Need help with HW – 1,800 min – Ethnic Studies

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Ethnic Studies 101 C
American Ethnic Studies

FINAL EXAMINATION

Pick ONE of the following questions and answer it for your final examination:

1) How has the assimilation of Native Americans, African Americans, Chicanos, and Asian

Pacific Americans been shaped by larger historical forces such as colonialism, migration

(both coming to and occurring within America), and institutional discrimination? Have

these factors increased or decreased a group’s ability to assimilate in America? Have

generational differences affected levels of assimilation? Explain.

2) In which area have Native Americans, African Americans, Chicanas/os/xs, and Asian Pacific

Americans been the most effective when fighting against racial discrimination: a) the

legal system; b) non-violent resistance; c) armed/militant resistance; or d) economic

development? Where have they been the least effective? What evidence can you point to

that will support your argument?

Your paper MUST address the four racial groups (ALL FOUR!!) covered in this course – Native

Americans, African Americans, Chicanas/os/xs, and Asian Pacific Americans. Papers that do

not cover all four groups will receive an “F”.

SOURCES:

You are required to utilize examples drawn from the course readings (Takaki and the Canvas

Readings) as well as the lectures and films to support your main argument (i.e. thesis). You are

not required to use outside sources, but if you do, they must be reputable scholarly books and/or

online sources such as articles from The Journal of American History, The Journal of American

Ethnic History, The Journal of Ethnic Studies, or articles from EBSCOHOST, and online

newspapers. Do not even THINK about using Wikipedia!!

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If you take information from either Takaki, the Canvas Readings, or from an outside source, you

must cite it. When citing information, use MLA format. Indicate your citation in parenthesis – for

books: (last name of author and page number). e.g. (Takaki 72). You may want to use a writer’s

manual to help you cite information from sources other than books: journals, websites, etc.

BEWARE OF PLAGIARISM!! If you quote or paraphrase information from a source and do

not cite it, this is plagiarism and is considered an academic offence. Exams without

citations will receive a failing grade!!

FORMAT:

This examination is an essay – NOT a report!! In other words, you need to have a clearly

stated thesis in your introduction. A thesis is an analytical point that you want to make about

your topic. For example, if one were to write a paper about civil rights activism, a report would

just present a lot of information about the subject. In an essay, however, your thesis addresses

the following question about that information – “SO WHAT??” What point are you trying to make

with the information you are presenting? Did African Americans and Native Americans utilize

similar or different strategies from those of Chicanas/os/xs and Asian Pacific Americans? Did

they address similar issues? Your thesis addresses that point which you are trying to make about

your topic and you use the information that you’ve acquired about your topic to back up your

thesis. Exams that do not have a thesis statement will receive a maximum grade of “C.”

Your examination must have an introduction and a conclusion!! You need to have a bibliography

(work cited page) in MLA format (I will check your sources), and the text of the essay itself

must be 1,800 words minimum (this does NOT include block quotes or the bibliography!!);

papers under 1,800 words of text will receive an “F”. The paper must be typed in 12 font

in any standard academic font, double-spaced, and have one-inch margins. If you do not

include a bibliography, your paper will be lowered one full grade — no exceptions!!

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GRADING:

This exam is a formal writing assignment. In addition to the quality of the content (e.g. the

soundness of your argument), pay close attention to grammar, spelling, punctuation, and

paragraph structure. PROOFREAD!! USE SPELL CHECK!! Read your paper out loud to

yourself before you submit it. If it does not make sense to you IT WILL NOT MAKE SENSE

TO ME!! Excessive grammatical errors, spelling errors, and poorly constructed paragraphs will

seriously have a negative impact on your grade. You may consult with me at any time by

email about the exam. Good Luck!!

This assignment is worth 100 points (50% of your course grade). So take your time with

it and take it seriously.

This is due on MAY 20 by 6:00pm. You are to send this to me in two ways:

1) As an attachment in either Word or PDF, not google docs.
2) Cut and paste your exam in the email you send to me in case I have trouble

opening your attachment.

LATE EXAMINATIONS WILL RECEIVE A GRADE OF “F”

FAILURE TO SUBMIT THE EXAMINATION WILL RESULT IN A COURSE GRADE OF “F”