mardi gras culture
Your essay will combine field research with formalized online research in or order to develop an informed understanding of a cultural group and explain their beliefs and behaviors.
In order to earn an “A,” you will produce a paper free of errors that incorporates research effectively and is organized logically to tell me something vital about this subculture and perhaps even teach me something about the world.
The Essay
How you choose to tell your ethnographic narrative is largely up to you; however, you should consider using one or more of the following structures: A Typical Day: a day in the life of a group member; Collage: a series of richly described scenes; Narrative: the story of your understanding of the culture from your research. Your introduction paragraph must contain a thesis statement that summarizes the entire essay’s argument. Each paragraph should have a topic sentence that summarizes that paragraph and that connects back to the overall thesis statement.
Because you will be spending time with members of a particular group and researching them, you will be an insider writing to outsiders. Many of your classmates will have little to no experience with the subculture you are studying. Your tone should be formal and respectful. This doesn’t mean you can’t write in your own voice but that your essay will be assessed on both mechanics and professionalism. And remember, always treat the group with respect.
When conducting research, taking field notes, and writing your essay, consider the following questions:
How do the members of this group present themselves to the world?
What is the history of this subculture?
How are they affected by the world at large?
The Specifics
Your paper must be in MLA format
(Links to an external site.)
, with an appropriate header, title, page numbers, etc.
It should be 5-7 pages long (1200 – 1500 words). Include word count.
Include an interesting title. Let it be related to your (sub)culture. Be creative!
Grammar matters. Make sure your paper is free of errors. Use the Writing Center
(Links to an external site.)
‘s services. Remember, you receive extra credit on your final draft if you attach the “receipt” from the WC.
