IMAGES OF SELF AND OTHER IN EXISTENTIAIST LITERATURE: ORAL DISCUSSIONS OFF-CAMPUS AND ON-CAMPUS

Bob Corbett, instructor
GNST 1200, FALL (I) 2001

THE ASSIGNMENT; PREPARATION HINTS; GRADING CRITERIA

• ASSIGNMENT:   There are actually three separate assignments:
  1. The initial oral meeting with Corbett. At this meeting you MUST have the actual physical copy of the book with you for Corbett to inspect (that you actually have it and that it is an unabridged copy). We will discuss a bit about the work and possible approaches you might take (and thus watch for) in your reading and reporting on the novel.
  2. The second meeting. At this time you MUST have the book completely finished. The oral interview will serve as an oral examination on the text and serious discussion of the approach you will next take to make a class presentation on the work. It will be assumed you yourself have already considered this question IN DETAIL and come to the meeting with a plan to present to Corbett who will mainly RESPOND to your plan, not plan with you. This is not a planning meeting, but an early presentation itself with criticism coming from Corbett for possible improvements.
  3. The final oral presentation: This will take place in class and be given to your student colleagues.
• PRE-PREPARATION TASKS:
  1. First the first meeting it is easy and straight forward. Simply have the book in hand and come to the meeting.
  2. For the second meeting you must have fully, 100% finished the book. You may have notes with you for the oral exam part of the inteview. You may also have notes with you to demonstrate your own plan and approach to the oral. These should fit with what was discussed at the first meeting, of which Corbett will have notes.
  3. The final presentation will be in class. You may use NOTES, but absolutely do not READ a paper. This is an oral presentation, not a reading session. You must stand at the podium. The amount of time required and allowed will be announced later on the basis of how many different reports there will be.

• THINGS I WILL ESPECIALLY NOTE AND LOOK FOR IN GRADING THE ORAL IN ITS VARIOUS PHASES:
  • Has the book been thoroughly read and digested?
  • Has the student given significant thought to the approach to take in the oral presentation?
  • Is the focus on the image of self and other in the work itself?

• THE GRADES THEMSELVES:
  • A grade of A will mean: A significant thesis about the novel and its relationship to images of self and other is presented and defended after first having presented a basic summary of the plot. This would be a very serious thesis, defended by reasons and sources announced if any were used. The presentation was worked out in a carefully planned manner and was clear and well-delivered.
  • A grade of B will mean: All parts of the process asked for in the above were present, but the oral just didn't match up to the superior quality expected of the A. Perhaps the oral didn't follow the specific guidelines of form; or there were lapses in standard English; or the content was just a bit off from what was promised; or the presentation just lacked the intellectual seriousness of a superior oral presentation.
  • A grade of C will mean: All parts of the oral process were done and on-time. However, the final products were just not in the category of above-average. The oral represented a solid piece of work which should be expected of undergraduates, but nothing above that. It was good, solid, unexceptional work.
  • A grade of D will mean: Some deviations from the criteria expressed above were present in some area of the oral. Perhaps lapses in seriousness of content, or presentation; perhaps failures to adequately express the ideas in standard English; perhaps lapses in following the form required.
  • A grade of F may mean anyone of three things:
    1. The oral was not given at the time appointed. Late work is simply unacceptable for any reason at all.
    2. Significant failures to meet the assignment at the level of reasonable university expectations of thought, attention to detail, significant lapses in the content's accuracy. (Specifics will be pointed out).
    3. The oral's form (rather than the content) was seriously flawed. This could mean the such things as clarity of expression, or use of the English language. All of these would be expected to be used in a reasonable fashion for university level work. However, a grade of F on these grounds would require some quite serious deviation from the expectations listed above.

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