SOAN 286. Community

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 or “community.”  Material assigned for the larger question must be included, while each presentation should also bring to our class new, additional material that you find interesting (perhaps from another course) or discover for yourself.  Normally, presentations will occur on Thursdays.

Here are the requirements.

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

Materials:  you must first glean relevant ideas from the readings assigned for the larger question; additionally, use specific ideas from up to five new, additional sources of information.  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 ideas) 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 presentation to 20 minutes.  This cannot be overly emphasized!  Our class should have about half an hour to discuss the implications of your presentation for our better understanding of community.

One implication:  present in your outline one particular implication of your project toward our understanding of community, 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 questions: to assure some common ground, make sure that your presentation does address, succinctly, the following questions.  What necessary components of community emerge from studying your topic?  Are any left out?  What are one or two specific ways that your discoveries relate to what we have already explored in our course?  What one main lesson related to community do we take from your presentation?

Resources:  I’ve supplied you already with some resources – places to start.  Of course, use me as a resource, especially for developing ideas or outlines.