Group Project (Liberty Stanavage, Fall 2005)
From UCSB English Department Knowledge Base
| Welcome to the English Department Knowledge Base at the University of California, Santa Barbara. |
|---|
Group Research Project
Ballad Archive Presentations
Due: November 30
You will be working in small groups to prepare a 10-15 minute presentation on a specific topic that falls under your general assigned heading, examining and comparing specific ballads from the EMC ballad archive to each other and to additional contextualizing primary and/or secondary sources.
Your presentation needs to do the following:
- It must argue and/or illustrate a central thesis. Are you making a particular claim about what your chosen ballads are doing socially, structurally, linguistically, visually, or poetically? Are you explaining particular types of figures or narratives that you see recurring in these ballads? Are you contrasting different versions of a similar figure (like alternate versions of husband killers)? A good thesis not only tells us what is there, but goes on to explain the broader significance of these findings.
- It must contain specific ballad examples (plural), including at least 2 ballads we have not read for class. You do not need to have us read the ballad, but you should be specific in the ballads you mention, and should quote or note any particularly relevant parts. A handout is often useful for this, or you can use the digital projector and computer to show a slideshow.
- It must contain some contextual material. This means that you need to incorporate info from either another 1500-1700 document that addresses your topic (EEBO is very useful for this), or from current scholarship on the subject. This should help to ground your claims or to contrast your findings against other narratives from the era.
- It must be geared to help your peers understand some aspect of the representation of or commentary on the popular/popular culture in these ballads.
Other than these requirements, you can structure the presentation as creatively as you would like. Please keep me updated as your project develops.
You will be expected to use the resources of the Early Modern Center (SH 2510) for your research project. While you can use the computer resources from a distance, using these in the Early Modern Center means that you can get help from Kristina McAbee, the Early Modern Center Graduate Fellow.
EMC hours:
- Monday: 10:50-12:50, 2:30-4:30
- Tuesday: 1:30-4:30
- Wednesday: 10:50-12:50
- Thursday: 1:30-4:30
- Friday: None
