PROJECT SPACE: Public and Private Sphere
Project Space includes an individual project and a group project. While space can be defined as urban, community, and personal, it may also be institutional (e.g., the university and hospital) and online (such as interactive Web 2.0 spaces), which challenge the neat division between private and public sphere. In these projects, you will analyze how different spaces shape our conception of world, self, and other.
Physical Spaces (Select one)
Library, Park, Café, Fitness Center, Shopping Mall/plaza, restaurant/marketplace, beach
Web 2.0 Spaces (Select one)
ChatGPT, Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Weibo, TikTok
Group Project
In a group of three, you will consider the socioeconomics and politics of one physical space and one digital space.
Some Specifics for Group Project:
- Choose one physical space and one digital space from the list below. We will do a draw to determine the spaces for each group.
- Visit the physical space; observe, take notes, take pictures, videos, or interview of people in those spaces. You can also interview people about those spaces.
- Examine your digital spaces and also take notes, screen shots, and videos.
- Look for 2-3 relevant scholarly sources–at least one each on your physical and digital spaces.
- Look for popular sources—images, songs, videos, animations, graphics, blogs and websites related to your spaces
- Present your argument and findings in a finely composed and edited 5 min long video.
- Your argument in the video should concern the question of public and private space, the economics and politics of space, and how we construct ‘self’ ‘other’ and ‘community” in particular spaces (physical and digital), and what are the stakes/tensions associated with these spaces. Be analytical and critical in your approach to video composition. Don’t just compare two spaces, but analyze them using some theoretical concepts from readings for the class, such as public/private sphere, ownership issues, privacy, copyright, third space, absolute and abstract space, representation of space and representational space, tactics and strategy etc.
- Each one of you should contribute equally to the project. Keep a project log, with details on who does what for the project. Plan out presentation in such a way that each group member contributes equally into it.
Some Presentation Guidelines
1. Your presentation should include–description of your topic (nobody except your group knows what you are working on), explanation of your research and composing/editing process, discussion of your argument, editing decisions (organization), and how your editing decision supports or complements your claim.
2. Make your presentation interesting/lively–screen your video, and explain how they helped you make your argument.
3. Try to make your presentation interactive–ask questions, involve audience to discussion, and ask for audience feedback to your presentation, content on the movie etc. even during the presentation, and definitely at the end.
4. Plan out your presentation in such a way that every group member contributes equally to the presentation.
Assessment Criteria for Video Project
Conceptual core—major idea, argument, or point (30%)
Research component—source use, data collection (20%)
Form and content—organic relationship between form and content (10%)
Creative realization—creative approach to the topic/idea—use of rhetorical/persuasive strategies (20%)
Audience—sensitivity to target audience—choice of tone, mood, genre, diction (10%)
Timeliness—awareness and response to socio-historical context (5%)
Available tools, and author’s learning curve (5 %)
Grading Rubric for the Individual Project:
| A Excellent | B Very Good | C Acceptable | D Weak | |
| Effectiveness of the assignment: Project is produced in an academic context and is expected to contain a thoughtful and insightful thesis, main idea, position, or claim that is sustained throughout the piece. | The thesis is clear, insightful and thought provoking. It is sustained consistently throughout the project. | The thesis is clear and it is sustained consistently throughout the essay. | The thesis is plausible but offers inconsistencies throughout the project. | The thesis is weak or absent. It is not sustained throughout the project. |
| Response to assignment: Projects written or produced in an academic context are expected to address the topic and issues set forth in the assignment and address all aspects of the writing (prompt) task. | The project responds to the assignment in depth, thoroughly exploring the topic and the issues chosen by each group. | The project responds to the topic and the issues chosen by each group in a meaningful way. | The project responds to the topic and the issues chosen by each group. | The project does not respond to the assignment chosen by each group and it treats the assignment in a superficial, simplistic, or disjointed manner. |
| Support: Projects written or produced in an academic context are expected to provide support for main points with reasons, explanations, and examples for intended audience. | The thesis and supportive evidence is fully and convincingly developed, supported with insightful reasons, explanations, and examples. | The thesis is fully developed, supported with good reasons, explanations, and examples. | The thesis is adequately developed, supported with some reasons, explanations, and examples | The thesis is inadequately developed, unsupported with reasons, explanations, and examples. |
| Organization: Projects produced in an academic context are expected to be well-organized in both overall structure and presentation. | The project is well-structured; its form contributes to its purpose. Project/presentation is well-organized and carefully linked to the thesis. | The project is generally well-structured with only a few flaws in overall organization. Presentations are organized and linked to the thesis. | The project is structured with only a few flaws in overall organization. Presentations are adequately organized and generally linked to the thesis | The project is poorly structured; organizational flaws undermine its effectiveness, it is not well-organized nor is project/presentation linked to the thesis |
| Grammar and Mechanics: Projects and/or presentations are written in an academic context and are expected to maintain surface level correctness in terms of syntax, grammar, spelling punctuation, and format. Effective and prepared speech and presentation are expected. | The project/ presentation is correct in terms of its syntax, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and format. Speech and delivery of presentation is prepared and very effective. | The project/ presentation is good in terms of its syntax, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and format. Speech and delivery of presentation is good and effective. | Project/ presentation exhibits sentence level/ speech preparedness level errors that distract somewhat to the overall presentation effectiveness. | Sentence and speech level errors are so frequent and disruptive that they detract from the project’s effectiveness |
Individual Project
Individually, each one of you will write a 1,000 words essay, which demonstrates a good scholarly research. You will explore a set of very pointed questions around a particular issue, debate, idea or complexity related to two spaces of your choice (from the list below). You can choose to work with the same set of spaces that your group chooses to work on. But, individually, you will make a claim about those spaces, support your claim with evidence, and draw a logical conclusion following adequate exploration and discussion of issue or questions pertaining to your chosen spaces.
Some Specifics for Individual Essays:
- 2-3 scholarly sources
- 2-3 popular sources—images, blogs, videos, documentaries etc.
- 2 set of primary data—collected through two of these methods–interviews, field visits and observations, and/or survey questionnaires
- Consistent MLA citation.
