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Presentation

GROUP WORK: 4-5 People

The purpose of this assignment is to improve your ability to summarize and discuss an argument effectively in public. It also gives you practice in working with others towards a common goal.

The Essentials:

Argument:

You will explain the argument of the week’s readings in the same way that you do with the weekly reaction papers. If you wish to direct the rest of the class’s attention to specific passages or examples to make things clearer, please do.

Assessment:

You will explain whether you think the author(s) succeeded in making his or her points seem reasonable and well-supported. Since it is possible that others in the class may have seen things differently, you should be prepared to explain and defend your position with examples. You should also be willing to change your mind, should someone else make a good case for their perspective.

Links Between Readings:

Unlike the case with the weekly responses (where this is optional), you must try to find and explain links between the readings in your presentation. Again, specific examples can be helpful.

Questions and Topics for Discussion:

You need to provide at least three questions to promote discussion and understanding of the readings. Open-ended questions are best (“How does Turner's argument compare to Faragher's? Which is more effective? Why?”). Closed questions don’t work very well (“Who was George Catlin? When did Cody tour France?”) because they don’t encourage conversation. Leading questions also shut down discussion, because they offer no room for alternative views (“Can someone explain why Reddin's argument is so convincing?” Better: “Was Reddin's argument convincing? Why or why not?”).

Outline:

1-2 pages, with sufficient copies to hand out to everyone in the class, containing the above information. (It can be in abbreviated form, but should be clear and easy to follow.) You will turn this in instead of your reaction paper for this week. All group members should include their names.

Format:

The format and organization is up to you. However, I recommend handing out the outlines first so that people can follow along with your presentation. Additional materials are welcomed (though see the 4^th point under practical considerations, below), but not required.

Practical Considerations:

First, a practice run is strongly recommended. I am happy to preview your presentation and offer constructive advice ahead of time.

Second, expect that others in the class may need time to think about what you have said or asked. If no one answers right away, wait at least 10 seconds before moving on or trying to explain your question again.

Third, make sure that everyone participates in the presentation. Everyone should talk at some point.

Fourth, if you need special equipment, please check ahead of time to make sure that it is available and can be obtained on time. Have a back-up, low-tech version ready in case something goes wrong. If you have any questions or specific concerns, please talk with me about them as soon as they arise.

In any case, I’m happy to talk with you about your ideas and your work -- no problems required!