SOAN 335. Developing Countries of the Caribbean Basin                           B. Bullock

Presentation Project

The primary objective here is to expand our understanding of a larger question listed in our syllabus by “grounding” the focus in a specific issue and country.  Perhaps the best way to focus the presentation is to use one of the sub-questions under the larger one, but your group may decide on its own specific issue (e.g., population growth) and demonstrate how this is related to the larger question.  The presentation should demonstrate the roughly equal contributions of each group member.  PowerPoint presentations are optional.

Here are additional requirements and suggestions.

Outline: make an outline of the main points you wish to cover, including references to any materials you use, limited to a single page, and made available to the class for the day of your presentation.  Please e-mail the outline to me.

Materials:  you must first glean relevant ideas from the readings assigned for the larger question.  You should also use specific ideas from up to five new, additional sources of information.  The additional readings listed in the syllabus are the most logical place to start, but you may use other material that you find interesting (perhaps from another course?) or that you discover for yourselves.  Limit: only one web site, please, fully referenced.

Quality, not quantity: most of the time you spend on this presentation will be editorial – deciding on those few things that best represent the idea or issue that you wish to stress.  Have one or two specific examples (short quotes, references to people, stories, or concepts) to support your points.  This is the very best way to demonstrate the time and effort spent researching your topic.  Skillful preparation!

Time:  limit your formal presentation to about 25 minutes.  This cannot be overly emphasized!  Our class should have most of an hour to discuss the implications of your presentation and what it adds to our understanding of the Caribbean.

One implication:  present in your outline one particular implication of your project toward our understanding of the Caribbean, perhaps in the form of a question for discussion (i.e., how do we begin to answer the “So what?” following your findings and ideas).  You must be prepared to give a well-conceived, well-supported response to your own proposed implication!

Common ground: succinctly address one or two specific ways that your discoveries relate to what we have already explored in our course – mention specific lessons from previous readings, discussions, or previous information.

Resources:  I’ve supplied you already with some resources – places to start.  Don’t forget the statistics and other facts you’ve stored electronically.  Of course, use me as a resource, especially for developing ideas or outlines.  At least two group members must meet together with me briefly before you present (ideally at least a week before the presentation).