Proseminar: Visual Narratives in American Culture 4219-ZP034
The aim of the proseminar is to learn the research process necessary for writing a BA thesis. Students will learn how to plan their work, look for sources and then select them, and how to construct a strong thesis and support it with convincing arguments. By the end of the course, students will propose their BA thesis projects, as well as submit outlines and drafts of their first sections.
This proseminar will focus on how to read and critically examine visual storytelling in American culture. While visual culture encompasses different media, interest in comics is especially welcome. We will be examining both modes of storytelling, and focusing on the role of gender, class, race, and ability in selected narratives.
Type of course
proseminars
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Upon completing this course, students
Knowledge
- are aware of special requirements given to academic works;
- know that there are certain procedures and norms that guide the process of academic research;
- know differences between academic and non academic texts, sources, language;
- understand the issue of academic honesty and others’ intellectual property,
- understand the most important concepts of cultural studies, with a focus on visual culture.
Skills:
- are able to organize a basic research process leading to write a BA thesis;
- have skills necessary to find and evaluate primary and secondary sources;
- are able to construct a coherent and logical argument;
- can document sources in an academic way (in the Chicago Style) and avoid plagiarism;
- can present the results of their research in an academic way (written and oral);
- knows basic rules of editing a thesis in English.
Competences:
- can organize their research process;
- are able to properly plan and undertake an analysis of chosen text of visual culture;
- are aware of the possible consequences of plagiarism;
- can give meaningful feedback to others in a respectful way.
Assessment criteria
20%: participation (including group work and in-class assignments) + homework
10%: in-class presentation
70%: final project (including: a research proposal 10%, annotated bibliography 10%, the first draft of the final paper 40%, the second draft of the final paper 10%)
Grading:
below 60 - 2
60-67 - 3
68-74 - 3+
75-82 - 4
83-89 - 4+
90-100 - 5
Bibliography
Booth, Wayne C. et al. The Craft of Research. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1995.
The Chicago Manual of Style. The Essential Guide for Writers, Editors, and Publishers. 15th Edition.
Kirszner, Laurie G., and Stephen R. Mandell. The Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical Reader and Guide, Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2015.
Turabian, Kate. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations.
Taylor, Lisa and Andrew Willis. Media Studies: Texts, Institutions, Audiences. Wiley-Blackwell, 1999.
Williams, Joseph M. Style: Toward Clarity and Grace. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1995.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: