College Study Skills: Becoming a Strategic Learner



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Anthropology 095: east asiaN Cultures (TAP)

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Course Information

Professor: Jeanne L. Shea, Ph.D, Williams Hall, Room 515

Class meetings: Tu Th 11:00 am -12:15 pm, Terrill Hall, Room 222

Office hours: Tu Th 12:30-1:15 pm, 3:30-4:15 pm, Williams Hall 515

Prof. phone/email: 802-656-3181, jlshea@uvm.edu, uvm.edu/~jlshea

Course Description

Welcome to Anthropology 095! As part of the Teacher-Advisor Program (TAP) at UVM, this course provides an introduction to East Asian Cultures and an orientation to college-level academic skills. Special features of TAP courses include small class size, the attention paid to skills-based learning, and the way in which the professor also acts as your academic advisor while you are enrolled in the course. If you have any questions about academic issues or college life or would just like to chat, please feel free to email me, come to office hours, or call to make an appointment if you can’t make office hours.

In exploring East Asian cultures, we focus on Chinese culture in mainland China and Japanese culture in Japan and examine selected features of these cultures, such as value systems and social customs. In doing so, we discern aspects of continuity and change in these features over time and compare popular western images of “the Orient” to the broad and complex array of ideas, values, customs, and social arrangements found in China and Japan. As the semester progresses, we consider the various ways in which China and Japan have interacted with each other over the years and how Chinese and Japanese cultures are similar to each other in some senses but are different in others. Overall, the course centers on issues of cultural representation, diversity, social change, historical interactions, and cross-cultural comparison.

Academic skills on which we will work include: reading strategies, critical analysis, the art of discussion, study skills, test-taking strategies, library and web research techniques, evaluating the quality of sources, identifying the appropriate structure for a paper, the writing and revising process, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of a paper, giving oral presentations, giving and responding to constructive criticism, and proper citation practices and bibliographic procedures, among others.

Professor Profile

Member of UVM faculty since 1998. Specialization in cultural anthropology, medical anthropology, gender, ethnicity, health, and the lifecycle. Ph.D. & M.A. in Anthropology, Harvard University, 1998 and 1994, respectively. B.A. in Asian Studies, Dartmouth College, 1989. Multiple years of fieldwork conducted in China and Montreal. Fluent in Mandarin Chinese. Grew up in rural Vermont. Married, one child.

Assigned Coursework

Assignments Due Date Percent Overall Grade

Class Participation due regularly throughout the semester 20%

Quiz One Oct. 4, in class 20%

Quiz Two Oct. 27, in class 20%

Paper Draft Nov. 17, 22, or 29, in class part of class partic.

First Presentation Nov. 17, 22, or 29, in class 10%

Term Paper due Dec. 12, 8:00 am, location TBA 20%

Final Presentation Dec. 12, 8:00-11:00 am, location TBA 10%

Extra Credit due Dec. 12, 8:00 am, location TBA +1-5 on overall grade

Assigned Readings

Richard Gunde, Culture and Customs of China, Greenwood Press, 2001.

[280 pages, $45.00, ISBN: 0313308764, at bookstore]

Noriko Kamachi, Culture and Customs of Japan, Greenwood Press, 1999.

[224 pages, $45.00, ISBN: 0313301972, at bookstore]

Dianna L. Van Blerkom, College Study Skills: Becoming a Strategic Learner, 4th edition, Wadsworth Publishing, 2002. [480 pages, $59.95, ISBN: 053457467X, at bookstore]

Course handouts, reserve readings, UVM Student Handbook and UVM website.

Class participation

Completion of all required readings before class. Attendance and prompt arrival at all class meetings. Active oral participation in class discussion with informed questions or comments. Attentively listening to and respectfully acknowledging each others' points of view. Striking a balance between expressing oneself and encouraging others to participate. Giving thoughtful, diplomatic responses to differences of opinion. Working with a partner(s) to give each other feedback on drafts of term paper.

Quizzes

Includes multiple choice and essay questions on East Asian cultures from readings and class material to date.

Paper draft

A draft of your term paper (see below). Must include thesis, outline, bibliography, and at least four pages of the body of the paper.

First Presentation

An oral in-class presentation on your term paper as a work-in-progress. See guidelines for presentations handout.

Term paper

Paper on some aspect of an East Asian culture or cultures. Need to discuss and cite assigned readings on East Asian cultures, in-class materials on East Asian cultures, and at least four relevant, high-quality outside sources. Paper should be 7-9 pages, typed, double-spaced, in 12-point font with one-inch margins. Also need title page, thesis and outline page, and bibliography. See guidelines for the evaluation of papers handout.

Final Presentation

An oral presentation on the main findings of your completed term paper. See guidelines for presentations handout.

Extra credit

Attend and write five-page report on at least three approved extracurricular lectures or presentations on an East Asian culture(s).

Students with Special Needs or With Scheduling Conflicts or Other Difficulties

Part of your responsibilities as a college student is to inform your instructors in a timely manner of any special needs, scheduling conflicts, religious obligations, medical problems, or family emergencies that may affect your ability to complete coursework.

For example, ACCESS students should confirm that I have received a letter from the ACCESS office, and contact me during the first two weeks of class to discuss accommodations arrangements.

Students with scheduling conflicts due to religious obligations, family duties, pre-scheduled medical appointments, sports competitions, artistic performances, or other extracurricular commitments should contact me during the first two weeks of class and provide me with a letter with a written schedule of their commitments.

If, over the course of the semester, health problems, emotional challenges, learning difficulties, interpersonal problems, or personal or family emergencies arise, you should contact me and your advisor as soon as you can, and keep in mind that the Dean of Students, Student Health Center, Counseling Center, Center for Health and Wellbeing, Learning Coop, and other resources are available for you. You are not alone (

Course Policies

This section addresses policies to ensure a positive and fair learning environment and to make sure that everyone has a clear understanding of the expectations in this course.

