Immigration and Ethnicity In The Canadian Context
Academic Essay (20%) Write an essay of 1500 words (5 pages) on a topic of your choosing. You can write on any topic that related to any of the course lectures and to any theme that is in one way or another is related to Immigration and Ethnicity in the Canadian context.
You can be writing about Politics, History, Sports, Fashion, Communities, Regions, Cities, Economy, or Art, as long as you relate the topic to the course (within the context of the 19th, 20th, or 21st centuries). The most important thing is for you to conduct proper academic research on the subject (see below). It is better if you write your essay on a topic that interests you than for me to assign you themes that you might be not as interested in. Your essay must rely ONLY on peer-reviewed academic sources. You must have citations in your essay. Otherwise, your essay will not be receiving a passing grade. Do not overuse quotes. It is better to use your own words (rather than the authors’) and then cite this information properly Use either APA or MLA style citation.
Make sure you have a title page and a descriptive title (unique title) for your essay. The essay should address the historiography (literature review) of the topic of your choosing. The easiest way to achieve this is to compare and contrast sources. Identify various interpretations, methodologies, and approaches. Highlight debates and disagreements on specific topics or facts/events. Keep in mind that sometimes, the content of a source is just as important as the interpretation being put forward. A historiographical (literature review) exploration will reveal your knowledge of the literature on a topic and your ability to evaluate sources.
How do various authors perceive a particular topic?
What are the controversial aspects or issues of a topic? Is there agreement among scholars on a particular topic? Keep in mind that a simple chronological narrative will only reveal your ability to summarize. An original essay will attempt to provide an innovative approach to a topic. Assignments must be typed and double spaced. Standard 12 pt font, cursive or non-cursive, double spaced text, standard 2.5 cm margins, 11” X 8 ½” paper. Make sure to have a title page with your name, name, of course, essay title, and the instructor’s name. A minimum of five (5) texts (books and/or journal articles) must be used in writing the essay. (The textbook may be used but it does not count towards the five required texts). Make sure that you choose the most appropriate books/journal articles. Internet sources should not be used.
Only use the Internet to locate and read scholarly journals. You will find that there are differing interpretations of issues and events, and a good essay will show awareness of these. You may argue whatever position you like, as long as you can back your arguments with reasonable and credible evidence. Please note that the key to good research is to be as exhaustive and critical as possible. Selecting a few random sources off the shelf will not be productive. Good research requires skill. It will take time and effort to locate and read the best research possible. A good essay is like a courtroom argument—it is based on the presentation of proof conforming with the rules of evidence in an expositive argument. The way hearsay is not admissible in court, Wikipedia for example, is likewise not admissible as evidence in scholarly discourse.
Just as court evidence is presented in a disciplined system: Exhibit A, Exhibit B, Exhibit C, etc, in the written historical argument, the Chicago Style footnoted citation is used to lead and guide the reader through the evidence backing the persuasive discourse of the text above it. Essays MUST provide bibliographies of all works consulted, whether or not they have been quoted directly in the citations. An adequate bibliography for this assignment will contain no less than five books or journal articles related to the topic. General books, dictionaries, atlases, textbooks, and/or encyclopedias DO NOT count towards this minimum number of sources, and their inclusion in citations will NOT be considered as constituting research.
