English 102: Introduction to College Writing

Instructor:Leslie Harper

Formal Assignment 1: Interview

Overview:

For this assignment, you must conduct an interview with an individual who has personal or expert knowledge of the immigrant community you are studying. You must turn in a typed transcript of the interview itself, as well as a reflective analysis of the information you gained from the interview and any future research questions or sources that the interview has suggested. Explore the relationship between the immigrant community and the native population. Were the immigrants accepted? Did they face discrimination? If so, what kind of discrimination? What affect did the immigrant community have on society at large?

Goals:

This assignment is designed to help you

  • Develop research skills outside of the library.
  • Gain more knowledge of your research community.
  • Find a living source for your research, bringinglife to your subject matter.
  • Understand your research topic from someone else’s perspective.

Part 1: Interview Proposal (Due January 20th)

The person you interview will depend on the immigrant community you are researching. If you are studying the discourse surrounding a current immigrant community, you might choose to interview an immigrant from that community, a case-worker for an organization that assists immigrants from that community, or a journalist or author who has written about that community. If you are writing about an immigrant community in the past, you might interview a historian with particular knowledge of that immigrant community, anofficer of a local society affiliated with that community, or someone with personal knowledge of that immigrant community (such as a descendent who can recount specific and detailed information about the community). Before you conduct your interview, you must submit a brief proposal explaining whom you plan to interview and why that person is an authority on your research topic.

Part 2: Interview Questions (Due January 25th)

You must submit your list of questions to me for approval before the interview. Before you make this list of questions, some research is required. The more informed you already are about a topic, the better your questions will be. What information have you been unable to find through your other research? What don’t you understand that your interviewee might be able to explain? What fresh perspective can your interviewee provide?

Part 3: Interview Transcript (Due February 1st-5th)

You must provide a typed transcript of the interview. Therefore, make sure you bring a writing utensil, a notepad, and a recorder to your interview. Listen carefully to your interviewee and take extensive notes.

Part 4: Interview Analysis (Due February 1st-5th)

Along with your transcript you must turn in an analysis of the interview that explains what you learned and how you might use this information for your research essay. Were your questions answered? Why or why not? What new questions have been suggested by the interview? You will also be required to give a five-minute presentation to the class discussing your analysis.

Formatting and Other Requirements:

  • Page numbers (in Word, go to the Insert menu and select Page Numbers)
  • A title
  • Your name
  • Times New Roman 12 pt. font.
  • At least 3 pages of transcript.
  • At least 2 pages of analysis.

Evaluation Criteria:

Criteria / Goal
Source / The source is well-chosen.
Questions / The questions are well thought-out, well researched, and appropriate.
Introduction / The introduction of the analysis providessufficient context for understanding the purpose of the interview.
Analysis / The analysis makes a clear argument about what you learned from the interview and discusses new questions suggested by the interview. Arguments are persuasively supported with paraphrases and quotes.
Organization / The analysis has a clear thesis and clear, argumentative topic sentences. Each paragraph contains one main idea, and appropriate transitions are used to connect main ideas.
Conclusion / The conclusion branches off of the main analysis by making interesting recommendations for future research.
Mechanics / The paper was turned in on time and formatted correctly. It contains no grammatical errors. The style is efficient and clear.

Revised Assignment due February 12th