· DUE by Tuesday, April 29, 2008 by noon in my office (A&S 3-21).
· No late tests accepted for any reason. Turn it in early if there is any doubt about being able to be on time.
· Please type all answers in double-spaced, standard academic format. Spelling, grammar, & language do count.
· Do not work in groups, consult friends, or copy. Consider this like other paper assignments. Do your own work.
· You may use books, notes, & other sources, though any information copied must be formatted & cited properly.
· You must turn in a printed-out copy (NOT AN ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION) on or before the due date.
NOTE: DO NOT COPY INFORMATION FROM THE INTERNET (or elsewhere). If you do, format & cite it correctly, or else you are cheating and will automatically fail the entire course. You need not do any outside research, but if you copy ANY information (including ideas and information – not just direct quotes) from the internet or elsewhere, YOU MUST give proper CITATIONS! Any time you look up anything from an internet source to discuss it, even music or information about a word or concept (even in the dictionary or my website), you must cite the source (URL, pg. number, author, date, etc.) of any websites or other sources used. If you copy directly, put the copied portion in “quotation marks.” But even copied information requires citation. Even if you are quoting from our class book, you should put the quote in quotation marks (‘”) & cite the page number quoted. Remember that the BEST information will come from class notes, our textbook, or my website. Wikipedia and other non-academic sources are not appropriate and will not likely help you.
PART I [12 points each] – Discuss thoughtfully & thoroughly FIVE of the following seven questions/topics. Do NOT just recite related facts or information, but discuss context and significance in terms of our class. Be clear and thorough.
Recommended Length: 80-120 words per answer
1. Discuss 5 of the typical structures of festival and describe how you have seen (or experienced) them being enacted in a particular festival.
2. Choose a particular holiday (from class this semester) and discuss how it involves at least three genres of folklore. Demonstrate how each of these genres contributes to the holiday and shows “unstandardized multiple variation.”
3. Explain how any character from one of our class examples (like readings – myths, folktales, etc.) goes through the ritual process and show how this functions in the story.
4. Which religion (discussed in class) seems to have the most significant use of gestures? Show how gesture (using specific examples) is significant to that religion (and be sure to explain what the gesture means). Base this on class information and NOT on information copied from the internet!!
5. How is dance a creative expression of community? Discuss a specific dance tradition that you believe to be folkloristic, with an emphasis in your discussion of how the dance is connected to continuity (tradition) and innovation and creativity.
6. Using a specific folk belief (perhaps connected to medicine) that was discussed in class (or the reading), explain why folklorists are interested in studying such folk beliefs.
7. Discuss how TWO examples of folklore from class this semester are especially strong indicators of worldview (which you should define). Be specific & thorough in your discussion.
PART II [50 points] – Develop a thoughtful, thorough, persuasive essay to discuss your answer to ONE of the following topics. Be sure to make your answer an argument (with a thesis) that you prove using specific examples of folklore drawn from class examples, lectures, films, readings, discussions, and projects. Recommended Length: 500-800 words
1. Explain why studying folklore should be considered important in academia (to study at universities) – not just why folklore is “good,” but why it is particularly useful as an academic field of study for university students. Give several specific examples from class as evidence, and base your discussion on class concepts and definitions.
OR
2. Discuss at least 3 examples from class this semester to show how many kinds of folklore are ancient and unique expressions of humanity from all times and places. Be sure you give examples that show this breadth and depth of the artistic expression, and how it seems to have always been important to human communities. Base your answer on class definitions, concepts & examples. Support your points with SPECIFIC examples from the class.
PART III [15 points] – Develop a thoughtful, persuasive essay in answer to the following question. Be sure to be specific, clear, and thorough. Recommended Length: 120-200 words
How does the work you did in your fieldwork collection (final) project demonstrate the dynamism of folklore (be sure you show an understanding of that concept)? Show as well how your project reveals innovation, inspiration, a strong connection to community, and “unstandardized multiple variation.” In other words, how is it folklore?
· Vague answers will receive low scores. The most specific, clear, complete answers will receive the highest scores.
· Copied information or answers (from the internet or elsewhere) will result in failure (in the whole course).
· Spitting back copied information is NOT the assignment—show how information applies to specific examples.
· Show thoughtfulness, consideration of issues, and make connections between concepts & specific examples.
· Write carefully, correctly, and persuasively. Writing style, spelling, and grammar DO MATTER, as does content.