EN220/IN250, American Identity, O'Conner

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Group Presentation and Memo Groups for Spring 04

Presentation Topics (Spring 2003):
Author biographies, book reports, critical articles, online resources

John Steinbeck and the Grapes of Wrath
Fitzgerald and The Great Gatsby
Ralph Ellison and Invisible Man
Viramontes and Under the Feet of Jesus
Erdrich and Momaday and their works

Ideally, groups should prepare:

- a detailed biography of the author's life
- a listing of the author's major works
- a web site or Power Point presentation of:
a. photos of the author
b. links to academic web sites about the author
c. links to web sites, articles or commentary about the works we are reading

In collaborative groups, designated by the instructor, you will:

1. work on observing, researching, gathering materials and creating documents for your group presentation.

2. meet as a group, plan the presentation, determine individual responsibilities, appoint duties, and carry them out (some activities should take place online). In deciding individual responsibilities, fair allotment of duties must take place. All work should be divided equally.

3. make your 20 minute group presentation to the class on the appointed date in the syllabus

4. Each individual in the group will write a memo to the instructor, informing the instructor of the designated duties assigned to each member of the group (especially outlining and detailing your own responsibilities) and how you, as a group member, carried out your assigned responsibilities. This memo is due when you make your presentation to the class.

Memos are turned in by each individual of the group. Within your individual memos:
a. list all dates and lengths of time your group met
b. explain the designated duties of each group member
c. outline and detail your personal responsibilities
d. describe how you carried out your responsibilities
e. estimate the total amount of time you spent overall
f. describe all your preparations for presentation
g. include copies of all materials, notes and visual aids, you used in your part of the presentation
h. describe how the group functioned overall, including, if necessary, any problems that occurred within the group or any complaints you have about individual group members

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See Evaluation Form for Group Presentations-
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Points for this assignment are awarded for:
a. the quality and completeness of your memo,
b. the amount of work accomplished and shown by the individual,
c. the cooperation shown by the team,
d.the creativity and completeness of presentation.
Hint: Most groups give handouts to the class, most use visual aids like Power Point and/or the WWW; presentations will take around 20 minutes for each group.

Special Challenges of Group Work

I. Encourage Debate and Diversity of Ideas

A. Invite Everyone to Speak
B. Listen with Interest and Respect
C. Be considerate with planning and discussing
D. Treat All work as Team Property, not Individual Property
II. In Meetings, Be Efficient

Team Leader is needed
1. Have an agenda
2. Stick to the topic
3. Bring each discussion to a close, move on to the next discussion
III. Provide Detailed Guidance for Individual Work

Team decides individual duties, the individual carries them out
1. Group meets to generate ideas, make basic decisions, plan strategy
2. Team members work independently, guided by strategy
3. Group meets again to review independent work, generate new ideas, plan strategy for next round of work.
IV. Make a Project Schedule

A. Time to define project objectives: at first meeting
B. Frequent Checkpoints and Revisions
C. Time need to check for consistency and coherence
A Possible Overall Coordination Schedule:

1. define technical objectives, appoint tasks
2. conduct research
3. decide what to say and do, redefine tasks
4. revise ideas and tasks intermittently
5. define communication objectives
6. make outlines
7. draft final presentation
8. revise final presentation
9. edit for consistency