Short Paper Guidelines

You are assigned four short papers over the course of the semester. The papers are based on articles assigned from your custom reader which is the smaller had copy book or the link called ebook reader on the main page of your myanthrolab book back up website. The library also has the book on reserve.  One paper is due at the end of each section.

How do I write the paper?

• For each section choose ONE of the assigned articles to write on (For example section one I assigned Language and Social Identity and Forms of Address, you will pick one of those. You can also choose Body Ritual of the Nacirema but be careful with that one its tricky)
• Summarize the article in your own words, this is not an English paper I do not want a book report or an analysis of the author I want a discussion of the important or critical elements of what the author is trying to convey to the readers using anthropological concepts. Pretend someone has to take a quiz on the article and they only study materials they have is your paper.  Did you give them all the main points of the paper? Did you show how it is connect to anthro terms and concepts?
• Connect the article to class using specific terms or concepts from the chapters, ideas from class participation, or ideas from weekly discussion questions.  Make sure you are using SPECIFIC terms.  Saying things like this article is all about marriage and we just read about marriage is an introduction not a connection!  Use the anthropological term, identify a specific example from the paper then explain why they are the same and/or connected. So something like "In the article Language and Social Identity we see an ethnolinguistic study of language and how it reflects a groups' culture".
• The student may also use personal observations/experiences to further enhance the paper but it must not be opinion the paper must be phrased in a NEUTRAL way. I don't want to know if you liked the article or hated it. I don't want to know what your personal moral code is. I don't want you to do anything but tell me the critical elements of the article and the concepts that are linked.

What are the mechanics of the paper?

• Two full pages minimum
• One inch margins
• Twelve point pitch or smaller type face
• Double Spaced
• Correct grammar and spelling (an occasional mistake is O.K. but if the paper is so full of mistakes that the professor cannot read it, it will be graded down)
• Proper referencing and citation of sources including a reference page in APA style!  (NOTE: copying directly from articles, textbooks, web sites, or other related materials is considered plagiarism and will cause you to flunk the assignment)
• I will give you a handout on APA that makes it easy.  
•  If you make a boo boo on referencing no big deal you get full credit for an honest try. But if you DO NOT TRY THIS you will fail the paper!!  Yes really FAIL THE PAPER.  This is a "just do it its good for you" kind of moments. I promise you this is a necessary skill.  I have lost count of how many students have emailed me after they leave and go to a four year thanking me for making them learn APA.
• Also please note you must cite ANYTHING you quote even if I know where it comes from that means the books, me, the message boards, ANYTHING.  Also please note again wikipedia is NOT an academic source DON'T USE IT!!  You can do a fantastic job with just your books and the discussion on the message board I promise! :)
• If you do not directly quote you still need a reference sheet.  It is telling the reader that while everything is in your own words you received the base information from... what ever you used.

How am I graded?

• Each paper is worth 25 points
• Students are graded on a proper summary and connection to class using specific anthropological terms and concepts
• Students are graded on proper presentation of paper including mechanics
• Student are graded on following directions
• Students are graded on a neutral presentation
• Students are graded on properly citing sources and providing a reference sheet in APA format (occasional boo boos are ok I"m not an APA nazi, but lack of trying makes you fail the paper!)
• Late papers are not acceptedfor any reason so plan ahead

How do I turn in the paper?

• Papers may be sent as an attachment to an e-mail message using Microsoft Word as a .doc file, Microsoft Works as an .rtf file or Adobe as a .PDF ONLY. If you have a MAC please go ahead and save as an .rtf even if it is in word it just works better! Please note papers sent in the body of an email will not be accepted and you will receive a zero. If you do not have access to those programs remember the school computers do and you can use them for free. Also please do not use Yahoo it does not work well with Citrus.

Examples of Short Papers

ARTICLES FOR THE PAPERS

Section One Articles

• Forms of Address
• Language and Social Identity
• Third OPTIONAL choice  Body Ritual of the Nacirema but be careful with this one it can really trip you up!

Section Two Articles

• Nomads on Notice
• Office Work and the Crack Alternative

Section Three Articles

• Walking in the Land of Marriage
• Arranged Marriage in India
• Ladies Behind Bars
• The Modern State: Nation Builder or Nation Killer
• Witchcraft in an Anthropological Perspective
• Baseball Magic

Section Four Articles

• Career Advice for Anthropology Undergraduates
• Shuar Migrants and Shrunken Heads