Preparation: Assigned readings must be completed prior to each class. Inadequate preparation will impair your ability to participate effectively in class and perform well in your written work. Class discussions will assume completion of assigned readings. It is your responsibility to make sure to complete all of the readings in a timely fashion.

Attendance: Attendance at each class meeting is crucial to your ability to do well in this course. Classes will start promptly. Students are expected to arrive in the classroom on time and to remain in the classroom until the end of the class. No absences and no tardiness can be excused unless documentation of a health problem, family emergency, religious obligation, or other excused reason is provided. Unexcused absences, tardiness, or early departures will bring down the student's class participation grade. If you do need to be absent, with or without an excused reason, please touch base with the professor as soon as you can. If, during class, you need to arrive late or leave early, you should do so quietly and considerately. It is your responsibility to make up any content that you miss due to absence from class.

Conduct: All members of the class are expected to be attentive and considerate, to work together to create a positive and invigorating learning environment, and to treat each other with respect and compassion. Students are expected to actively participate in class discussions, asking questions and making relevant comments about readings and other course materials, and listening respectfully and responding thoughtfully to others' points. Inappropriate conduct will bring down the student's class participation grade.

Late papers and make-ups: Late papers cannot be accepted, extensions cannot be granted, and make-ups cannot be given without documentation of a health problem, family emergency, religious obligation, or other excused reason. Please mark your calendars and set your alarm clocks carefully. Unexcused absence on the day that a quiz is scheduled will result in a zero on the quiz in question. Unexcused late papers will be marked down by a full letter grade per day late (e.g., one to twenty-four hours late, an A- becomes a B).

Plagiarism and cheating: Plagiarism and cheating hamper a person's ability to learn and grow and create original work, and they stunt a group's ability to maintain fairness, honesty, and trust. Please familiarize yourself with proper citation practices and definitions of plagiarism and cheating. It is important to be aware that violations can result in serious consequences, including a failing grade on the essay, paper, or presentation in question. If you any questions concerning the line between doing your own work and copying the work of others, please do not hesitate to ask.

Course Schedule

Course Introduction

Tues., Aug. 30 Orientation to course

Thurs., Sept. 1 Overview of issues and themes in the course

Readings due: Van Blerkom, chapters on Adjusting to College, Goal Setting, Time Management, Concentration and Learning Style, and Taking Lecture Notes.

Tues., Sept. 6 Overview of academic skills and college resources

Readings due: Van Blerkom, chapters on Reading Your Textbook, Marking Your Textbook, and Taking Text Notes. Skim UVM website and UVM Student Handbook.

Chinese Culture

Thurs., Sept. 8 China: Land, People, and History

Reading due: Gunde, chronology and ch. 1

Tues., Sept. 13 China: Thought and Religion

Reading due: Gunde, ch. 2

Thurs., Sept. 15 China: Literature and Art

Reading due: Gunde, ch. 3

Tues., Sept. 20 China: Family and Gender

Reading due: Gunde, ch. 7

Thurs., Sept. 22 China: Food and Clothing

Reading due: Gunde, ch. 5

Tues., Sept. 27 China: Holidays and Leisure Activities

Reading due: Gunde, ch. 8

Thurs., Sept. 29 China: Past, Present, and Future

Reading due: Gunde, Epilogue. Van Blerkom, chapters on Preparing for Tests, Improving Memory, Taking Objective Tests, Preparing for Essay Tests, and Taking Essay Tests

Tues., Oct. 4 Quiz #1

Japanese Culture

Thurs., Oct. 6 Japan: Land, People, History

Readings due: Kamachi, ch. 1

Tues., Oct. 11 Japan: Thought and Religion

Readings due: Kamachi, ch. 2

Thurs., Oct. 13 Japan: Literature and Art

Readings due: Kamachi, ch. 3, 4

Tues., Oct. 18 Japan: Gender, Family, and Lifestyle

Readings due: Kamachi, ch. 8, 11

Thurs., Oct. 20 Japan: Food and Clothing

Readings due: Kamachi, ch. 6, 7

Tues., Oct. 25 Japan: Holidays and Leisure Activities

Readings due: Kamachi, ch. 9 and 10

Thurs., Oct. 27 Quiz #2

Researching East Asian Cultures

Tues., Nov. 1 Topics and Resources for Your Term Paper and Presentation

Readings due: Van Blerkom, chapter on Communicating On Paper, Orally, and On the Internet

Thurs., Nov. 3 Topics and Resources for Your Term Paper and Presentation

Readings due: research for your paper/presentation

Tues., Nov. 8 Topics and Resources for Your Term Paper and Presentation

Readings due: research for your paper/presentation

Thurs., Nov. 10 Writing Tips

Readings due: research for your paper/presentation

Tues., Nov. 15 Presentation Tips

Readings due: research for your paper/presentation

Thurs., Nov. 17 First Presentations and Paper drafts due

Tues., Nov. 22 First Presentations and Paper drafts due

Nov. 23-25 [No class – Thanksgiving recess]

Tues., Nov. 29 First Presentations and Paper drafts due

Nov 30-Dec 4 [No class – AAA conference]

Tues., Dec. 6 Final Remarks

Readings due: Van Blerkom, chapter on Preparing for Final Exams

Mon., Dec. 12 Final Presentations and Term paper due and Extra credit due

8:00-11:00 am Location TBA

[*Note: This syllabus is provisional and may be subject to modification by the professor during the course of the semester in the event of unexpected opportunities or unforeseen challenges encountered by the class.]

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