Beginnings: Sustaining our Culture and Identity
Fall Quarter 2010
Hamilton/Reis
ESSAY #2—Thinking deeply about what Sustains our Identity
November 15th—DRAFT DUE for Peer Editing
November 24 th -- F INAL DUE+1 Draft; 2 Peer Reviews; Self-reflection of your writing process
[Late papers will be marked down on the Final Grade.]
Essay #2—An essay focused on using the “texts” from our class. The paper should be 5 or more pages long and use at least three of the texts from our readings this quarter. You can focus on or use more of one book or reading, but the thesis that you develop must be your own idea and bring together the ideas or illustrations of your ideas from two other texts also. You do not need to do outside research or online resources to write this paper. You should not use the internet or electronic or other sources for ideas or content for this paper. The sources from our class must be carefully cited using MLA style of in-text citation and include a Works Cited
list on a last page.
Process:
1. Ask questions—in your group and in your own thinking—about how the concepts of identity, development of your awareness of intercultural communication, culture, traditions and history, and systems of oppression and power as we have discussed in the books and read about in the Nieto essays.
2. Develop a “working thesis” that will start your essay. [We will work on this in class.]
3. USE at least three of the following readings as your supporting evidence to show and discuss your
thesis idea: “Intercultural Stumbling Blocks by LaRay Barna; Garcia’s Dreaming in Cuban, Mura’s
Where the Body Meets Memory, The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri Nieto’s writings on Oppression or
Barack Obama’s speech “A More Perfect Union,” or the experience of having Mark Mitsui and his father, Sam Mitsui present on the Japanese American experience before, during and since Work War II.
You could use a section of one of your cultural interviews to make a point or illustrate a point. You could use your own “experience” as one more example to illuminate a particular point you might be making about the other texts from our class—but your “personal experience” should be one more illustration of a point—not the focus of this paper.
4. Write a Draft—expecting that your thesis may become more refined, concrete, or ever more complex as you explore ideas using the readings. Don’t be tempted to look at internet sources for a thesis—it has to come from your own processing of our class material and any work or activities that we do in class to develop thesis starting ideas.
5. This essay must use a thesis, development of points and ideas by using PIE (points, illustrations--
i.e. quotations--, explanations) in your paragraphs, and careful use of quotations, paraphrases, and short summaries (limited)—to support and show from the texts the POINTS that you are making in your essay. Your “own writing voice” must be around 80% of the sentences in the paper. The carefully chosen direct quotations or close paraphrases could be called “guest” voices to show
connections to support your ideas. This is your essay (which means to call forth). You are the voice of the paper and the texts are the material to use to show, develop, and explore how voice,
development, culture, and communication are powerful aspects of human stories.

6. This is an analytical academic essay. You must use the MLA style of in-text citation, with signal phrases, end citations of direct quotes or close paraphrases, and a WORKS CITED list in MLA form at the end of the paper.
7. We will expect ONE early draft, two peer reviews, a self-reflection on your writing process, and
a polished and proofread final paper on November 24th as class begins.
FORMAT: This paper should be in a “usual” 12-point size & font style, double-spaced with 1-inch margins, use MLA style of citations and include a Works Cited page. Your will have your grade lowered if your paper is turned in late.
Evaluation Criteria for Paper #2—Use this as a checklist for yourself as you write.
Your paper has a strong sense of unity and focus; your controlling thesis clearly relates to a theme of identity development, cultural awareness or communication topics from our class ____________
You have established clear connections in your thesis to the ideas from our class articles, novels, & speeches ________
You support your ideas (80% your voice) with relevant paraphrases, and directly quoted passages (20%
illustrations from the texts) speeches, or readings from our class: [These percentages are general guidelines.] _________
You weave those sources into the paper effectively, using transitions and signal phrases to introduce your showing quotations or paraphrases –ie guest voices—yet they don’t take over the writer’s voice in the essay: ___________
You have cited these sources correctly, using MLA citation form. Your Works Cited Page is in correct form: ____________
Your paper has coherence and clear structure as a result of strong connections and transitions among its ideas. You have brought your paper to an interesting and insightful close. ________
Your paper reflects effort, thought, incorporation of feedback from your peers, and time spent on revising your working draft into a thoughtful and well developed essay. ___________
Your paper contains a minimum of five-six full, word-processed, double-spaced pages of engaging, informative, wellcrafted writing on your chosen subject: ________
Your final paper includes your word-processed Writing Process Self-reflection, two peer feedback sheets, & a copy of a preliminary draft. It must be turned in on time! ________
Your paper reflects your own effort, ability, and careful proofreading in terms of its mechanics: punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure: ________