each artifact use the medium to convey something about the meaning of the artifact?
VII. Based on your research, develop a thesis statement that conveys the claim you plan to make about your theme and artifacts. Your thesis statement
should be clear, specific, and arguable.
VIII. Based on your research, identify an audience that would be interested in your theme and thesis statement. For example, who would benefit most from
hearing your message?
IX. Describe how and why you can tailor your message to your audience, providing specific examples based on your research. For example, will your
audience understand the terminology and principles used by humanities scholars, or will you need to explain these? How will you communicate
effectively with your audience?
X. Provide a reference list that includes all of the humanities resources you used to research your artifacts, theme, and thesis statement. Ensure that your
list is formatted according to current APA guidelines (or another format with instructor permission).
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Project Part One Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: You will upload the polished version of the Word document you downloaded from Soomo to the submission link for instructor
grading and feedback. Please see the feedback provided by your instructor in your SNHU course. Your exploration document should adhere to the following
formatting requirements: 3 to 5 pages in length, double-spaced, using 12-point Times New Roman font and one-inch margins. You should use current APA style
guidelines (or another format approved by your instructor) for your citations and reference list.
Critical Elements Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement Not Evident Value
Cultural Artifacts Meets “Proficient” criteria and
description is exceptionally
clear and contextualized
(100%)
Describes selected cultural
artifacts (85%)
Describes selected cultural
artifacts but with gaps in detail
or clarity (55%)
Does not describe selected
cultural artifacts (0%)
8
Common Theme Meets “Proficient” criteria and
identified theme is especially
well-aligned with artifacts
(100%)
Identifies at least one common
theme to serve as framework
of exploration document and
explains how theme is
expressed in artifacts (85%)
Identifies at least one common
theme to serve as framework
of exploration document and
explains how theme is
expressed in artifacts but with
gaps in clarity or detail (55%)
Does not identify at least one
common theme to serve as
framework of exploration
document and does not explain
how theme is expressed in
artifacts (0%)
8
Personal Experience Meets “Proficient” criteria and
explanation demonstrates
keen insight into impact of
humanities on personal
experiences (100%)
Explains how identified theme
is related to personal
experience (85%)
Explains how identified theme
is related to personal
experience but with gaps in
clarity or detail (55%)
Does not explain how identified
theme is related to personal
experience (0%)
8
Profession Meets “Proficient” criteria and
explanation demonstrates
keen insight into impact of
humanities on professional
experiences (100%)
Discusses a profession that
could be impacted by identified
theme (85%)
Discusses a profession that
could be impacted by
identified theme but with gaps
in clarity or detail (55%)
Does not discuss a profession
that could be impacted by
identified theme (0%)
8
Humanities Resources Meets “Proficient” criteria and
description of resources
demonstrates strong
understanding of information
needed to investigate
expressions of human
creativity (100%)
Describes at least three
relevant and appropriate
humanities resources that
could be used to investigate
theme and artifacts (85%)
Describes at least three
humanities resources that
could be used to investigate
theme and artifacts but with
gaps in appropriateness,
relevance, or detail (55%)
Does not describe humanities
resources that could be used to
investigate theme and artifacts
(0%)
8
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Critical Elements Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement Not Evident Value
Research: Historical
Context
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response demonstrates insight
into essential humanities
principles (100%)
Discusses relationship between
each cultural artifact and its
historical context, citing
sources (85%)
Discusses relationship between
each cultural artifact and its
historical context but with gaps
in detail, clarity, or citation
(55%)
Does not discuss relationship
between each cultural artifact
and its historical context (0%)
8
Research: Similarities
and Differences
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response demonstrates insight
into essential humanities
principles (100%)
Explains similarities and
differences observed in cultural
artifacts in relation to theme,
citing sources (85%)
Explains similarities and
differences observed in
cultural artifacts but not in
relation to theme or with gaps
in detail, clarity, or citation
(55%)
Does not explain similarities and
differences observed in cultural
artifacts (0%)
8
Research: Medium Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response demonstrates insight
into essential humanities
principles (100%)
Discusses the medium through
which the cultural artifacts
were created, citing sources
(85%)
Discusses the medium through
which cultural artifacts were
created but with gaps in detail,
clarity, or citation (55%)
Does not discuss the medium
through which the cultural
artifacts were created (0%)
8
Thesis Statement Meets “Proficient” criteria and
claim demonstrates insight into
connection between theme
and artifacts (100%)
Develops clear, specific, and
arguable thesis statement that
conveys claim about theme
and artifacts, based on
research (85%)
Develops thesis statement that
conveys claim about theme
and artifacts but thesis
statement is not based on
research, lacks clarity or
specificity, or is not arguable
(55%)
Does not develop thesis
statement that conveys claim
about theme and artifacts (0%)
8
Audience Meets “Proficient” criteria and
identification of audience
demonstrates insight into
theme and thesis statement
(100%)
Identifies an audience that
would be interested in theme
and thesis statement, based on
research (85%)
Identifies an audience but
audience is not appropriate for
theme and thesis statement or
is not based on research (55%)
Does not identify an audience
(0%)
8
Message Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response demonstrates
sophisticated understanding of
how to effectively
communicate with specific
audience (100%)
Describes how and why
message can be tailored to
audience, providing specific
examples based on research
(85%)
Describes how and why
message can be tailored to
audience but with gaps in
examples or research support
(55%)
Does not describe how and why
message can be tailored to
audience (0%)
8
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Critical Elements Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement Not Evident Value
Reference List Provides reference list that
includes all humanities
resources used to research
artifacts, theme, and thesis
statement, ensuring that list is
formatted according to current
APA guidelines (100%)
Provides reference list that
includes all humanities
resources used to research
artifacts, theme, and thesis
statement, but list has gaps in
adherence to current APA
formatting guidelines (55%)
Does not provide reference list
that includes all humanities
resources used to research
artifacts, theme, and thesis
statement (0%)
8
Articulation of
Response
Submission is free of errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, and
organization and is presented
in a professional and easy-toread format (100%)
Submission has no major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
(85%)
Submission has major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or
organization that negatively
impact readability and
articulation of main ideas
(55%)
Submission has critical errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that prevent understanding of
ideas (0%)
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Total 100%
